Actually, in pre-Christian Icelandic religion, Loki wouldn't have been a god in the true sense of the word (that is being Regin or a ruling power). The only depictions of Loki outside the Eddas are rune stones were Loki is bound. And there are no place-names or theophoric names in Sagic literature, or in historical records (to my knowledge). Thus Loki doesn't seem to be an actual gοð or týr in the way other gods were seen as; despite him being listed as one of the 12 major Aesir in the Gylfaginning.

Then there's the matter of his behavior in the later half of the poems, where his character changes to something much more malevolent.
Given all that, I'd say Loki is an outlander Jotun of murder and treachery, rather than a god of mischief