This post is going to be a little different than my other posts because I am going to ask you to help me write it.
Last night in our men's group we discussed who created evil. If God is all-powerful why doesn't He stop evil from happening? Since the Bible says He is all-powerful then He must have created both good and evil. Why did He do that?
With this post I would like to ask you to study the nature of God which is found in the Bible and share what you have found proving one of the following questions:
Gos is all-powerful and allows people to have free will, which sometimes leads to evil.
God is all-powerful and created both good and evil.
God is not all-powerful and cannot stop evil.
What are some of the possible reasons God allows evil to happen even to good people?
Please share your discovery by commenting to this post and back up your statement with scriptures. Next Thursday when our group meets again I will share your responses with the men.
I look forward to your comments about this subject. I can promise you that you will find within the pages of the Bible the truth about God's nature.
2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Our hope regarding evil is found in Revelations 21: 4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away,".
Last night in our men's group we discussed who created evil. If God is all-powerful why doesn't He stop evil from happening? Since the Bible says He is all-powerful then He must have created both good and evil. Why did He do that?
With this post I would like to ask you to study the nature of God which is found in the Bible and share what you have found proving one of the following questions:
Gos is all-powerful and allows people to have free will, which sometimes leads to evil.
God is all-powerful and created both good and evil.
God is not all-powerful and cannot stop evil.
What are some of the possible reasons God allows evil to happen even to good people?
Please share your discovery by commenting to this post and back up your statement with scriptures. Next Thursday when our group meets again I will share your responses with the men.
I look forward to your comments about this subject. I can promise you that you will find within the pages of the Bible the truth about God's nature.
2 Timothy 3: 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Our hope regarding evil is found in Revelations 21: 4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away,".
5 comments:
Sin and therefore Evil was present before man created
Genesis 2:9 NAS
Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food ; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
God knows of evil
Genesis 3:5 NIV
Satan said "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Genesis 3:22 NIV
And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever."
God allows evil.
Job 1:6-12
Job's First Test
6.One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
7.The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
8.Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
9."Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied.
10."Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
11.But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
12.The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Luke 22:31 NIV
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
So what is evil?
Evil is not Good. Evil is a heart issue mitigated by the fact we are an imperfect people living with dominion over a perfect creation (earth) resulting in an imperfect world. It is when one has an improper standing before God relationally, physically, mentally, spiritually, everything.
So did God create evil?
God is Good…He IS all Good, He is perfect, and that is all there was in the beginning before the fall of Lucifer and then man. But God instilled in His creations (angels and man) free will, and it is the free will, and the choices made in the heart, that reveal the imperfection of man and absence of good. So it stands to reason that it is the absence of good that enables evil. So did God create evil? I say He did because it is the Good that sheds light on evil, and it is evil that lets us appreciate Good and directs us to seek God and Hid goodness.
Best regards,
Jeff
Let's first look at the definition of Evil.
Webster's Dictionary - Evil, 1. a. morally reprehensible, b. arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct.
2. something that brings sorrow, distress or calamity.
Now let's look at what God has to say about it.
Matthew 15: 15-19 And Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."
And He (Jesus) said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."
If we look at that list of things that are produced by evil thoughts we will find that none of those things are of God.
Romans 5: 12 tells us that sin came as a result of one man and that it spread to other men.
In Genesis 3 We are told the story of the fall of man and how Satan said these words: "You surely shall not die! For God knows that in the say you eat from it (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
In Isaiah 14: 12-14 we are told of the fall of Lucifer (Satan): "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
Galatians 5: 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
In Genesis 1 we are told how God created the universe and all that is in it. At the end of the first five days He declared, "It is good." but at the end of the sixth day He declared, "It is very good."
From the creation account I gather that in the first seven days evil did not exist. The first definition of Evil entered sometime after the seventh day and from the accounts above it appears to me that it entered through the heart of Lucifer who became Satan. Then Satan influenced Eve as Adam looked on.
Now clearly sorrow, the second definition of Evil can be caused by God. Sorrow, distress and calamity not only come from the choices we make but they can be caused by God. Death, financial problems, hardships are forms of what we would call evil but these types of evil are not necessarily caused by bad moral character or wrong thoughts.
My conclusion is God by giving the angels and humans free will provided the opportunity for evil but He did not create it.
Our hope is found in Revelations 7: 16-17 "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes."
Here are some thoughts on your question:
Did God create evil? No. That was pretty simple, but I suspect you were looking for more meat.
Heb. 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Jesus is our moral compass, the one constant in the universe that never changes. If He was sinless enough on the cross to pay for sins (II Cor 5:21, I Pet 1:18,19) then He created the world (Col 1:13-16) in a sinless state and He will continue on into the future sinless, this we can count on.
So what happened in the Garden of Eden? It started clean and free of evil. Man's fall didn't take God by surprise, did it? The very fact that a tree of testing existed with a warning, "... for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." Gen 2:17b shows us that the possibility that man would fall and evil would enter the world was known to God.
I Pet 1:20 and Eph 1:4 both indicate that before the creation there was a plan to save man when he fell. Yes, I said when he fell. We are created in God's image (like a reflection) but we are not God. The Garden of Eden was not heaven. The creation was not perfect. As a matter of fact on days 1,3,4,5 and 6 God grades His work as good. (Gen 1:4,10,12,18,21 and 25) Only when man is created does God grade His work as very good. Gen 1:31 The creation was not outstanding, not great, not excellent, and not perfect. God never intended for the earth to rival heaven and he never intended for man to rival Him or equal Him in holiness. Only God can exist in a perfect and unblemished state for eternity. Man is a creature and God knew that in time he would fail. Now one could argue that man didn't stand a chance and therefore God is in some way responsible for the fall and thus responsible for the advent of evil. God is not responsible for evil which is a consequence of man's choice, but God is responsible for love as He provides an unheard of grace, that a very frail and imperfect creature like man can have a relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe 1 Jn 4:8. Here is the beauty of it all. Jesus, the Creator God, the Owner of the world, agreed in eternity past to make a way back to God the Father as our Redeemer. Jesus Himself would buy us back with His own life giving mankind a second chance to choose God over the voice of the Serpent.
God never intended for man to be complete in and of himself and earth was ever intended to be a lasting home. Eccl 3:11. We were made with a yearning to be filled with God. Evil is a man filled with himself and good is a man filled with God. Good or evil it is our choice not God's. Heb 13:8.
Is God taking a huge risk by letting us have a will? It's up to us if we choose God or reject Him. Remember, we are created in God's image Gen 1:27 and He chose us Eph 1:4. Think about it, God is so committed to the proposition that the highest form of love is between persons who freely chose each other and devote themselves to each other for no other reason than the sheer joy of the relationship. Follow the logic, God knows Who we were made like, and thus He has confidence that we will choose the One we are like. Yes there is a great risk but great reward.
Therefore, I propose that evil exists because God is good not because He is evil.
Larry D.
Dear Pastor Lars,
James 1:12-17 NIV-
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The Message also says "Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, God is trying to trip me up." and "There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle."
John 10:10 NIV says -
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Of your three proposals, my personal belief is-
God is an all-powerful God who did not create evil but allows people to have free will, which sometimes leads to evil. I think satan's kingdom only wants to hurt us and trip us up. Clearly God wants just the opposite. That was the core mission of redemption. He sent Jesus to give us life and salvation. He only wants the best for us as a loving parent. We are his children not his puppets. Our decisions and our responses are our own. And God will be as involved in them as we let him. He always is working behind the scenes to support us in finding a positive response to a negative situation. Since we live in this fallen environment with bad influences all around us, we will experience difficulties. We learn from our mistakes, get up, keep moving forward helping others along the way. And in situations where we don't understand everything, that's when we need God most and can trust He will help us through it.
John 16:32,33, Message-
I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world.
I am a little bit sheepish here account when you indicated we were to have biblical references I felt very inadequate in my knowledge of scriptures. I had to speak with a few of my coworkers and my wife to get some direction on where to start looking. Maybe that was all a part of the plan on your part- to get us to get into the Bible reading or at the very least (as in my case) get us to interact with others to stimulate discussion on such matters…….
Is God the source of everything, both good and evil? Certainly He is the source of all creation and in Genesis 'He saw that it was good'. I had to read a couple of chapters to get to where the fall of man occurred. That Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the first reference to evil that I found and I am of the opinion that once Adam and Eve took of that tree then 'they knew they were naked and were ashamed.' They were hiding from God; Evil then existed. From Luke 6:45 - An evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech.
From Romans 7:21-24 - 'It seems a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God's will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.' I think that the evil in the world comes from us when we choose to listen to Satan.
Why do bad things happen to good people? I do not think that bad things only happen to good people; everyone gets their share of trials in this life. Sometimes people bring it on themselves through the consequences of wrong choices. Free Will gone astray, so to speak. Other times God allows bad things to happen to us and we should remember that He is always with us in those tough times, 'our refuge and our strength'. He allows us to be in situations that we cannot fix with the plan that these will bring us to relationship with Him. John 3:16 - 'He loved the world so much he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes should not perish but have eternal life' - perhaps the ultimate example of bad things happening to good people……….and in the end He rose up to be forever in Heaven with the Father.
So there, you have my thoughts on this topic. I hope this gets to you in time. - Chuck
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