It is one of the questions posed by many people, atheists, agnostics and even people of faith. It is a very profound question and in this article we will go over why a loving and omniscient God would allow evil to be born and continue to work in our world .
Omniscience
The first thing we will tackle in this essay is God's omniscience and allowing evil to exist. Many atheists and agnostics will argue since God knows all things, why then did he create creatures that he knows will rebel against him? . Well it is because God is omniscient the number one reason why he allows evil to exist. As an all knowing being, He knows the course evil will take, he knows how it will end and the eternal purpose it will serve. God is not terrified by the idea of evil like we human beings are. For God to have allowed evil
to manifest itself in the ways it has, means God has a greater purpose that is being fulfill.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9)
True Love
Isn't God cruel the skeptics ask ? No God is not cruel for creating creatures that he knows would rebel and leave a trail of devastation in his universe, but it is because of his great love that he created creatures that can choose to rebel or not. God wanted creatures that would choose to be his friends, to follow his ways and willing obedience. He did not want to create a whole bunch of robots that will do whatever He says. Therefore he created intelligent creatures that can think and decide for themselves.
As humans we try to control those around us ,because we feel unsafe and powerless; therefore we cannot envision taken such a great risk of rebellion. But God is not a powerless being and therefore has no fear of rebellion, but he does all this so that in the end true love will reign eternally.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
What is Evil?
This is an important thing to know before we can fully come to grip with the question of "why did God allow evil to Exist?". Evil is not a thing in itself but is simply doing thing opposite to God or what is good. In this sense, Augustine , a Christian thinker defined evil as a privation – a lack of something – rather than a thing or substance. So the origin of evil is simply God allowing creatures to be able to choose things contrary to Himself. The atheists, skeptics or any other names unbelievers may call themselves will try to use the existence of evil to prove that maybe there is no God or if He does exist he is either weak or cruel. But that argument itself instead of proving there is no God actually point to the existence of One . For by what standard does the atheists judge God as evil? . In order to declare God is unjust the atheist must believe that there is a higher standard of good. The fact of the matter is God has set the standard of what is good and evil and ask his creatures to choose good.
19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
The Price of Evil
Could God have created a world where creatures could not rebel against Him?. Yes , but it all depends on what type of relationship God was looking for when decided to create. Since God is omniscient the skeptic must agree that He knows all possible ways things could have been and has chosen this way because it is the best. In order for God to have the type of relationship he purposed, intelligent creatures with the ability to make choices , the reality that some will choose to rebel become a very part of that equation . We also have to remember that to do evil is to commit treason against God( a Great King). Since God is the source of all life and no creatures have life in themselves , choosing to rebel against God will only lead to separation from the source of life and ending in eternal death. So hell is simply the destruction of those who hate God and have decided to commit treason against his government and choose separation and death.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Conclusion
In the end even though humanity had chosen to commit treason against God and sided with the chief rebel Satan , God has given us a rescue plan. The death that we deserved for rebelling , he has taken it upon Himself upon the cross of Calvary. So why did God allow evil and suffering you ask ?. It is because He wants creatures that will choose to worship Him in "Spirit and in Truth", that wants to enjoy his ways and his presence and not programmed robots that have no love or choice. God has given the rebels(fallen man and angels) thousands of years to see the fruit of their choices and create a world in opposition to Himself and the result has been selfishness , greed , violence and all kinds of evil. Soon he will put an end to the works of darkness and all will see the folly of rebelling against True Love . Do not be a part of those who commit treason and have hatred for their creator, choose life and flee to Jesus today , accept his sacrifice on your behalf!
Keep the faith, Think about it.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/how-can-god-allow-so-much-evil-and-suffering
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2030:15-20
Omniscience
The first thing we will tackle in this essay is God's omniscience and allowing evil to exist. Many atheists and agnostics will argue since God knows all things, why then did he create creatures that he knows will rebel against him? . Well it is because God is omniscient the number one reason why he allows evil to exist. As an all knowing being, He knows the course evil will take, he knows how it will end and the eternal purpose it will serve. God is not terrified by the idea of evil like we human beings are. For God to have allowed evil
to manifest itself in the ways it has, means God has a greater purpose that is being fulfill.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8, 9)
True Love
Isn't God cruel the skeptics ask ? No God is not cruel for creating creatures that he knows would rebel and leave a trail of devastation in his universe, but it is because of his great love that he created creatures that can choose to rebel or not. God wanted creatures that would choose to be his friends, to follow his ways and willing obedience. He did not want to create a whole bunch of robots that will do whatever He says. Therefore he created intelligent creatures that can think and decide for themselves.
As humans we try to control those around us ,because we feel unsafe and powerless; therefore we cannot envision taken such a great risk of rebellion. But God is not a powerless being and therefore has no fear of rebellion, but he does all this so that in the end true love will reign eternally.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
What is Evil?
This is an important thing to know before we can fully come to grip with the question of "why did God allow evil to Exist?". Evil is not a thing in itself but is simply doing thing opposite to God or what is good. In this sense, Augustine , a Christian thinker defined evil as a privation – a lack of something – rather than a thing or substance. So the origin of evil is simply God allowing creatures to be able to choose things contrary to Himself. The atheists, skeptics or any other names unbelievers may call themselves will try to use the existence of evil to prove that maybe there is no God or if He does exist he is either weak or cruel. But that argument itself instead of proving there is no God actually point to the existence of One . For by what standard does the atheists judge God as evil? . In order to declare God is unjust the atheist must believe that there is a higher standard of good. The fact of the matter is God has set the standard of what is good and evil and ask his creatures to choose good.
19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 30:19-20
The Price of Evil
Could God have created a world where creatures could not rebel against Him?. Yes , but it all depends on what type of relationship God was looking for when decided to create. Since God is omniscient the skeptic must agree that He knows all possible ways things could have been and has chosen this way because it is the best. In order for God to have the type of relationship he purposed, intelligent creatures with the ability to make choices , the reality that some will choose to rebel become a very part of that equation . We also have to remember that to do evil is to commit treason against God( a Great King). Since God is the source of all life and no creatures have life in themselves , choosing to rebel against God will only lead to separation from the source of life and ending in eternal death. So hell is simply the destruction of those who hate God and have decided to commit treason against his government and choose separation and death.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Conclusion
In the end even though humanity had chosen to commit treason against God and sided with the chief rebel Satan , God has given us a rescue plan. The death that we deserved for rebelling , he has taken it upon Himself upon the cross of Calvary. So why did God allow evil and suffering you ask ?. It is because He wants creatures that will choose to worship Him in "Spirit and in Truth", that wants to enjoy his ways and his presence and not programmed robots that have no love or choice. God has given the rebels(fallen man and angels) thousands of years to see the fruit of their choices and create a world in opposition to Himself and the result has been selfishness , greed , violence and all kinds of evil. Soon he will put an end to the works of darkness and all will see the folly of rebelling against True Love . Do not be a part of those who commit treason and have hatred for their creator, choose life and flee to Jesus today , accept his sacrifice on your behalf!
Keep the faith, Think about it.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/becoming-a-christian/is-christ-the-only-way/how-can-god-allow-so-much-evil-and-suffering
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy%2030:15-20
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