Did God Create Evil?

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"If God created evil then that's not a kind of God that I want to know!"... this is a phrase heard a lot. Another question asked is "if God is a God of love, then why would he create evil?"

 There are people in this world who like to act clever and reject the whole notion of God because of one small thing that they cannot understand, however, these questions are actually very good questions that need to be answered. We all at some point must make a decision to either accept God or reject Him. There is no middle ground, because if you sit in the middle, then you have not consciously accepted God, therefore you have in fact rejected Him. It is an important decision we all must make, therefore it is important that we know the facts before making such a decision. God does not want us to adopt blind faith.

 1 Thessalonians 5:21 "Test all things; hold fast what is good."

 In answering the question, "why did God create evil?", first the question that should be asked is, "Did God create evil?"

 Did God Create Evil?

 Colossians 1:16: "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him."

 The Bible tells us that God created all things. We know that evil exists, however 1 Timothy 4:4 states that everything created by God is good, so what is the answer?

 The answer can be explained by looking at Genesis 1.  

 Genesis 1:3-4 states "God said let there be light and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness."

 God took positive action and created light. Light is good. It does not say he created darkness, yet darkness also exists. This is because darkness is merely the absence of light. In the same way, God did not take positive action to create evil, however evil exists, because evil is merely the absence of good. 

 God loves us and he gave us freewill, so that we can have the ability to chose to accept or reject Him. He does not want us to be forced to love him, because that is not what love is. If you marry somebody, you don't want that person to love you because they are obliged; you want them to love you because they chose to and because they love you for who you are. 

 The Bible tells us that God is Good. It is God that has given us our morals. It is God that shows us the difference from right and wrong. Therefore, anything that is absent of God is consequently not good. Because just as darkness is the absence of light, bad is the absence of good.

 God did not create evil. Evil exists because it is the absence of good. God allows evil because He has given us the ability to make our own choices and evil is the natural consequence of removing that which is good. If God did not allow evil then we would not have freewill and as a result any profession of faith or any decision to accept God would be of null effect. 

 Some people say that God causes evil so that he may turn it into good. However God does not need to take a positive step to 'cause evil', because the Bible is clear that evil is a direct consequence of our own actions. God does not need to cause evil because we do a good job of that ourselves. What is clear though is that God can turn evil for His good. 

 Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  

 As human beings, the complete intricacies of how God works is ultimately beyond our understanding in some cases. The works of God are mysterious, however that does not negate the truth of God in any way. Even though we do not have all of the answers, we can be confident in the truth of God; in the fact that He loves us; in the fact that He sent down the Lord Jesus Christ to die for us; and in the purpose that He has for us because of the things of Him that we do know and the evidence we have that allows us to be confidently assured in the truth of God and the fact that if we have put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved. 

 -BACChristian


 (*Image from Dante's Divine Comedy)
 

Comments

  1. Unknown14 August 2016 at 13:05

    Whether God created evil or not, he himself commits acts of evil. Within the first few pages of genesis he lies to Adam and Eve, saying "for in the DAY that you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall surely die." However, they do not die, in fact, the serpent revealed to them the truth by telling them "for god knows in the day that you eat of it, your eyes will be opened". Funny enough, they do not die, and their eyes are opened once they eat of the tree. Therefore, God lied to Adam and eve, and Satan told them the truth. In response to this situation, God curses humanity twice and casts them out of the garden. Is God object from his own rules? If not, he sinned within the first few "days" of creation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BAC Christian15 August 2016 at 11:27

      Actually, they did die...hence why they are not alive today... and they did die spiritually that very day - Before the fall there was no death. After the fall there was. Upon sin entering the world, their nature was instantly changed from perfection to sinful; from light to darkness; from life to death.

      Kind Regards

      Delete
  2. Unknown14 August 2016 at 13:08

    According to your logic god may not have created evil, however he created good in a way that allows evil to exist. If God is all powerful, he could have just of easily created a universe where evil does not exist regardless of an absence of good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BAC Christian15 August 2016 at 11:52

      He did create a universe were evil did not exist, however he also gave us a choice. Evil came about in this world as a choice of our actions.

      To have a world that is all good would be fantastic. But, to have a world that is all good without any choice to choose another way is the equivalent of being married to a spouse who is forced to be married to you - that is not a real relationship or real state of being and neither person would get any real fulfilment out of that.

      You have a choice also and are completely free in that decision, however there is a limited time to make that choice. Please listen to your own mind and consider the sources before making any choice. It would be advisable not to entrust such an important choice to the arguments made by other people (including this post). Look for yourself.

      As it says in Philippians 2:12: "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

      Thank you for taking the time to consider the contents of the above post and I welcome any future comments you may have in respect of this or anything else.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous18 December 2016 at 01:41

    I agree with you, BACChristian. I would further argue that God does not even allow evil. Please consider

    “God does not create, commit, or allow evil!”

    at http://www.evangelicaluniversalist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7122

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete

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