The Problem of Evil

Why Doesn’t God Fix It?

Have you ever heard someone say why does God allow bad things to happen to Good people?

Is God a father?

How do you see your father?

The greatest problem with seeing God as allowing/creating/enabling evil is that you are looking at the problem the wrong way. Good is not the absence of evil, but evil is the absence of good.

Genesis 1:31 ESV

31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

What does that statement imply?

If it is very good, then there is nothing bad.

In this verse the term Tov meod means very good, just as stated, or excellent. Another term we would use is perfect. It means God saw everything as inherently good. Then came Genesis 3 In that passage sin enters the world and everything in creation is broken. It is no longer very good. Now it is broken and mankind has to work for everything, the ground grows thorns and goat-heads now, and roses have thorns.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

What does ALL mean?

I have a friend who is at her home town right now…mother not aware, grandmother suffering from dementia/alzheimer disease, brother wants her to give him everything of her mother’s, and she is the only one who is rational.

How is that fair?

Why does it not take away from the goodness of God?

How has the garden of Eden and sin there impacted this situation?

Is God still good?

These are the same questions some atheist base their lack of belief on.

How can a good God allow such evil?

You should be asking those same questions based on the verse here:

Philippians 2:12 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

WHY?

Because there is an absence of good in some places that we call evil. There are some actions that we call evil. There are some situations that are just not fair. There are things that happen that are painful and heartbreaking, but God is still good, he is still in control, and he is working everything for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

God has not walked away, he is not asleep, and he is not on vacation.

How do we know?

The sun still shines.

The rain still falls.

There is still food, clothing, and shelter.

You are still able to breathe air.

If you believe, your salvation is assured.

There are still good things in the world.

“Count your many blessings!”

Perspective is key when we look for God in any situation.

Here’s another thought, why does suffering happen, in some cases?

Human Responsibility!

Evil can come because of us.

How?

Action or inaction.

I can do something, an action, that causes or is evil.

Some examples: rape, murder, theft, jealousy that leads to some of those things mentioned, how about a bad attitude.

I can fail to do something that leads to evil.

Some examples: axle fails on a car because I failed to maintain it. A car wreck happens because someone failed to replace the brake shoes earlier. A tire blows and a car flips multiple times because the owner failed to put air in it or check the tires.

What about natural disasters, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunami, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions. Some might say that was a reason to believe God is not in control. What caused them?

John Stuart Mill states, “If God is able to prevent evil and does not, he is not good. If he would prevent evil and cannot, he is not almighty.”

Is he right?

Why or why not?

Many people have felt this so strongly that they have turned away from their faith. C.S. Lewis thought so at one time, but he discovered that there was a major flaw in his argument.

“My argument against God, was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line…Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist—in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless—I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality—namely my idea of justice—was full of sense.” C. S. Lewis

Angry atheism is too simple. If the universe is without meaning, we would never find it out.

Another way to say it, we would never understand justice, see evil, know God, if he did not exist.

WHY?

The very fact that you know there is evil is because there is also good, which demonstrates an innate understanding that something is not right. The fact that you sense or see injustice is because you know there is justice. The fact that you search for God or a god, is because you know instinctively that there is a God, a creator. If he did not exist there would be no reason to look for good, justice, God because there would be no reason to do so.

Is God present in pain?

How do you know?

Christianity does not and has not endorsed a theory of dualism—a view of reality that has 2 conflicting views of reality, one good and one evil.

Gnosticism holds that view. You also have John’s writing against it, 1, 2, 3, John. James and Jude write about it and so does Paul. They all fought that heretical view. It denies God is omnipotent. It also states flesh is evil and only the spiritual is pure and good. We can go on, but that is the basis.

Christianity acknowledges evil. It does exist, but it is not an ultimate power and God does limit it. Even though we may not see it at times. God allows evil to operate, but for his own reasons that we do not fully understand.

What about freedom? Do we have the freedom to choose good or evil?

By freedom, Christianity means we, men and women are responsible to God for our lives. We are responsible because we are free from excessive external constraints on good or evil, but we are also responsible for our own actions. You cannot blame mom or dad for your failures in adulthood. You also, cannot blame God because he didn’t stop you from whatever sin you acted in.

You are responsible to choose the right direction/action.

That is your freedom.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

If God had no action in the world, how could he have overcome the world and tell us not to worry about it?

Job 42:5 ESV

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;

Justice is coming, health and painless life is coming, perfect peace is coming, life in eternity is coming because God has done something about all of this. We may not see now, but in eternity we will see face-to-face what God has done and what he means.

Here is a side question. How hard is it to make a living? Do you still have to work? Is it painful sometimes?

If you were able to retire, did you do it the moment you became an adult?

Why or why not?

God has promised us all the Good things but he also warned us it would be hard earned and not easy. We cannot work to earn our salvation, but if we truly believe we will work in the fields of the gospel and you will have opposition, it will be hard. …but then…!

William Cowper wrote the lines in this hymn,

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

The problem of evil is the problem of faith. Do we believe in a God that is big enough to make any suffering worthwhile?