"The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time" (Gen. 6:5, NIV).
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9, NIV).
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Gen. 50:20, ESV).
Evil is not the opposite of good, but its perversion or deprivation--evil couldn't exist in its own right unless good did. In the beginning, there was no evil in the world. There is no such thing as a struggle in life between yin and yang like Eastern mystics believe. God created everything and said it was good! But He also created the possibility of evil. For if evil had not been possible, there would be no way to see good in contrast. We see good in light of evil and shouldn't ask where's God, but where isn't God and where's the church. God did something about evil; He made you and me! He created us for such a time as this and we must let our light shine in the darkness and it shall not be put out or extinguished. John Donne said, "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." Evil gives us the opportunity to overcome it with good and to bring glory to God with victory in Jesus' name.
There is a very good reason why evil must exist: different people respond to the same event in different ways--one becomes better and one bitter! The same sun hardens the clay, melts the butter! The same knife can cut butter and be used in war. If evil didn't exist, how would we know if we would choose God for ourselves? There so much evil now because God knows how to turn it into good and sees a silver lining behind every cloud. God works the wrath of man to His glory and there is so much of it to work with--but God doesn't allow anything that doesn't fit His ultimate purpose (cf. Psa. 76:10). We must never question God's wisdom and blame Him for our problems.
God could stamp out evil in the world with one stroke, but you and I wouldn't be here, for everyone has some evil inherent, for man is a totally depraved being in need of salvation. Who is it that would determine just how much evil is to be tolerated, if not God? We must trust God who is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel. Job wondered why God was getting on his case because he saw himself as righteous. His error was that he was self-righteous! We all deserve far worse from God than we receive at His hand--God tempers His justice with mercy and remembers mercy in His wrath (cf. Hab. 3:2).
Instead of charging God with error we should thank Him for His mercy and grace--We don't get what we deserve and get what we don't deserve! God is good to all in some ways and to some in all ways who are doubly blessed (cf. Psalm 145:9). But God's common grace extends to all and He calls all men to repent, but most men don't see their sins.
There are no easy answers to evil in the world and no religion has a complete answer but leaves room for faith to come into play. God isn't accountable to us, but we to Him and He doesn't have to explain Himself. A lot of evil we experience is of our own doing as we reap what we sow, some sow the wind and reap the whirlwind even. A man ruins his life and then blames the Lord (cf. Prov. 19:3), but when he's successful he gives himself all the credit! We must rest in faith that God allows evil to happen according to His providence and has a purpose for everything, even the wicked for the day of evil (cf. Prov. 16:4). According to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, sometimes referred to as the best of all possible worlds in which evil is minimized and goodness maximized, God cannot make a world with men having the ability to choose evil if they will, without some choosing it to their damnation!
God always makes it up to us for the evil done us and rewards us for the days the locust has eaten (cf. Psalm 90:15; Joel 2:25). We never come out losers with God on our side and always with us. Jesus expects nothing more from us He didn't do: all sufferings, trials, afflictions, tests must inevitably come but our crosses pale in comparison to His. In the final analysis, we must view evil in our lives as a test of faith and God doesn't allow any evil that isn't Father-filtered and He has a purpose for it--"All things work together for good to them who love God..."
NB: The world is not as evil as it can be for God's grace is at work always restraining it lest it gets out of hand. We live in the day of grace when God is keeping the door open to the gospel and not judgment. Someday God will judge the world and make His wrath known. FINAL THOUGHT: MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK: "WHY IS THERE SO MUCH GOOD?" Soli Deo Gloria!
"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jer. 17:9, NIV).
"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Gen. 50:20, ESV).
Evil is not the opposite of good, but its perversion or deprivation--evil couldn't exist in its own right unless good did. In the beginning, there was no evil in the world. There is no such thing as a struggle in life between yin and yang like Eastern mystics believe. God created everything and said it was good! But He also created the possibility of evil. For if evil had not been possible, there would be no way to see good in contrast. We see good in light of evil and shouldn't ask where's God, but where isn't God and where's the church. God did something about evil; He made you and me! He created us for such a time as this and we must let our light shine in the darkness and it shall not be put out or extinguished. John Donne said, "Don't ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee." Evil gives us the opportunity to overcome it with good and to bring glory to God with victory in Jesus' name.
There is a very good reason why evil must exist: different people respond to the same event in different ways--one becomes better and one bitter! The same sun hardens the clay, melts the butter! The same knife can cut butter and be used in war. If evil didn't exist, how would we know if we would choose God for ourselves? There so much evil now because God knows how to turn it into good and sees a silver lining behind every cloud. God works the wrath of man to His glory and there is so much of it to work with--but God doesn't allow anything that doesn't fit His ultimate purpose (cf. Psa. 76:10). We must never question God's wisdom and blame Him for our problems.
God could stamp out evil in the world with one stroke, but you and I wouldn't be here, for everyone has some evil inherent, for man is a totally depraved being in need of salvation. Who is it that would determine just how much evil is to be tolerated, if not God? We must trust God who is too deep to explain Himself, too wise to make a mistake, and too kind to be cruel. Job wondered why God was getting on his case because he saw himself as righteous. His error was that he was self-righteous! We all deserve far worse from God than we receive at His hand--God tempers His justice with mercy and remembers mercy in His wrath (cf. Hab. 3:2).
Instead of charging God with error we should thank Him for His mercy and grace--We don't get what we deserve and get what we don't deserve! God is good to all in some ways and to some in all ways who are doubly blessed (cf. Psalm 145:9). But God's common grace extends to all and He calls all men to repent, but most men don't see their sins.
There are no easy answers to evil in the world and no religion has a complete answer but leaves room for faith to come into play. God isn't accountable to us, but we to Him and He doesn't have to explain Himself. A lot of evil we experience is of our own doing as we reap what we sow, some sow the wind and reap the whirlwind even. A man ruins his life and then blames the Lord (cf. Prov. 19:3), but when he's successful he gives himself all the credit! We must rest in faith that God allows evil to happen according to His providence and has a purpose for everything, even the wicked for the day of evil (cf. Prov. 16:4). According to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, sometimes referred to as the best of all possible worlds in which evil is minimized and goodness maximized, God cannot make a world with men having the ability to choose evil if they will, without some choosing it to their damnation!
God always makes it up to us for the evil done us and rewards us for the days the locust has eaten (cf. Psalm 90:15; Joel 2:25). We never come out losers with God on our side and always with us. Jesus expects nothing more from us He didn't do: all sufferings, trials, afflictions, tests must inevitably come but our crosses pale in comparison to His. In the final analysis, we must view evil in our lives as a test of faith and God doesn't allow any evil that isn't Father-filtered and He has a purpose for it--"All things work together for good to them who love God..."
NB: The world is not as evil as it can be for God's grace is at work always restraining it lest it gets out of hand. We live in the day of grace when God is keeping the door open to the gospel and not judgment. Someday God will judge the world and make His wrath known. FINAL THOUGHT: MAYBE WE SHOULD ASK: "WHY IS THERE SO MUCH GOOD?" Soli Deo Gloria!
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