The Origin of Evil

[superlativecritic]

In short, in light of the nature of the world we live in, it is difficult to posit a God who is both omnipotent and "good" according to your definition.

I'm sorry, but I'm confused. Can you explain in simple language how you would posit God according to your definition? It is very well for you to disagree with a point of view, but what is yours?

Fundamentally as Christians we are given the Great Commission, and quite frankly I find it a very difficult task in light of the #1 question that prevents people from believing in God: that there is evil in the world. I read this thread with interest but I am struggling to come up with an answer that would appeal to a non-Christian. A lot of the discussion here seems catered for a Bible student audience, but much of it is unusable from an evangelical point of view.

Could someone be so kind as to summarize an answer that would be good enough for a non-Christian (understandable), so that Christians can perform their duty (the Great Commission)? Intellectual discussion is one thing, but having a purposeful outcome is another.

Thanks!!

 

[steve4.truth]

I view Jehovah God as 100% good. I believe that in creating free will, He allowed for evil, but that free will as a wonderful gift far outweighs any evil that ensued. Further, scriptures teach that any evil will be undone completely during the "recreation". Sin will be eliminated, death conquered by the resurrection and evil exposed. Satan created evil when he chose to rebel. God wisely has allowed him to rule the world (2 Cor. 4:4, I Jn. 5:19 Jn. 14:30). As such, the whole world systems reflect Satan's personality. If God had destroyed Satan, Adam and Eve immediately for rebelling, He would have fed into Satan's lie that God was withholding happiness (the fruit) and was an unkind ruler. So He has allowed Satan and mankind to rule ourselves long enough to prove to ourselves how unfit we are to rule (Jeremiah 10:23). When it has become painfully obvious that all forms of human rulership have miserably failed (including the scientific and technologically advanced society we live in), then Jesus will forcibly return all things under the loving rulership of our great Heavenly Father--Jehovah. Never again will anyone question God's laws and evil will not need to be tolerated ever again as the issue of the rightfulness of God's rule will have been solved. Then, "the former things will be forgotten" and all tears (and whatever memories could cause them) will be things of the past. All creation will praise Jehovah with hearts full of admiration for the masterful way that He handled the rebellion.

 

[teresap989]

I myself do not believe that the beginning of Genesis is "absolute truth," but is allegorical in it's statement. I do not believe that most of the bible is "Absolute Truth," but what it teaches is plain to see. Do I like it? No, not all of it
Where I am coming from is a position that the entire Church teaches but rarely believes at all.
Here are just some examples of what the Church teaches.

 

[superlativecritic]

I view Jehovah God as 100% good. I believe that in creating free will, He allowed for evil, but that free will as a wonderful gift far outweighs any evil that ensued. Further, scriptures teach that any evil will be undone completely during the "recreation". Sin will be eliminated, death conquered by the resurrection and evil exposed. Satan created evil when he chose to rebel. God wisely has allowed him to rule the world (2 Cor. 4:4, I Jn. 5:19 Jn. 14:30). As such, the whole world systems reflect Satan's personality. If God had destroyed Satan, Adam and Eve immediately for rebelling, He would have fed into Satan's lie that God was withholding happiness (the fruit) and was an unkind ruler. So He has allowed Satan and mankind to rule ourselves long enough to prove to ourselves how unfit we are to rule (Jeremiah 10:23). When it has become painfully obvious that all forms of human rulership have miserably failed (including the scientific and technologically advanced society we live in), then Jesus will forcibly return all things under the loving rulership of our great Heavenly Father--Jehovah. Never again will anyone question God's laws and evil will not need to be tolerated ever again as the issue of the rightfulness of God's rule will have been solved. Then, "the former things will be forgotten" and all tears (and whatever memories could cause them) will be things of the past. All creation will praise Jehovah with hearts full of admiration for the masterful way that He handled the rebellion.

what an awesome answer!! thanks!

 

[Echetus]

Sin is a seperate entity to the devil. Romans 7:7-7:11. The Devil is the tempter to sin, but sin itself is a power made manifest by the law of God. For where there is no law, there is no sin.

 

[brvhrt]

God is good. Sin is the transgression of the law. Sin is evil. God isnt evil, nor can he sin. Its against his nature. Neither can he be tempted with sin, nor does he tempt men to sin. Men sin when they are drawn away of their own lust, and when lust conceives, it brings forth sin. God doesnt allow temptation to come upon us more than we can bear. His grace is sufficient. God created man upright, and all that come out of the womb is holy. So! To say God creates evil, and to think it may refer to God sinning is a contradiction to his nature. God is good! Evil is created by mans freewill, and man, not God, sinned, but God redeemed us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Good is the opposite of evil.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

The origin of sin is a mystery .

in the beginning God created everything and saw that it was very pleasing or very good in His sight . and also it is written of the devil that "you were perfect until the day that sin was found in you"

so the question remains .

where did sin come from .. so that it ended up in the devil .. so that the ruler over creation Adam would be infected and all creation through him?

the idea i'll play with here is . when there is light and an object it casts a shadow . and sin is that shadow .

there's too much to not understand about this . but God when He initially created, there was no sin . so it would stand to reason sin is just a parasite off of creation . having no basis in the original creation .

but where it came from is a mystery . i.e. "God knows"

 

[brvhrt]

Nice pic! I always understood (I havent arrived and still looking into it) freewill as the power of choice. We are tempted when we are drawn away of our own lust. But sin is the transgression of the law, and rebellion. And theirs no freedom in rebellion because there are consequences to rebellion and disobedience. We reap what we sow. We as well as lucifer transgressed Gods law not to sin, so we, not God is responsible for what we did. Sin is an abuse of freewill and apart from Gods gift. Because all good gifts come from above.

 

[canukian]

I honestly don't believe there's some great lurking evil out in the world. Sorry. I think we're just our own evil because we choose bad things, things that are harmful, because we have free choice. But I'll leave you alone since you're not interested. Been fun.

lol

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Cool,

Also, I look at sin as an actual entity .

John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

even the devil is a "slave" to it .

 

[brvhrt]

I dont think Pre (Cough) sident Obama likes his picture being on christian forum, look at his sourpuss face, lol.