Why does God permit evil?

[surrendersacrifice]

Many people lose faith in God when they see evil and natural disasters in the World. They feel that, if God is really present or really loves us, He will not allow evil. This feeling becomes even stronger, when they see children and innocent people suffer. However, it is not God, but our sins, that produce evils in the world. Sin results from selfishness and selfishness causes hurt to others. Even natural disasters, which some people erroneously refer to as “acts of God”, are result of our sins. Since we have dominion over the World (Genesis 1: 27-28), our acts of selfishness affect the balance in nature. So that when we sin by going against nature, the balance in nature is disturbed to produce natural disasters and diseases. Similarly, our evil acts directly affect others and cause them hurt. The hurt that evil produces affects everyone; including those who live holy lives. God allows evil, because, He has given us free will. He has given us free will so that we can exercise unconditional love. If we did not have free will, we will never be able to love others unconditionally, because, to love is a choice, and every choice needs a free will. God wants us to love (John 13:34), because, he wants us to have His peace and joy (John 15:11) for all eternity. Furthermore, compared to the peace and joy that God gives us in the eternal life our hurts in the present life are nothing.


God heals the broken hearted
We all have to go through pain and suffering, because we live in a world that has sin. God, however, brings us peace and joy by comforting us (Psalm 23, Is 57:18-21; Ps 94:19). He comforts us by being one with us in our pain and suffering. He did this by becoming one of us and freely accepting the worst form of pain and suffering. He gives us hope by overcoming pain, suffering and death through his resurrection. He gives redemptive value to pain and suffering by freeing us from sin by his own pain and suffering. He freed us from sin by completely emptying self on the cross on our behalf (Peter 2:24, 25). This helps us to accept pain and suffering in a quiet and humble manner. Our humility then opens our heart to accept God’s graces. This helps us to use our pain and suffering to overcome sin, build endurance, and become compassionate and forgiving people. God thus helps us by changing us from within. This enables us to find peace and joy by living His life.

 

[Spartan Warrior]

God is in control of all things especially evil.

You say man has a freewill, this is true. But man does not have a freewill to choose God. Sin is our nature; that is the way God created us. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, it was God who caused man to fall, Adam or eve had no choice.

Many people lose faith in God when they see evil and natural disasters in the World. They feel that, if God is really present or really loves us, He will not allow evil. This feeling becomes even stronger, when they see children and innocent people suffer.However, it is not God, but our sins, that produce evils in the world. Sin results from selfishness and selfishness causes hurt to others. Even natural disasters, which some people erroneously refer to as “acts of God”, are result of our sins. Since we have dominion over the World (Genesis 1: 27-28), our acts of selfishness affect the balance in nature. So that when we sin by going against nature, the balance in nature is disturbed to produce natural disasters and diseases. Similarly, our evil acts directly affect others and cause them hurt. The hurt that evil produces affects everyone; including those who live holy lives. God allows evil, because, He has given us free will. He has given us free will so that we can exercise unconditional love. If we did not have free will, we will never be able to love others unconditionally, because, to love is a choice, and every choice needs a free will. God wants us to love (John 13:34), because, he wants us to have His peace and joy (John 15:11) for all eternity. Furthermore, compared to the peace and joy that God gives us in the eternal life our hurts in the present life are nothing.


God heals the broken hearted
We all have to go through pain and suffering, because we live in a world that has sin. God, however, brings us peace and joy by comforting us (Psalm 23, Is 57:18-21; Ps 94:19). He comforts us by being one with us in our pain and suffering. He did this by becoming one of us and freely accepting the worst form of pain and suffering. He gives us hope by overcoming pain, suffering and death through his resurrection. He gives redemptive value to pain and suffering by freeing us from sin by his own pain and suffering. He freed us from sin by completely emptying self on the cross on our behalf (Peter 2:24, 25). This helps us to accept pain and suffering in a quiet and humble manner. Our humility then opens our heart to accept God’s graces. This helps us to use our pain and suffering to overcome sin, build endurance, and become compassionate and forgiving people. God thus helps us by changing us from within. This enables us to find peace and joy by living His life.

 

[Spartan Warrior]

Why are moderators so affaid of any real open debate. Truth will prevail; God Word is greater then any lie or false word.

 

[masterlock1]

Many people lose faith in God when they see evil and natural disasters in the World. They feel that, if God is really present or really loves us, He will not allow evil. This feeling becomes even stronger, when they see children and innocent people suffer.However, it is not God, but our sins, that produce evils in the world. Sin results from selfishness and selfishness causes hurt to others. Even natural disasters, which some people erroneously refer to as “acts of God”, are result of our sins. Since we have dominion over the World (Genesis 1: 27-28), our acts of selfishness affect the balance in nature. So that when we sin by going against nature, the balance in nature is disturbed to produce natural disasters and diseases. Similarly, our evil acts directly affect others and cause them hurt. The hurt that evil produces affects everyone; including those who live holy lives. God allows evil, because, He has given us free will. He has given us free will so that we can exercise unconditional love. If we did not have free will, we will never be able to love others unconditionally, because, to love is a choice, and every choice needs a free will. God wants us to love (John 13:34), because, he wants us to have His peace and joy (John 15:11) for all eternity. Furthermore, compared to the peace and joy that God gives us in the eternal life our hurts in the present life are nothing.


God heals the broken hearted
We all have to go through pain and suffering, because we live in a world that has sin. God, however, brings us peace and joy by comforting us (Psalm 23, Is 57:18-21; Ps 94:19). He comforts us by being one with us in our pain and suffering. He did this by becoming one of us and freely accepting the worst form of pain and suffering. He gives us hope by overcoming pain, suffering and death through his resurrection. He gives redemptive value to pain and suffering by freeing us from sin by his own pain and suffering. He freed us from sin by completely emptying self on the cross on our behalf (Peter 2:24, 25). This helps us to accept pain and suffering in a quiet and humble manner. Our humility then opens our heart to accept God’s graces. This helps us to use our pain and suffering to overcome sin, build endurance, and become compassionate and forgiving people. God thus helps us by changing us from within. This enables us to find peace and joy by living His life.

[FONT=&quot]Whereas Adam and Eve were placed in a world where good and evil already existed in the form of Satan, this was not the case for Lucifer. Lucifer was created to be a purely good being with absolutely no evil or imperfection in him. The Bible itself says this. A purely good being (Lucifer) cannot exercise freewill to choose anything OTHER THAN GOOD when there is nothing BUT good from which to chose. Since evil did not yet exist it could not have influenced Lucifer’s freewill decision process. Even if we can get past this issue, there’s still the problem that black cannot come from white. If God knows the future then he knew Lucifer would turn evil. He could have imparted a different nature upon Lucifer so that he would not turn evil, but he didn’t. Conclusion: God, as conceived within the Biblical framework, is responsible for evil. By extension, he is responsible to our sins. [/FONT]

 

[Revived]

I've heard so many questions about how a good God can exist with all this evil in the world. If God is real then He should stop all this evil, because we're taught that He's all-powerful correct?

Try to think of it this way though ... What exactly is evil? It's anything that's against God. It's anything morally bad or wrong. It's murder, rape, stealing, lying, cheating. If we want God to stop evil, however, do we want Him to stop all evil or just certain evils? If He stops us from doing evil things, what about lying, or what about our evil thoughts? Honestly, where do you stop? The murder level, the lying level or the thinking level?

If we want Him to stop evil, we gotta be consistent; we can't just pick and choose. That means you and I would be eliminated right? If that's true, then we all should be eliminated! Personally, I thank God every day that he sent Jesus to gives us the choice of salvation from our sinful nature. Jesus Christ died for all evilness.

 

[I-can-see]

God allows evil things to happen because it strengthens his people...and separates the good from the bad. When metal is purified, it is super heated over and over to remove all impurities that would make it less valuable. The same principle is applied to the evil of this world. Since humans have been given free will, and since we are flesh, then we must be tested, and refined like gold.

 

[I-can-see]

Evil only serves to make us stronger and better people. Everything Satan does for evil, God uses for good.

 

[sungaunga]

Why did God permit Evil? For his Glory ^^

This sermon will greatly bless you regarding why evil is present.

LINK

 

[Jpark]

Why does God permit evil?

Read my signature.

Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

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.

 

[sungaunga]

good stuff Jpark!

 

[Jpark]

good stuff Jpark!

Just doing my job.

 

[AmericanCatholic]

Can a perfectly good God command an immoral act to be done?

 

[DonnyT]

Can a perfectly good God command an immoral act to be done?

Yes. Someone said on here God can make a square circle. But God has set restrictions on himself in that He will not break His own rules (do an immoral act) If you're asking if He would command someone else to do an immoral act, absolutely not.

 

[ittarter]

Can a perfectly good God command an immoral act to be done?

If human society determines what is moral and what is immoral, then the answer is yes. If God determines morality, then there is no way to know.

 

[ittarter]

Many people lose faith in God when they see evil and natural disasters in the World. They feel that, if God is really present or really loves us, He will not allow evil. This feeling becomes even stronger, when they see children and innocent people suffer.However, it is not God, but our sins, that produce evils in the world. Sin results from selfishness and selfishness causes hurt to others. Even natural disasters, which some people erroneously refer to as “acts of God”, are result of our sins. Since we have dominion over the World (Genesis 1: 27-28), our acts of selfishness affect the balance in nature. So that when we sin by going against nature, the balance in nature is disturbed to produce natural disasters and diseases. Similarly, our evil acts directly affect others and cause them hurt. The hurt that evil produces affects everyone; including those who live holy lives. God allows evil, because, He has given us free will. He has given us free will so that we can exercise unconditional love. If we did not have free will, we will never be able to love others unconditionally, because, to love is a choice, and every choice needs a free will. God wants us to love (John 13:34), because, he wants us to have His peace and joy (John 15:11) for all eternity. Furthermore, compared to the peace and joy that God gives us in the eternal life our hurts in the present life are nothing.

Yes, that is the mainline answer represented in the bulk of the Bible, but it doesn't constitute the whole answer. If you read Job, for instance, your answers demonstrably break down. The great danger with the topic of evil (or more accurately, theodicy) is that of simplistic conclusions that do not adequately reflect the excruciating complexities of reality.

God heals the broken hearted
We all have to go through pain and suffering, because we live in a world that has sin. God, however, brings us peace and joy by comforting us (Psalm 23, Is 57:18-21; Ps 94:19). He comforts us by being one with us in our pain and suffering. He did this by becoming one of us and freely accepting the worst form of pain and suffering. He gives us hope by overcoming pain, suffering and death through his resurrection. He gives redemptive value to pain and suffering by freeing us from sin by his own pain and suffering. He freed us from sin by completely emptying self on the cross on our behalf (Peter 2:24, 25). This helps us to accept pain and suffering in a quiet and humble manner. Our humility then opens our heart to accept God’s graces. This helps us to use our pain and suffering to overcome sin, build endurance, and become compassionate and forgiving people. God thus helps us by changing us from within. This enables us to find peace and joy by living His life.

Definitely part of the story. However, we hear the psalmists cry out in anguish and demand that God be true to his name and bring them justice. And should we be so proud and callous as to reprimand them? No -- rather, we are called to imitate them, and to be open and honest about our pain, with each other and with God.

 

[squint]

Theodicy, great topic matter. Let's see how far simple logic exercise goes:

God = Perfect Beyond Any Definition Set or Depiction (known and knowable in FULL only by Himself)

Everything else (aka all things) by rote definition, LESS than God.

Is it legitimate to see that all things serve the Maker of all things?

What is evil to God but the servant of the Greater? I really have no idea in TOTAL what God may have in mind in any of these matters of EVIL. I do know that God is capable of more than I or any can conceive of.

Some say God cannot create or do evil without being same, to which I would say is God the same as anything He creates or uses? No. Not possible. God can create anything and NOT be that thing. IF God is that which He creates and uses, then we have pantheism. Doesn't work.

Some say 'freewill' (which same is a logical absurdity.) There is only ONE WILL truly free, which is Gods. All other wills again by simplistic definition are less than THAT FREE, and therefore NOT that free. Less than THAT FREE is not FREE.

Some say Satan was holy and made one or more bad decisions. Fortunately there is no such presentation in the entirety of the text. Satan was made to be a PERFECT DEVIL. Now go figure out what PERFECT DEVIL means to the word PERFECT.

The fact of these matters of EVIL in typical 'christian' discussions, is that various constructions of these matters are used to justify various doctrines, such as God Himself creating and using evil or burning unbelieving people alive forever (or whatever other form of punishment turns you on) and they then use these various constructs to justify or isolate or absolve God from actually being involved in such things, or they even go so far as to say God is glorified by burning people alive in fire (a real stretch of imagination.)

Some try to say that evil is the absence of good, as darkness is the absence of light. lol. Evil is A POWER. ALL powers were created by GOD. Even more, all things are UPHELD and SUPPORTED by God or such things would not be here.

Habakkuk 2:9
Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!

Hebrews 1:3
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power

There are no avoiding the certain constructs that the inspired writers, and direct Words of God through the Law and the Prophets wrote. When they say ALL THINGS in many cases they do indeed mean ALL THINGS. It is an exercise in futility to try to extract ANY THING from the term ALL THINGS.

There is only one logical conclusion in the matters of ALL THINGS. They do IN SOME WAY serve the DIVINE PURPOSES of our Maker.

So, for disobedience, this is how Paul says disobedience (unbelief) serves Gods Purposes, and it's quite simple to see and understand how this can be so:

Romans 11:32
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

The freewill proponents will have to see if they can use their freewill to set that will aside and see the DIVINE WILL AND PURPOSE in the above.

enjoy!

squint

 

[KCDAD]

Evil is simply a relative term to define what one person finds objectionable. Nothing is purely evil or good to anyone, without it also being the opposite to someone else.

What I consider good someone else finds evil, and what I find evil, someone considers good.

So your question should be, why do we do things that other people find evil?

 

[bling]

Yes, that is the mainline answer represented in the bulk of the Bible, but it doesn't constitute the whole answer. If you read Job, for instance, your answers demonstrably break down. The great danger with the topic of evil (or more accurately, theodicy) is that of simplistic conclusions that do not adequately reflect the excruciating complexities of reality.

Definitely part of the story. However, we hear the psalmists cry out in anguish and demand that God be true to his name and bring them justice. And should we be so proud and callous as to reprimand them? No -- rather, we are called to imitate them, and to be open and honest about our pain, with each other and with God.

The reason this keeps coming up as a point the agnostic/atheist/Muslim/Buddhist like the question us about is because we give such poor answers. Satan, evil, tragedies and sin all have a purpose that helps those that are willing to accept that help fulfill their objective. God allows these tragedies to continue for my good. Jesus addressed this question in John 9: 1-7. Some might say it only applies to this one blind man, but the disciples did not care about this particular blind man and the answer Jesus gave applies to all tragedies. The only place people think they would want to be is in the Garden type situation without satan around or even a tree of knowledge will that is heaven and we need to fulfill our earthly objective before going to heaven. God would love for us to be in the Garden and/or heaven but God quenches His own desire to help us fulfill our earthly objective and provides the absolute best situation for us to do just that if we are just willing.

 

[KCDAD]

bling:"God allows these tragedies to continue for my good."

You have got to be kidding. If there is ANY consistent message in the Old and New Testaments, it is that it isn't about YOU.

200,000 people died in Haiti by being crushed under falling buildings for YOU? 20,000 children starve to death EVERY day for YOU? We have killed over 150,000 Iraqi and Afghani civilians for YOU?

No wonder so many non-christians can't stand Christians like YOU.

[FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. ~Mahatma Gandhi[/FONT]

 

[ittarter]

The reason this keeps coming up as a point the agnostic/atheist/Muslim/Buddhist like the question us about is because we give such poor answers. Satan, evil, tragedies and sin all have a purpose that helps those that are willing to accept that help fulfill their objective. God allows these tragedies to continue for my good. Jesus addressed this question in John 9: 1-7. Some might say it only applies to this one blind man, but the disciples did not care about this particular blind man and the answer Jesus gave applies to all tragedies. The only place people think they would want to be is in the Garden type situation without satan around or even a tree of knowledge will that is heaven and we need to fulfill our earthly objective before going to heaven. God would love for us to be in the Garden and/or heaven but God quenches His own desire to help us fulfill our earthly objective and provides the absolute best situation for us to do just that if we are just willing.

Again, I suggest that this is part of the story. The greatest evil that ever occurred is, according to the Christian metanarrative, the crucifixion of Christ. Christians believe that in this case, it happened "for our sakes." However, it also happened "because of us," and "as a result of the evil in the world."

Christians need to recognize evil as a reality, not merely an illusion. Otherwise we will never take a stand against it -- we will simply bide our time until we die or are resurrected incorruptible, and let God do what he, in fact, gave us to do.