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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | kalos | 178821 | ||
Did God create evil? (Source: www.gotquestions.org/did-God-create-evil.html) ‘At first it might seem that if God created all things then evil must have been created by God. However, there is an assumption here that needs to be cleared up. Evil is not a "thing" - like a rock or electricity. You can't have a jar of evil! Rather, evil is something that occurs, like running. Evil has no existence of its own - it is really a lack in a good thing. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole - but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all that existed was good. One of the good things that God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or non-good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a "thing" that required God to create it. ‘Perhaps a further illustration will help. If I were to ask the average person "does cold exist?" - his/her answer would likely be yes. However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. God did not have to create evil, but rather only allow for the absence of good. ‘Look at the example of Job in Job chapters 1-2. Satan wanted to destroy Job, and God allowed Satan to do everything but kill Job. God allowed this to happen to prove to Satan that Job was righteous because he loved God, not because God had blessed him so richly. God is sovereign and ultimately in control of everything that happens. Satan cannot do anything unless he has God's "permission." God did not create evil, but He allows evil. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. He did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their "programming." God allowed for the possibility of evil so that we could genuinely have a free will and choose whether we wanted to serve Him or not. ‘Ultimately, there is not an answer to these questions that we can fully comprehend. We, as finite human beings, can never fully understand an infinite God (Romans 11:33-34). Sometimes we think we understand why God is doing something, only to find out later that it was for a different purpose than we originally thought. God looks at things from an eternal perspective. We look at things from an earthly perspective. Why did God put man on earth knowing that Adam and Eve would sin and therefore bring evil, death, and suffering on all mankind? Why didn’t He just create us all and leave us in Heaven where we would be perfect and without suffering? The best answer I can come up with is this: God didn’t want a race of robots who did not have a free will. God had to allow the possibility of evil for us to have a true choice of whether to worship God or not. If we never had to suffer and experience evil, would we truly know how wonderful heaven is? God did not create evil, but He allowed it. If He hadn’t allowed evil, we would be worshipping Him out of obligation, not by a choice of our own free will.’ Recommended Resource: The Problem of Evil by Charles Colson Related Topics: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? What is theodicy? Why was God so evident in the Bible, and seems so hidden today? Does God change His mind? Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis? ____________________ Source: www.gotquestions.org/did-God-create-evil.html |
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2 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178827 | ||
Dear Kalos, This is a very good essay which I read few days ago. I had saved it in my file and distributed it to my fellowship members as well. I am particularly impressed by its provision of Chinese version (but they do not have Chinese version for every article) which would be easier for my friends to read. In Him Azure |
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3 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | DocTrinsograce | 178833 | ||
Dear Sister Azure, I'm always excited to see your questions on the forum. Instead of trying to promote some doctrine or another, or justify yourself, or argue for its own sake -- and we get plenty of these kinds of posts every day! -- you are quietly and studiously digging into the Word of God. (It was with this hope that Lockman created the forum in the first place!) Although I want you to be encouraged, I'm sure you understand that this hunger for the Word is a testimony of the work of the Holy Spirit. Each time you dig deeper into the Bible -- walking it out in your life -- it is a thousand times greater an evidence of Him than all the experiences, feelings, and signs claimed by the superstitious of our own country. It also flies in the face of the cold, dead religion of those at the other extreme. As you are only one tiny voice from the Chinese people, I realize that our Lord is graciously granting us a tiny window into your world for two reasons: (1) That we may praise and glorify Him as He works in the Far East, and (2) that we will express our dependence on Him in prayer for the many Chinese of whom we never hear. Please tell your Christian brothers and sisters that we love them and pray for them regularly. One last thing: If you haven't found it yet, take a look at this web site: www.chinachristianboks.org It contains many classic Christian works translated into Chinese. At one time Europe and this country had many great men of the faith teaching and preaching the Word of God. Because of technology, much of what the Holy Spirit taught them is available to us today. So, although they are dead men, yet they still speak! I have another Chinese resource into which I am making inquiry for you. I'll let you know. In Him, Doc |
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4 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178915 | ||
Dear brother Doc, You are indeed very kind and helpful. I thank God that you are following his command to love one another and His love is made complete in us (1 John 4:12). Thanks for your prayers. How blessed are they that feareth the Lord and walk in His way. May you be blessed abundantly. I have clicked on the website you provided, however, it didn't work. Is any letter missing? Thanks again for checking for more Chinese resource. In fact, we have many good books in our Church library for them to read. However, you know, people here tend to be lazy in reading books of serious topics (they are too tied up by their busy lives). When it comes to the form of an essay or article, they won't have the pressure of finishing the whole book. This could make their lives much easier. :-) I am glad that I have found this forum. Unfornately, we don't have (to my knowledge) such kind of forum in Chinese website. If we do, it will be beneficial to many Chinese Christians. In Christ. Azure |
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5 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | DocTrinsograce | 178921 | ||
Dear Sister Azure, Doi m juu. Try this link instead: www.chinachristianbooks.org I dropped one of the letters, as you suspected! In Him, Doc |
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6 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | azurelaw | 178923 | ||
Dear Doc, Got it! Thanks. Doi m juu should be Dui mn ju. I reply: mo mun tai (no problem) - I guess you knew it already. :-) Azure |
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7 | Did God create evil? | Is 45:7 | DocTrinsograce | 178928 | ||
Thank you! What very little Cantonese I know, I can speak, but I've never learned how to spell it out phonetically. I learned a little Mandarin from a person who was from Kao Loon. Consequently, native Mandarin speakers tell me I pronounce things with a Cantonese accent! Feel free to write an email to me anytime (my address is in my profile)... That way we won't clutter up the forum. :-) However, so as to insure that my post contains a proper Biblical Reference: They said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. (Judges 12:6a ESV) |
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