Results 1 - 3 of 3
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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? | 3 John 1:11 | kalos | 5351 | ||
Cephas: Question: Did God create evil? Answer (full): No. "Scripture says that when God finished His creation, He saw everything and declared it "very good" (Genesis 1:31). Many Scriptures affirm that God is not the author of evil: "God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone" (James 1:13). "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33)--and if that is true, He cannot in any way be the author of evil. "Occasionally someone will quote Isaiah 45:7 (KJV) and claim it proves God made evil as a part of His creation: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things" (emphasis added). "But the New American Standard Bible gives the sense of Isaiah 45:6-7 more clearly: "There is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these." In other words, God devises calamity as a judgment for the wicked. But in no sense is He the author of evil. "Evil originates not from God but from the fallen creature. I agree with John Calvin, who wrote, ". . . the Lord had declared that "everything that he had made . . . was exceedingly good" [Gen. 1:31]. Whence, then comes this wickedness to man, that he should fall away from his God? Lest we should think it comes from creation, God had put His stamp of approval on what had come forth from himself. By his own evil intention, then, man corrupted the pure nature he had received from the Lord; and by his fall drew all his posterity with him into destruction. Accordingly, we should contemplate the evident cause of condemnation in the corrupt nature of humanity--which is closer to us--rather than seek a hidden and utterly incomprehensible cause in God's predestination. [Institutes, 3:23:8] "It is helpful, I think, to understand that sin is not itself a thing created. Sin is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. So it is technically not proper to think of sin as something that was created. Sin is simply a want of moral perfection in a fallen creature. Fallen creatures themselves bear full responsibility for their sin. And all evil in the universe emanates from the sins of fallen creatures. "For example, Romans 5:12 says that death entered the world because of sin. Death, pain, disease, stress, exhaustion, calamity, and all the bad things that happen came as a result of the entrance of sin into the universe (see Genesis 3:14-24). All those evil effects of sin continue to work in the world and will be with us as long as sin is. "First Corinthians 10:13 promises us that God will not permit a greater trial than we can bear. And James 1:13 tells us that God will not tempt us with evil. "God is certainly sovereign over evil. There's a sense in which it is proper even to say that evil is part of His eternal decree. He planned for it. It did not take Him by surprise. It is not an interruption of His eternal plan. He declared the end from the beginning, and He is still working all things for His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10). "But God's role with regard to evil is never as its author. He simply permits evil agents to work, then overrules evil for His own wise and holy ends. Ultimately He is able to make all things--including all the fruits of all the evil of all time--work together for a greater good (Romans 8:28)." For further study: Jay Adams, The Grand Demonstration (Santa Barbara CA: Eastgate,1991). Copyright 2000 Grace to You |
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2 | Did God create evil? | 3 John 1:11 | FlintyJoe | 207892 | ||
Among those who hold that fate rules their future are many who believe in God. They feel that God must foreknow all future events. And, based on that assumption, they reason that all future events are predetermined, for what God foreknows cannot fail to take place. Some extend this idea to belief in divine predestination, which means that God has foreordained certain ones of the human race for salvation and the rest for eternal punishment. Has God actually foreknown all things that have taken place throughout history? Does he now definitely know everything that his creatures will do in days to come? Does such a fate rule your future? The Bible makes it plain that many things that happen to people are bona fide accidents, for “time and chance happen to them all.” (Eccl. 9:11) Then, too, God extends to his intelligent creatures the privilege and responsibility of free choice. Ancient Israel was admonished to “choose life” by listening to the LORD God. The prophet Zephaniah urged meek ones to “seek the LORD.” (Deut. 30:19, 20; Zeph. 2:3) God’s Word, at Revelation 22:17, extends the invitation to “anyone that wishes” to take advantage of God’s provisions for salvation. The inspired Scriptures portray God as a merciful, righteous, impartial and loving God. (Deut. 4:31; 32:4; Acts 10:34; 1 John 4:8) Would such a one encourage people to choose what is right if he already knew that fate prevented many from doing that? |
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3 | Did God create evil? | 3 John 1:11 | Wild Olive Shoot | 207900 | ||
Flinty, Since you ask so many questions in this response to a seven year old post, I felt obliged to answer them. 1. Has God actually foreknown all things that have taken place throughout history? Answer, Yes! 2. Does he now definitely know everything that his creatures will do in days to come? Does such a fate rule your future? Answer, Yes!! 3. Would such a one encourage people to choose what is right if he already knew that fate prevented many from doing that? Answer, God is not willing that any should parish. 2 Peter 3:9 Faith is the requirement for what you speak to at the close of your post Flinty. That faith in Christ is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8. God properly equips those He elected. Yes He foresees faith in His elect because He calls them, Romans 8:30, 2 Timothy 1:9. The faith foreseen is given to us from Him. He owns His elect, He is full control. What is this nonsense that you post declaring God is not in control? You base that on one verse in which you have clearly used out of context. Come on Joe, surely you don’t believe you are more sovereign than our God? And since your response to this seven year old post didn’t even answer the question, let me help if I may. Did God create evi?. NO!!! The out of context scripture reference does not line up with the following Joe. So who is mistaken, you or Scripture? Romans 9:15 – 23: 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: Psalms 31:15 My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! “The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, embitter or sweeten, as he pleases, according to the counsel of his will. Our times (all events that concern us, and the timing of them) are at God's disposal; they are not in our own hands, for the way of man is not in himself, not in our friends' hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's; every man's judgment proceedeth from him. David does not, in his prayers, prescribe to God, but subscribe to him. ‘Lord, my times are in thy hand, and I am well pleased that they are so; they could not be in a better hand. Thy will be done.’” – Matthew Henry Stand in His grace, WOS |
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