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NASB | Genesis 1:31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:31 God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. |
Bible Question:
Hello tgc! I am happy to address what you have presented, and I am excited to learn from you what I can. The scriptures you quote here make an excellent argument for man's capacity for evil and God's hand in the creation of that capacity. I must agree with you when you state "Here man actualizes evil by using their ability to choose to obey or disobey." However, I must conclude that while the circumstance of this scripture does not demonstrate God's creation of evil, neither does it demonstrate that God did not create evil, particularly in light of other scripture which I have cited in previous posts. Perhaps I am not gifted to see the scriptures regarding this subject as you do. Can you add something more to this? |
Bible Answer: Stultis, I will try to add understanding here if I can. However let me say up frony thank you for your graceful reply this is how disscussion should be carried on. Point then counter point always being able to disagree agreeablely. Let us start with the point we agree on, That man actualized evil in the Garden when man choose to disobey God. It is my understanding that this is thepoint when evil actually came into being on this earth. Upto this time there was the potential for evil but not actual evil. So who disobeyed? God ? Of course not God can not disobey God, Man disobeyed. Man choose to rebel against God and His perfect plan. This as I understand it is how evil came to exist on this earthy. Man fell to the temtation of Satan and choose to serve him rather than God. So as I have said before God did create the potential for evil, but He did not actualize that potential man did. To create the potential for something or to actual bring that thing into being are two totally different things. To adress another point you made that there is no where in the Bible that says God did not create evil but many passages that would seem to point out that He did let me offer a couple of passages for thought. First look at Gen. 6:5-6 " Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart." Because of the evil of man God was grieved to the point of destroying the world with a flood. Because of the evil of man God had to make away for fellowship between us and Him to be restored. Because of the evil of man the Cross became neccessary to restore that fellowship and relationship. Just think on hese points as we go on. Next lets go to the book of James chapter 1 verses 12-18 " Blessed is a man who perservers under trial; for once he has been approved, he will recieve the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be decieved, my beloved brothen Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no vaiation or shifting shadow. In the excerise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits amond His creation." I belive James is quite clear that there is no evil that comes from God. That evil comes from the heart of man the place it was originally brought forth from. Now if you will take a look at Matthew 15: 10-20 from the NKJV. 10 When He had called the multitude to [Himself,] He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11 "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 "Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 "These are [the things] which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." You may ask what is my point with this passage, it is simply this. That even from Christ's own mouth He says that evil comes from the heart of man the same place it originated in the Garden. In the Garden Satan temted Eve with the sight of the fruit and the ability to be like God. Was that a sin no the sin occured when Eve had an inward reaction to an outside temtation. She and in turn Adam choose to disobey God thus actualizeing evil or sin in this world. Yes God gave us the ability to choose but we made and make the choice. If you would be so kind as to send a list of the passages you mentioned as proof text for God's creation of evil I would love to go through them and study this out some more. In The Love Of Christ, tgc |