How Do Christians Create Evil?

Now that I have discussed where evil originated, I want to provide a brief definition of evil. Most people will agree that evil is any cruel act, serious harm to another person mentally or physically. It can also be identified in a level of evil meaning people tend to feel that the more harm done to a person the greater the level of evil. Some examples of evil are acts of murder or abuse that harms another human being or animals. While I do agree with this definition of evil, I also think there is another crucial part of the definition. It is that evil itself is an act against the law of God. The Bible uses the word evil to define anything that is in violation of God’ law. In the connection between good and bad, evil is also seen as the absence of goodness. A simple way to understand the connection is that evil is a “fundamental and troubling departure from goodness” (Alcorn, 2009, p. 25). Alcorn’s view of evil is a complete absence and rejection of God’s goodness. I completely agree with this definition of evil, but I also understand that not all people believe in my God or any God for that matter. Atheists also identify evil in the world and they would agree with me on some acts that I think are evil. However, their definition does not include God. For example, Humanists believe there is good without God. They see the evil in the world and believe they must

God is all-powerful. God is just. These are some the most well known statements about God. Yet, they pose an obstacle to why evil exists in this world. Natural evil began in the garden when Adam and Eve sinned. The result was pain in childbirth, toil in working the ground, and enmity between Satan and mankind. However, Elmer Towns adds, “The actual origin of evil was not initiated on an earthly scene, but within the glories of heaven. Man was tempted by an external force. Although this does not make him any less guilty, it does suggest to us that evil was present in the universe prior to Genesis.” Moral evil began when Lucifer proclaimed he would be like the Most High. Both moral and natural evil have their roots in free will. Because God is love, He did not make every creature a robot worshiping Him and carrying out His will. Thus Satan had a choice in heaven to submit and Adam and Eve in the garden had the choice to obey or disobey. In both instances free will was exercised and the consequences are still seen today as mankind continues to exercise his will. Demarest summarizes, “Humankind after the fall suffers extensive spiritual deprivation. Although the image of God in man survives (Gen. 9:6), reason has lost its soundness (2 Cor. 4:4), the will no longer is free to choose God and the good (John 8:34), and sinners are spiritually blind (1 Cor. 2:14) and dead (Eph. 2:1, 5). Once able not to sin, the unregenerate now are incapable of not

Just like sometime we let our children experience things that can cause pain when we know it will bring about a greater good, God could also have good reasons to allow evil acts”. We were created free, but we abuse that freedom by doing everything that’s possible including wrong. the bad things that we do causes suffering in the world. The suffering is the consequences of the wrong we did. God allow suffering and evil in the world as a price for all the wrong we did. I would that’s we evil that’s happening in the world is our own doing. And God allows them because we have to face the consequences of our choices. However, not all evil can be explained with that approach. for example, natural disasters we don’t do nothing to cause them and we can’t do nothing to prevent

Moreover, curses fall over all creations causing the natural evil. The answer why evil exists in our world still has not been found; however, there are various views of theodicy that try to explain this doubtful question. Gottfried Leibniz believes that "God is obligated to create the best" (Elwell 1185). In short, humankind is created in the image of God, as can be seen in the quote: " So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them" (Gen 1.27). Additionally, the Eden garden that God created in the first place for Adam and Eve seems like a utopia, a perfect world which has everything (Gen 2.10-14). However, his theodicy is somehow lacking in persuasiveness as it also means that the best possible world must contains moral and natural evil. John Hick suggests the soul-building theodicy: "God 's intent in creating man was not to create a perfect creature, but rather to create a being in need of moral development". Even though his system seems to answer the problem of evil, it means that the world God created in the first place was not perfect. Furthermore, why would people created in His image not be perfect? The free will defense points out that God is not the cause of evil, but the abuse of human free will is (Elwell 1186). Most people agree with this concept; the only minor thing people might imply is that rather than the choices we are

I do not have the answers and through some reading see even theologians and professors well read on this subject cannot offer definitive answers. So in conclusion, why do bad things happen to good people? Bad people do bad things, man embraced evil and fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. Evil exists because sin exists. Man has free will to turn from sin and evil, we have choice and yet lack the will power. The Holocaust, slavery, civil war, murders, kidnappings and the crusades all were acts of man. Can my all powerful, all knowing God control all that he has created? I believe he can, and for reasons far beyond my understanding maybe he also allows these evils for his purpose. At the end, we all live and die; but what we do in between is up to our free will. We choose evil just as we choose good. So I conclude that man performs evil and unfortunately my God allows it but as Job was stripped of all he had and still loved the Lord, I will still praise him in the in

Evil cannot be disproven and it is beneficial to existence overall. Atheists and Christians alike may be troubled is the question of why evil exist? Why does God let evil exist? If he is all-powerful and good why would he do that? The idea of a forgiving omnipotent God allowing the presence of moral evil seems conflicting. We are created in his image, if God is good why do we tend to sin? To understand this it is important to know the distinctions between the two primary categories of evil. Theologians and Philosophers such as Aquinas or Nietzsche recognize that with

The problem of evil is the argument that if God is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), and benevolent. This implies that if God exists then he knows how to, wants to, and can prevent all suffering. If such a God existed, though, then he would prevent all types of evil. Although evil in all forms is an everyday part of the world around us; it has not been prevented. Therefore, God does not exist. More precisely if God exists then he is all-knowing, almighty, and perfectly good, if God were these then the world would not contain evil. There is evil in the world both moral and natural, so God does not exist. If God does exist, then there would be no evil. The existence of evil makes Gods existence rationally impossible.

The existence of evil cannot be based on whether there is an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-caring god. There are several reasons for why evil exists, but none of these reasons are because God does not exist. In fact, the main reason evil exists is due to humanity’s greed. This causes corruption and death amongst our own. While unfortunate, it is not the determinant of God’s existence. God prevents the evil he/she thinks is not acceptable for the future of humanity. The evil that he does not prevent from happening either is part of God’s plan or is caused by humanity itself.

God has been preserving and orchestrating all things through his sovereign plan towards his intended purposes while working with secondary causes. Through the direct application of his might or will, he causes specific acts. Also, he allows for limited free will within humanity. At times this free will goes against his will leading to sin and evil. Yet, these evil acts never occur outside of his sovereign rule and restraint. Furthermore, as these acts arise through the sinful, willful decisions of man, he is fully responsible. Nevertheless, God in his omnibenevolence (i.e. all-loving) and omnipotence (i.e. all-powerful) graciously limits, frustrates, and brings good out of evil. In this, we can trust that God will ultimately bring good

In Genesis we see the question arise of how can God be all good and omnipotent yet allow such evils in to exist in the world that he has created. The Old Testament, in raising this question, also tries to answer it. From an early act of disobedience by Adam and Eve to Cain killing Abel we can that evil in the world is preordained as a result of human disobedience to God. In the first books there is little to no reference to good showing hatred or neglect towards humans and yet still they disobey him. Therefor a disappointed God can do nothing to prevent evil because it comes through human wickedness rather than any acts of God.

The philosophical problem of evil is that it didn’t happen on purpose its something that just happened by nature. The term “evil” goes into response towards people or humans. Sometimes God allows unwanted things to happen. Although he may allow it to happen maybe he’s trying to teach you a lesson; not saying that God was teaching these children a lesson but I’m saying in general things hypothetically don’t happen on purpose it’s just something we have no control over. In this case this type of Evil is Instrumental Evil it’s something that has no purpose no intentions of happening it just happens.

How does evil happen? How can we explain evil? Philosophers have debated on evil. B.C. Johnson who believes that God can chose to prevent evil. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote Ivan Karamazov that he cannot accept God’s grand scheme of suffering. However, John Hick concluded that God is giving us free-will and soul-making. Nonetheless, I will be discussing that God is giving us free-will and soul-making. Then, I will discuss how God is responsible for the evil and suffering. Lastly, I will be proving how God is not responsible for evil/suffering, yet, he is giving us free-will and soul-making.

“Did God create good” and “did God create evil” are two questions that are essential to explore in order to fully comprehend the Christian faith. It is evident from the account of creation in Genesis that what God creates is inherently “good” (Genesis 1). Moreover, God himself is good and without sin (Habakkuk 1:13). We know that God is good and his creation is good so now the question of evil remains. Moreover, how do we reconcile the statement “God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him” (John 1:3, NLT) with what we know about God’s character? In order to respond to this scripture with an accusation against God for creating everything including evil we would have to consider evil an entity that is able

When these troublemakers appear, what are we who are saved to do about them? How are we to handle ourselves? How are we to handle them? Paul tells us in verse 17.

Before the digression of the information required for this DB, it is wise to back up for a moment and reintegrate the difference in tribulation and Great Tribulation. Jesus states in John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. KJV Why is this important for one to digress? Society and some of the denominations in the world look at today’s issues (tribulations) as part of the Great Tribulation. Believing a child of God has to endure the same judgements as a non-believe. Ladies and Gentleman that is a lie.