The problem of Evil: Harmonizing the Existence of God and the Presence of Evil
On a hot September afternoon a young man and some friends are working on a project for school. They are filming this young man riding on an ATV when suddenly he loses control of the vehicle and is flung unexpectedly to the pavement. He died there instantaneously. Just two days prior he wrote of his conversion experience and heartfelt passion for Jesus Christ. His plans were to attend college and discover where and how God would have him to serve His church. This young man was beginning to be a leader in his youth group and had already touched several lives, including that of this writer’s son. An all American boy, an over-achiever in study and athletics, born-again, a bright future ahead of him, loving parents and sister; taken in advance of his “prime”. Why? The problem of evil and the existence of God is one of the great tensions of all time. Reconciling the existence of evil with a perfect Creator and Governor of the universe is possible.
A subject of concern and debate as far back as Job is the so-called “problem of evil”. Most Christians treat the subject like an old mangy dog; they know the problem is there they just do not want the neighbors to know. The hope is that it will just go away. In his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Harold Kushner defined the problem pointedly saying “The misfortunes of good people are not only a problem to the people who suffer and to their families, they are a problem to everyone who wants to believe in a just and fair and livable world.”[1] The difficult questions must be asked and answers to them must be sought. Theologian and scholar, D.A. Carson asks the questions: “If God is both omnipotent and perfectly good, how can He permit evil? If He is willing but not able to check the suffering, then He is not omnipotent? If He is able but not willing, He is not perfectly good? The implication is that the very existence of evil calls into question the existence of God.”[2] God does exist and therefore is omnipotent; evil exists and God did not prevent its existence. Unfortunately in the search for reconciliation between the tensions at hand, many in contemporary thought, including Kushner, assume the problem to be a weakening of God. This charge is absolutely unsubstantiated in Scripture.
Choose This Day the God You Will Serve
Just look around; suffering, frustration, war, confusion, death, terrorism, starvation, religious battles and on and on. Can an omnipotent, omniscient, and all compassionate God truly exist? All the “evidence” appears, in mankind’s finite and sin tainted understanding, to point to the contrary. This false reasoning narrows the search for the God one will serve to a “compassionate deity” or a “power hungry deity”. This power hungry god is simply a controlling deity who created but cares nothing for his creation. The tension here is man, made in the image of God and created to worship Him, cannot feasibly comprehend such a concept. Dependence on emotion and experience undoubtedly leads to “choosing” the compassionate deity.
The choice of the compassionate only deity is not without compromise. This choice is made because the omnipotent deity and the all compassionate deity are not properly balanced in the process of sorting the details. A compassionate god is there to sympathize with the sufferer. He desires to see the problem disappear but is not able. Using this line of faulty reasoning can only lead to the assumption that God has lost his omnipotence due to the presence of evil and suffering. He still cares and loves His child but He just cannot make the problem go away. The struggle that presents itself with the “choice” option is not realistic and is contrary to the beautiful balance of Scripture.
Beyond the incorrect concept of choosing, mentioned above, there is the deceived option of denying evil or even reproaching God for its presence. Concerning theodicy and this next option, Jacob Cooper wrote at the turn of the 20th century:
Shutting our eyes to the fact of its presence, reproaching our Creator with forming a system of government under which such a fact is possible; or, what is much the same, charging a scheme of revealed religion with evils which it admits, tries to account for, and to obviate, are foolish in the extreme…The relation of the creature to the Creator certainly is not changed by the complaint, Why hast thou made me thus? or denial that there is any Maker or intelligent Ruler of the universe. Our desires, or our beliefs, or our obstinate resistance, cannot change the fact that we are in some relation to this Power; and that we have to work out our destiny subject to the conditions of our environment…The individual moral agent is somehow connected with a system, and this superintended by a personal Lawgiver, or an imminent force which possesses all the attributes of personality, acting according to fixed laws of reward and punishment. These execute themselves as surely as the laws which regulate the powers and materials constituting the physical universe. There is evidently a government of some kind working out results as surely in the one system as the other, no matter whether personal or impersonal.[3]
The outright denial of the reality and presence of evil is the equivalent of one sticking their head in the sand. One need only to glance in the mirror, turn on the news report, or journey to the nearest Wal-Mart to discover the fact of evil. That said, the alternative here is to blame God. However to blame God one must determine what they are blaming Him for. Is it the assumption that he created evil, that He allows evil, or that He would really like to stop it but cannot? This should be dealt with now.
Divine Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will
Evil happened on God’s watch. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding (keeping watch over) the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3, KJV). According to The Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, the original word translated “beholding” conveys the idea “of being fully aware of a situation in order to gain some advantage…Yahweh is alert to what happens on earth in order that he may properly judge it inhabitants.”[4] If God was not aware and fully conscious of everything that happens He would topple from His throne of sovereignty. That is not feasible considering what John witnessed which is recorded in Revelation 4:2; “a throne that was set in heaven”. The throne was already there; ekeito in the imperfect seems to indicate it already took place. This indicates an eternal throne. Most have tried to reason their way to an explanation of some sort, especially when they are suffering. Some of the confusion is lifted by Lewis Chafer when he said “if everything in religion were level to the comprehension of reason, there would be no room for faith. It is better to believe humbly, than to reason presumptuously…which leads to the denial of the immutability of the divine counsels, or of the freedom of the human will; which makes man a machine, and God the author of sin.”[5] The student of Scripture, with these presuppositions can reasonably say that God planned for the entrance of sin.
Did God create evil? This question arises when one considers the relationship between God and evil in the world. A careful examination of Scripture does not seem to indicate the God created evil but rather allowed for it in creation. There are however, “several passages[6] that affirm that God did cause (or intend) evil events to come about and evil deeds to be done…(however) it is very clear that Scripture nowhere shows God as directly doing anything evil.”[7] God made allowances in His creation account. The biblical account of Genesis 1:31 records God’s assessment of creation as being “very good”. This can be found in contrast to the new heaven and the new earth of Revelation 21:1. “God is not the responsible originator of sin. He did not create it. His sovereign plan, however, did render the entrance of sin as a certainty.”[8] Norman Geisler helps with this tension: “It should be noted that evil is a privation of a good thing. Evil does not exist in its own right; rather it exists as an ontological parasite, so it may be considered a byproduct of a good thing. Hence, God can create only good things and cause only good actions and still know evil as a byproduct of a good act.”[9]
It would then be reasonable to assume that God’s rendering of sin and evil was brought about through the evil deeds of the willing actions of moral creatures. Originally this took place in the exalted cherubim Lucifer who said “in (his) heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation…I will be like the Most High.”[10] The assessment of God is that in Lucifer was “found iniquity” and “thou hast sinned” because “thine heart was lifted up” (pride).[11] Scripture clearly indicates that Lucifer exercised his own will and sinned. This was brought in the form of temptation to the Garden of Eden and presented to the first man and woman. God, who created them, gave them the single responsibility to not eat of the fruit of a specific tree. This command was met with willful rebellion (Gen. 3). This in turn plunged the human race in the depths and depravity of sin (Rom. 5:12). “God created man with a free will…he had the ability to sin and the ability not to sin. He freely chose to sin out of concupiscence.”[12] As one tries to understand God’s relationship to evil, the removal of man’s responsibility must not be an option. God is not to be blamed for evil nor does He take pleasure in it; however, He does use willful agents, in which He puts structure to the evil choices of those agents.
Evil is at work under the control of God. It is a dreadful thought to think that God is not in full control of evil. God always has been in full control of His creation, therefore “it is not an infringement on human agency that the Creator has the right and power to restrain the evil actions of His creatures…sometimes God frustrates the will of rulers by making their plans fail…but there are times when God does not use this right because He intends for human evil to run its course.” One then could say, on the authority of Scripture, that evil is fully subservient to God. Two passages of Scripture speak to this truth pointedly: “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord, do all these things (Isa. 45:7)”; then “who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? (Lam. 3:37-38).” Contrary to what the reader may want to force of their own position, these passages cannot be minimized.
Caution must be used when attempting to reconcile divine sovereignty and the human will. Scripture teaches both. In fact there is a beautiful balance. It is possible to hold to the complete sovereignty of God and not sacrifice the free will of man. Using the example of the Garden of Eden account in Genesis 3, Matthew Graham alleviates some of this tension:
God does not know this particular evil as merely a possible evil but as an actual evil because He is the primary efficient cause of the action. It is not the case that God is the efficient cause and Adam is the instrumental cause of Adam’s sin. Both Adam and God are the efficient causes of Adam’s eating of the apple. Adam is not the instrument of God’s sinful action. Rather God is the efficient cause of Adams good free action, which results in the sin of Adam.[13]
One could also consider Joseph’s conclusion to the evil act of his brother’s years prior. He said as recorded in Genesis 50:20: “God meant it (the evil action) for good but you meant it for evil.” The same action appears to have two agents involved. It is also noted that each agent had a different role in the act. Scholars use the term “dual agency” to describe the above.
The Purpose of God
The primary and overwhelming purpose of God is doxological. The sine qua non of dispensationalism includes that everything is for the glory of God. This would naturally include the entrance of evil in the past and presence of evil in the world today. It is the doxological purpose of God that brings comfort to the heart of the one who has entered into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In spite of evil and suffering one can know and trust that God is sovereign and he is working good and evil together to bring about His purposes; primarily His glory, secondarily man kind’s redemption. The purpose of redeeming man ultimately is for His glory. God intended as well as allowed evil for His glory.[14] The presence of evil and man’s involvement makes necessary God’s plan of redemption.
In the 9th century B.C. there was a city that was infested with evil. The people were a murderous society. All that took place was contrary to anything that was good. It was during this time that God called a man by the name of Jonah to proclaim a message from heaven. The message was simple; if you repent then I will forgive you and bring healing. Jonah did not want the Ninevites to repent or even have the opportunity because he hated them and he knew that God would do exactly what He said He would do. The promise was that God would show His compassion on a population of heathen. The message was preached, the people did repent, and God was glorified. To understand simply that God could not have received the glory for this occasion had He not allowed evil’s influence shadows the heart with comfort. The same can be seen in the midst of suffering even for a believer. Even suffering for a saint seems to be for God’s doxological and redemptive purposes. “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”[15] The time in which God does avenge and judge, due to the presence of evil, He will receive the ultimate glory. The Apostle Paul reminds the pastor Timothy[16] that their redemption was not because of anything they had done, but exclusively for the purpose and grace that God gave to them in Christ Jesus. The plan and purpose of this was before the world began which means even before the entrance of evil into the world. With the understanding that God’s ultimate purpose is His own glory, one then can conclude that the allowance of evil in the world brings God the ultimate glory. The finite mind should, after wrestling with these truths, echo the words of Paul who said “Oh the depths of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).
God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit, yet if Adam had not sinned there would be no need for a redeemer who had been decreed in the ages before Adam (Rev. 13:8). In the same vein, God told Saul if he was obedient he would be given an eternal throne; yet Genesis 49:10 said that throne would go through the tribe of Judah not Benjamin of whom was Saul. Satan himself admits he cannot do anything without it first being signed off at the throne of God (Job 1-2). In the last two millennia there have been martyrs of whom could have prevented the murderous act if only they would have recanted their position in and on Jesus Christ. Encouraging words from Chafer:
Sin is in the universe by the permission of God who hates it perfectly and who, being sovereign, had power to keep it from manifestation, had He chosen to do so. That He did not hinder the manifestation of sin, demonstrates that He, being what He is, must have a purpose in view other than the averting of sin. Here as nowhere else in the affairs of the universe, the end justifies the means.[17]
That purpose is God’s own glory. Just in the last decade this can be seen even in natural disasters, or as insurance companies call it, “acts of God”. Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans; people killed, homes destroyed, and families disjointed. As time moves forward, one can see the many acts in which God Himself receives the glory. God can control the elements, just as Jesus Christ calmed the sea by His word. Yet He chose not to in the case of this hurricane. Why? His purpose was otherwise. A tsunami hit the coast of Indonesia killing thousands. Until that point missionaries were not allowed in the country. Afterwards missionaries report freedom to move about with many people coming to salvation. God is glorified. Terrorists attack this country using commercial jets and churches fill at alarming rates.
“In short, God is even now using evil for His own good purposes…God’s ultimate purpose is to glorify Himself…one good is greater than another when it is more conducive to the glory of God…Scripture does not give an exhaustive explanation for all evil but it does show God has used some evils to advance his purpose…to include: displaying grace and justice; redemption; shock value to unbelievers; vindication of God.”[18]
God has a purpose and a reason for everything He does or allows. Everything that happens, although unexplainable, reflect the wisdom of God.
Evil and its Coming Annihilation
To the pastor of the church at Crete in the first century, Paul writes: “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”[19] This was a body of believers enduring suffering. The solution was to wait in anticipation of the imminent return of Christ. To another church Paul wrote: “to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels…taking vengeance…to be glorified.”[20] Richard Bauckham writes:
Revelation maintains the typical apocalyptic tension of imminence and delay, now sharpened and characterized in a peculiarly Christian manner. The imminent expectation focuses on the parousia of the already victorious Christ: and the book ends with the promise, ‘I am coming soon’, and the church’s urgent response, ‘Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!’ (22:20). But the manner of the victory which Christ has already won – a sacrificial offering to ransom sinners from every nation (5:9) – gives fresh meaning to the delay, which now becomes the time of the church’s universal mission, characterized by suffering witness in discipleship to the crucified Christ. In this way, it should be noticed, the apocalyptic theodicy problem of innocent suffering gains a fresh perspective. Innocent suffering still cries out for eschatological righteousness (6:10;18:1–19:3). But on the other hand, God delays the parousia not simply in spite of his people’s sufferings, but actually so that his people may suffer that positive, creative suffering which comes to the followers of the cross of Christ.[21]
The story of Job is considered a tragedy. That is the natural conclusion to a man who in God’s eyes was righteous, yet lost everything; his family, his home, his health, his friends. The story begins with the tragic account of something no one would ever want to go through. Yet the story ends in great triumph. The Revelation tells the same story of God’s present creation. Though suffering at present, a perfect creation will one day be ushered in; a new heaven and a new earth without the possibility of evil or sin ever entering in. God is absolutely sovereign. Nothing happens that He has not determined, even if His methodology is not clear. God also created man whose actions are free as well as man being responsible for them. This conclusion satisfies few but is one derived from the biblical data given. To God none of it is a mystery. One day He will undoubtedly unravel it all. The child of God will one day know that all things really did work together for good (Rom. 8:28). In the mean time rest in Him and seek to glorify Him.
[1] Kushner, Harold S. When Bad Things Happen to Good People (New York: Anchor, 1981), 6.
[2] Carson, D.A. How Long Oh Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006), 17.
[3] Cooper, Jacob. “Theodicy”. Bibliotheca Sacra: 60 (1903): 239.
[4] Archer, Gleason. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody, 2003), 397.
[5] Chafer, Lewis S. “Biblical Theism Divine Decrees”. Bibliotheca Sacra 382 (1939): 96.
[6] Gen. 37:4-5, 8, 11, 20, 24, 28, 45:5, 50:20; Exo. 4-14 (dealing with Pharaoh); the account of Job, Amos 4:6-12.
[7] Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology (Nashville: Zondervan, 1994), 323.
[8] Lightner, Robert P. Handbook of Evangelical Theology: A Historical, Biblical, and Contemporary Survey and Review (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1995), 177. The originator was Satan.
[9] Geisler, Norman. Thomas Aquinas: And Evangelical Appraisal (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991), 154-155.
[10] Isaiah 14:13-14 (KJV).
[11] Ezekiel 28:15-17.
[12] Sproul, R.C. The Consequences of Ideas: Understanding the Concepts that Shaped Our World (Wheaton: Crossway, 2000), 62-62.
[13] Graham, Matthew. “Divine Foreknowledge: Two Accounts.” Christian Apologetics Journal, 08: (September 2009), 7.
[14] Schreiner, Thomas and Bruce Ware. Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives on Election, Foreknowledge and Grace (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2000), 105.
[15] Revelation 6:10.
[16] 2 Timothy 1:9.
[17] Chafer, Lewis. Biblical Theism, Divine Decrees, 156.
[18] Frame, John M. Apologetics to the Glory of God: An Introduction (Phillipsburg: P & R, 1994), 186-187.
[19] Titus 2:13.
[20] 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8, 10.
[21] Baukham, Richard. “The Delay of the Parousia”. Tyndale Bulletin 31: (1980), 1.
