Why Does God Allow Evil?

Tonight we are going to examine the question, "Why Does God Allow Evil?"  It is a good question that needs to be answered.  While we could make up an answer on our own, it is always a best practice to find the answer directly from the Bible.

INCORRECT STATEMENTS

There are two statements that are typically made:

1.  "Either God is all powerful, but not all good, therefore he doesn't stop evil."

Or,

2.  "God is all good, but not all powerful, therefore he cannot stop evil from existing."

The Bible is clear in showing us that neither statement is correct.  Before we can answer the question, "Why does God allow evil?" we need to see what the Bible says about God Himself.

WHAT IS GOD LIKE?

1.  In the gospel of Luke, Jesus said this about God, "No one is good except God alone?"

Therefore Jesus tells us that God is good.

2.  In the Old Testament passage of Jeremiah 29:11 the prophet Jeremiah records God saying the following:  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare (or peace) and not for evil to give you a future and a hope."

Here we read that God's plan for us is not evil.  Instead, he wants our life to be good.  God is good and he wants good, not evil for us.

The Bible shows us that mankind was created perfect, not evil.  In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, after God created the entire world and everything in it including Adam and Eve, he said, "It was very good."  God's creation was good from the very beginning.  His perfect plan for mankind was to be free from sin and to live forever.

THE CHOICE

But God created mankind with the ability to choose right or wrong.  In Genesis 2:17 God tells Adam that there is only one tree that he may not eat its fruit, "The tree of the knowledge of good and evil."  But in the next chapter Adam decides to make a willful choice to disobey and sin -- he eats of the fruit from the tree.  Therefore, in Romans 5:12 we read, "...Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."

MAN CAUSED SIN, NOT GOD

It was man who has caused sin, not God (remember Romans 5:12.)  God is good; his concern for us is not evil.  When you sin, it is a deliberate choice that you make.  God does not cause you to sin, neither does God tempt you to sin (See James 1:13-15.)

SO WHY NOT CREATE MANKIND WITH THE ABILITY NOT TO SIN?

To create people who could not sin would be the same as creating a bunch of robots.  Robots always do what their maker programs them to do.  God was not interested in creating robots.  His desire was for his creation to love him and serve him willingly, not in a forced way -- God created you as a free being.  Love can never be forced (1 Corinthians 13:4-7.)  Love must always be sincere, or else it is not love, it is manipulation instead.

WHAT ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS?

Because sin entered the world, there are natural consequences of that sin.  For example, if you have sex outside of marriage and the person has AIDS, you are very likely to contract the AIDS virus, become sick and die (Hebrews 13:4.)  Because sin entered the world, if you are bitten by a rattlesnake and do not get the proper anti-venom, there is a chance that you will have a reaction to the snakebite and die.  Hurricanes knock down houses and cause flooding.  Earthquakes destroy buildings which trap people.  All these things are consequences of sin and eventually, everyone dies (Hebrews 9:27.)

DO SOME DISASTERS COME UPON PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE BIGGER SINNERS THAN OTHERS?

Jesus talked about a big news story of his day (Luke 13:4,5.)  In Jerusalem a tower had collapsed and eighteen people were standing nearby when it happened.  The tower fell on the eighteen and killed them all!  Jesus said, "Do you think that [the 18 people] were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem [and didn't die]?  His answer to the question is "NO."  Accidents happen because there is sin in the world.

WHAT ABOUT SATAN?

If Satan tempted man to sin, how did Satan become sinful?  The answer is that Satan too was created with the ability to choose right or wrong.  He rebelled against God and chose to disobey (Isaiah 14:12-14.)

ONE FINAL THOUGHT

Evil in the world exists because of sin.  God has provided a way for our sin to be cleansed through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ on the cross.  By confessing our sins to God we are immediately cleansed of our sin and can enjoy a right relationship with God.

1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

STUDY QUESTIONS

1.  What has been your idea of God for most of your life?  Do you think the same way about him today as you did when you were younger?

2.  Tell of a time when you thought that God was not fair?

3.  After reading the passage in Luke and Jeremiah, is your perception of God different or the same?

4.  Explain what it means to have the ability to make choices of right or wrong in your life?

5.  Tell of a choice you can make this week that would be a right choice.  (For example, I may choose to not respond to someone in anger.)

6.  What is your normal reaction when you sin?  What does the Bible say we should do when we sin?

This week, ask God to give you the strength to overcome sin.  Thank him for his forgiveness.