Why does evil exist? [99 in :99]
If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, why does evil exist? This is a big question that people have asked for centuries. But does it have an answer? Let’s find out as we discuss the problem of evil.
The problem of evil is one that every religion, and every worldview wrestles with. Many people it as an “either/or” problem, a contradiction between God’s all-goodness and what we experience in the world. If God is good, evil shouldn’t exist. But evil does exist, which means:
- God unable to help,
- God doesn’t care, or
- God isn’t real.
This might seem convincing at a glance, but when you start thinking about this, two problems come to light:
First, it assumes the existence of good. Now, good does exist, and we all know it. After all, just look at how we react when we see acts of evil committed in the world. But where did good come from? Good comes from God! He is the one who defines right and wrong, and good and evil. And the fact that, regardless of background and culture, points us to him.
Second, it assumes that evil has no purpose. Evil is against God’s intentions and designs for this world. It is not good. But for some reason, God seems to have a purpose in allowing evil to exist. As if, in some way, God allows evil’s existence and evil acts to accomplish His purposes? What if He uses evil for good?
This is what the Bible tells us is true: evil exists and God is good, and is always working out all things for our good. It doesn’t minimize the reality of evil’s effects, but it always points us to our all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing Creator, who used the greatest act of evil—the death of Jesus Christ, the only truly innocent human being, on a cross—to bring about the greatest good imaginable: to rescue who turn to Jesus from their sin.
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