Did God Create Evil?

[Foster]

I think we have all heard this one. That evil is the absence of good, along with darkness being the absence of light. This idea matches Genesis 1:31, where God declares everything as “very good.” Evil entered the world through human actions, influenced by deception, not as a direct creation of God.

Understanding these distinctions helps us grasp the complex issue of evil within God’s creation. It reminds us that evil’s presence doesn’t diminish God’s goodness.

The question of whether God created evil is a deeply complex one. The Bible offers insights into this issue it states that God created the world and all in it as “very good.” This implies evil was not part of His original plan.

Satan’s fall from grace is the first recorded instance of evil. Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. He made a lot of “I will …” statements in Isaiah 14:12–15.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 describes Satan as an exceedingly beautiful angel. Satan was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations, but he was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially “kick God off His throne” and take over the rule of the universe.

Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that is essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden. How did Satan fall from heaven? Actually, a fall is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say God cast Satan out of heaven. So Satan did not fall from heaven; more like Satan was pushed.

So my answer is Satan created evil by feeding his pride and getting Adan and Eve to share it.

In the face of evil, God’s love stands out. Christ’s sacrifice exemplifies divine love triumphing over evil. This act of love offers hope and redemption to those who choose it.

 

[Overjoyed]

I think we have all heard this one. That evil is the absence of good, along with darkness being the absence of light. This idea matches Genesis 1:31, where God declares everything as “very good.” Evil entered the world through human actions, influenced by deception, not as a direct creation of God.

Understanding these distinctions helps us grasp the complex issue of evil within God’s creation. It reminds us that evil’s presence doesn’t diminish God’s goodness.

The question of whether God created evil is a deeply complex one. The Bible offers insights into this issue it states that God created the world and all in it as “very good.” This implies evil was not part of His original plan.

Satan’s fall from grace is the first recorded instance of evil. Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. He made a lot of “I will …” statements in Isaiah 14:12–15.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 describes Satan as an exceedingly beautiful angel. Satan was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations, but he was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially “kick God off His throne” and take over the rule of the universe.

Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that is essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden. How did Satan fall from heaven? Actually, a fall is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say God cast Satan out of heaven. So Satan did not fall from heaven; more like Satan was pushed.

So my answer is Satan created evil by feeding his pride and getting Adan and Eve to share it.

In the face of evil, God’s love stands out. Christ’s sacrifice exemplifies divine love triumphing over evil. This act of love offers hope and redemption to those who choose it.

Good topic.

Evil is very real and present in the world. The Bible tells us that we are all born with sin, and that even some that claim to be one of God's people are wolves in sheep's clothing. However, even as sinners we are still giving a conscience that helps us not give into evil urges. Feelings of shame and guilt are right emotions that guide us.

 

[jeremiah1five]

I think we have all heard this one. That evil is the absence of good, along with darkness being the absence of light. This idea matches Genesis 1:31, where God declares everything as “very good.” Evil entered the world through human actions, influenced by deception, not as a direct creation of God.

Scripture states God created man and man was created sinful, or as Strong defines the word translated as "sin" to mean "missing the mark."
What is the "mark" missed?
The glory of God, or the glory that is God.
Let me ask you, does sin come from holy?
No, sin comes from sinner. Adam and the woman sinned against God's command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And before that sin they were both already sinners and sin come from sinners.

Isaiah states there is only ONE God, there is NONE like Him, and He gives His glory to NO ONE.

Sinlessness is a glory of God. Eternalness is a glory of God. Before the man and woman ate from the forbidden tree they were already sinners who sinned by adding to God's Word "neither shall ye touch it [the tree.]"

6 Add thou not unto his words,
Lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
Proverbs 30:6.

Understanding these distinctions helps us grasp the complex issue of evil within God’s creation. It reminds us that evil’s presence doesn’t diminish God’s goodness.

The question of whether God created evil is a deeply complex one. The Bible offers insights into this issue it states that God created the world and all in it as “very good.” This implies evil was not part of His original plan.

The "very good" in the creative narrative doesn't mean morally good, but "to specification." In declaring His creation "good" God was merely saying that whatever He created that He calls "good' means that the creation was "to specification" or "good enough" as He determined. If we believe Isaiah who said, "there is only ONE God, there is NONE like Him, [and] He gives His glory to NO ONE," then man and woman were less than God, or fallen short of His glory. The word for that is "sin." And this is why they disobeyed God. Because sin comes from sinners.

Satan’s fall from grace is the first recorded instance of evil. Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. He made a lot of “I will …” statements in Isaiah 14:12–15.

As with man, Lucifer and the angels that sinned were also created fallen short of God's glory. This is why they sinned.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 describes Satan as an exceedingly beautiful angel. Satan was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations, but he was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially “kick God off His throne” and take over the rule of the universe.

Lucifer did not desire to "be God" for he knew he wasn't God. But he did sin and sin comes from sinner.

Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that is essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden. How did Satan fall from heaven? Actually, a fall is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say God cast Satan out of heaven. So Satan did not fall from heaven; more like Satan was pushed.

Sounds good but incorrect. No one pushed Lucifer. He was already in first heaven and wanted to ascend into second heaven where the stars and planets reside. But he never got the chance. As soon as "iniquity was found in him" he was cast down to the pit to await judgment where he and the angels that sinned still are.

So my answer is Satan created evil by feeding his pride and getting Adan and Eve to share it.

In the face of evil, God’s love stands out. Christ’s sacrifice exemplifies divine love triumphing over evil. This act of love offers hope and redemption to those who choose it.

God created evil and He did this by default when He created man.

7 I form the light, and create darkness:
I make peace, and create evil:
I the LORD do all these things.
Isaiah 45:7.

There is only ONE God
There is NONE like Him, and
He gives His glory to NO ONE.

Once you understand and accept this then it should dictate your understanding of angel, man, and animals.

 

[Dizerner]

God created all things but never authored evil.

 

[jeremiah1five]

Sometimes Scripture contradicts individual theologies and beliefs. This is one of those times.

5 I am the LORD, and there is none else,
There is no God beside me:
I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west,
That there is none beside me.
I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness:
I make peace, and create evil:
I the LORD do all these things.
Isaiah 45:5–7.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Ti 3:16–17.

Some take Scripture as written, some do not. This is another one of those times.
That being said...

 

[Dizerner]

God creates all things, so of course all things that exist are created by God.

That is not the same thing as authoring.

 

[Redemption]

I think we have all heard this one. That evil is the absence of good, along with darkness being the absence of light. This idea matches Genesis 1:31, where God declares everything as “very good.” Evil entered the world through human actions, influenced by deception, not as a direct creation of God.

Alright.
IF evil entered the world through human actions, influenced by deception, not as a direct creation of God... what was it that caused that deception?

Was it not the tempter... the snake... or if you prefer serpent... in the garden created by God, or are you of the evolutionist mindset that it some how evolved?

First is the 2 sided coin that identifies that snake as Satan and flip that over and we have Ai who says The serpent in the Garden of Eden was not originally identified as Satan; this association developed later in Jewish thought. Initially, the serpent represented temptation and was simply a creature created by God, without the concept of the devil as we understand it today.

Staying in this vein we also have Biblical Archaeology Society's opinion that Introduced as “the most clever of all of the beasts of the field that YHWH God had made,” the serpent in the Garden of Eden is portrayed as just that: a serpent. Satan does not make an appearance in Genesis 2–3, for the simple reason that when the story was written, the concept of the devil had not yet been invented. Explaining the serpent in the Garden of Eden as Satan would have been as foreign a concept to the ancient authors of the text as referring to Ezekiel’s vision as a UFO (but Google “Ezekiel’s vision” now, and you’ll see that plenty of people today have made that connection!). In fact, while the word satan appears elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, it is never a proper name; since there is no devil in ancient Israel’s worldview, there can’t yet have been a proper name for such a creature.

How the Serpent in the Garden Became Satan

The serpent in the Garden of Eden is portrayed as just that: a serpent. Satan does not make an appearance in Genesis.

www.biblicalarchaeology.org

Fact is. Be it Satan or just an evil creature it was evil and it came from somewhere.

Isaiah 45:7 says in KJV~ I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

So... does this satisfy the question of the title of the OP? "Did God Create Evil?"

If you, like many on this forum are a KJV only believer I think one needs to go no further.

If you, like others on this forum, including me, follow different translations of the scriptures, I say not so fast because the majority of other translations use calamity, disaster , bad times , woe, and Young's even says "preparing" evil.

Understanding these distinctions helps us grasp the complex issue of evil within God’s creation. It reminds us that evil’s presence doesn’t diminish God’s goodness.

The question of whether God created evil is a deeply complex one. The Bible offers insights into this issue it states that God created the world and all in it as “very good.” This implies evil was not part of His original plan.

Satan’s fall from grace is the first recorded instance of evil. Why did Satan fall from heaven? Satan fell because of pride. He desired to be God, not to be a servant of God. He made a lot of “I will …” statements in Isaiah 14:12–15.

Ezekiel 28:12–15 describes Satan as an exceedingly beautiful angel. Satan was likely the highest of all angels, the anointed cherub, the most beautiful of all of God’s creations, but he was not content in his position. Instead, Satan desired to be God, to essentially “kick God off His throne” and take over the rule of the universe.

Satan wanted to be God, and interestingly enough, that is essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve with in the Garden of Eden. How did Satan fall from heaven? Actually, a fall is not an accurate description. It would be far more accurate to say God cast Satan out of heaven. So Satan did not fall from heaven; more like Satan was pushed.

So my answer is Satan created evil by feeding his pride and getting Adan and Eve to share it.

I disagree because the bible does not state when evil came into being which is important. I feel it wrong to considerer it had to have been from the time that the "Spirit" was hovering over the waters and forward and not before.

Can know evil did exist before the creation of man? I believe so because of things the bible has said.

I also disagree with your " Satan created evil by feeding his pride and getting Adan and Eve to share it." Though I do believe it was Satan in the involvement of seducing Eve to eat. (IMO it had to be a seduction... else why would she listen to a talking animal as there are no where recorded any other "talking" animals in Eden.

But if it was Satan aka the devil... which was, if accounts are correct Lucifer who sinned against God I believe that sinning happened before humanity sinned... not after. I also believe that Lucifers God given free will was what allowed him to sin so grievously.

In other words, if God creates creatures with free wills, this allows for the possibility for evil, for the possibility that they will choose to enthrone something other than God in the center of their lives.

In the face of evil, God’s love stands out. Christ’s sacrifice exemplifies divine love triumphing over evil. This act of love offers hope and redemption to those who choose it.

You speak the truth.

 

[jeremiah1five]

God creates all things, so of course all things that exist are created by God.

That is not the same thing as authoring.

Not only did God Author and create evil, He said "It was very good!"

And the evening and morning were the sixth day.

 

[TedT]

The Bible tells us that we are all born with sin

God created all things but never authored evil.

These 'truths' must be reconciled in some other way than by accepting that these opposites can both to be true at the same time....doublethink.

IF our conception is our creation as sinners then HE indeed creates sinners and their sinfulness as proven by our being subject to the wages of sin, that is, death, from conception on.

Since HE is holy and cannot create sinners and their sinfulness then our conception as sinners must NOT BE our creation...we must have had a time before our conception, our being sown, not created, into mankind, Matt 13:36-39, a time when we chose by our free will to become sinful in HIS sight by rebelling against HIM and HIS commands.

 

[TedT]

Can know evil did exist before the creation of man? I believe so because of things the bible has said.

I agree... The serpent came into the garden with the evil intent to seduce Eve by trickery, by pretending to be a pastor or mentor. Evil preceded the foundation of the earth which was chosen to be the prison for all sinners, Rev 12:4-9.

 

[Dizerner]

Since HE is holy and cannot create sinners and their sinfulness then our conception as sinners must NOT BE our creation...

Correct

we must have had a time before our conception, our being sown, not created, into mankind, Matt 13:36-39, a time when we chose by our free will to become sinful in HIS sight by rebelling against HIM and HIS commands.

Incorrect.

You posit your solution as the only answer, when it is not the only possible answer.

Delegated responsibility is the Biblical answer, Adam caused our downfall.

The sin nature hates delegation and does not see a good enough reason for it.

 

[civic]

Not only did God Author and create evil, He said "It was very good!"

And the evening and morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 1-2 never say or imply any such thing regarding the creation days. Evil is not a creation but a result of the fall ( sin, rebellion) of both angels and man.

 

[TedT]

Delegated responsibility is the Biblical answer, Adam caused our downfall.

Delegating our sinfulness by delegating us to be born into Adam's fall does not make Adam guilty for our sin nor ourselves but is obviously the will of the Delegator...

GOD is holy therefore this logic fails.

GOD is light. Light cannot create darkness. GOD is love. Love cannot create evil. A good tree cannot put forth rotten fruit, Matthew 7:18. A stream of life giving water cannot put forth salt or brackish water, James 3:11. NO ONE inherited any sin, sin nature, evil propensity or liability for sinfulness from Adam!!!

 

[TedT]

Evil is not a creation but a result of the fall ( sin, rebellion) of both angels and man.

YES!!! But then how are we conceived as sinners without righteousness and liable to the wages of sin, ie, death?

 

[Foster]

Did God create evil? Well, Judeo-Christian theology teaches that God made all things. Now many people conclude then that if God made everything, then God made evil. And if God made evil then that would make God evil. But that thinking is based on a mistaken premise, that is, it presumes that evil is a thing. So let me clarify. Evil is something but it’s not some thing.

Now you’re probably thinking well it doesn’t, how does that clarify anything, right? Well here’s what I mean by that. Evil is something but it’s not a thing. It’s not stuff. It’s not made up of atoms. It’s not made up of molecules. It’s not made up of matter, right? It’s not some cosmic goo that contaminates things. It’s not the lint that gets caught in your bellybutton. You can’t buy it at a store. You can’t put in your pocket. You can’t flick it at a friend, right? Now, as I said, although evil is not a thing, it is something and here’s what I mean by that. Evil is a privation of good. It is the absence of good.

So let me offer an illustration. What is a doughnut hole? You might be thinking those are those you know warm, sugary, soft things that we eat and they’re super good. But that’s not what I’m referring to. A doughnut hole is simply the place where there is no doughnut. It’s not a happy place, I don’t want to be there. Or how about this, what is a shadow? Well, it’s the place where there is no light. Or what is coldness? Well it’s the place where there is no heat. Notice each of these things is defined not by what they are but by what they are not. And so evil in the same way is not defined by what it is but by what it is not. It is the absence of good. Evil results when goodness is missing.

Philosopher William Dembski puts it this way. He says evil always parasitizes the good. Indeed all our words for evil presuppose a good that has been perverted. Impurity presupposes purity. Unrighteousness presupposes righteousness. Deviation presupposes a way from which we’ve departed. Sin, the Greek word “hamartia”, presupposes a target that was missed, and so on. So therefore evil is not a thing and therefore God can’t be responsible for creating it.

 

[Dizerner]

Delegating our sinfulness by delegating us to be born into Adam's fall does not make Adam guilty for our sin nor ourselves but is obviously the will of the Delegator...

That's Calvinist logic and it fails. It simply does not follow at all that God determines free will choices.

 

[Dizerner]

evil is not a thing. Evil is a privation of good. It is the absence of good.

Careful with this false logic it leads to some bad conclusions.

Although evil requires good to exist, evil is not merely a vacuum.

Evil has it's own teleology and substance, it is not pure absence.

 

[TedT]

That's Calvinist logic and it fails. It simply does not follow at all that God determines free will choices.

I agree, GOD cannot dictate free will choices...if you think that is what I was implying they you do not understand me at all.

I believe the dogma of GOD dictating or predestinating all our choices from before the foundation of the world to be heresy or worse.

Once we chose to be sinful in HIS sight we lost our free will and then when were sown into the earth, we live predestined lives until our rebirth which restores our free will.

WE are sinners ONLY by our free will, and in no way by HIS will or plan at all! It is Arminian and Calvinist and Catholic theologies that make GOD the cause of our sin by making us to be created in Adam's sinfulness by HIS will. I do NOT accept any of this!

We were created upright so not conceived in sin, oiuors or anybodies elses:
Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

 

[Selah]

No, God did not create evil.

Ezekiel 28 describes how even Lucifer (Satan), who was created with such care by His Creator, became the personification of evil; not only that, it is written that he drew one-third of God’s “stars” astray.

Ezekiel 28:12-19 (KJV) 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.
Revelation 12:4 (KJV) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

s e l a h

 

[Dizerner]

It is Arminian and Calvinist and Catholic theologies that make GOD the cause of our sin by making us to be created in Adam's sinfulness by HIS will. I do NOT accept any of this!

I already know you reject the Bible, that says the many shall be condemned for the ONE person's transgression.

However, Arminians believe Adam had free will.

For you to say God caused Adam's free choice, is to misrepresent their beliefs.