Mankind struggles with the idea of "Evil" in this life. For many of us, the very existence of evil seems to disproves any sense of Divinity within society. The topic of "Evil" is complicated by our very human experience. Add the very fact that good often causes suffering and you find the very reason many people abandon any sense of faith in Divinity altogether.
Also, it is my belief that most Christians have no idea how to deal with the subject at all. I'll give a short example, I remember many years ago when Bart Ehrman was rather popular as the relatively "new Atheist" on the block. UNC has long been a favorite college of mine. "From afar", I've wanted to actually try to help Ehrman. I'm sympathetic to his issue. Daniel Wallace has engaged with Ehrman throughout their lives. I remember reading of Wallace also struggled with the concept of "Evil" in his own life.
All men ultimately face such questions. Whether in thought or words to the contrary. The very idea of Evil is contrary what we expect from our existence.
I must say/admit, that the traditional "Christian answers" concerning evil are very poorly presented. Thusly, poorly understood. There are answers to this "dilemma" and I would like to deal with this subject among you.
I'll state unequivocally, there is no answer to be found in "Total Depravity".
I believe we must start with the very definition of "Evil". People see "evil" differently. Some call evil... good and good evil.
So what is evil?
I'll start. Evil is sin and sin can be summarized at the "top level" by.....
Rom 14:23b whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Please share you definition of evil.
Addressing the OP..... haven't read all the replies, except the OP, which 101G will reply. one thing "EVIL" is not sin, just as the devil is not sin, but EVIL. and listing to the devil can cause one to "SIN". remember God is not the source of Evil, despite what many say concerning this verse, Isaiah 45:7 "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." if one would notice, God did not CREATED EVIL, but the verses states, God "create" evil...... notice the difference, "Create" and "Created". evil is not a stable diet for anyone, so it's not Permanant. now if God word would have said, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and
created evil", ok 101G would change his tune, but the word states, "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and
create evil". to 101G, this is telling 101G that evil is simply an instrument in the economy of God used in real time as needed. example, when king Saul messed up.... God sent an evil spirit unto king Saul. 1 Samuel 16:23 "And it came to pass,
when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." or another incident, Judges 9:23 "
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:" or when God sent Evil angels into Egypt in letting his people go. Psalms 78:40 "How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!" Psalms 78:41 "Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." Psalms 78:42 "They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy." Psalms 78:43 "How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:" Psalms 78:44 "And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink." Psalms 78:45 "He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them." Psalms 78:46 "He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust." Psalms 78:47 "He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost." Psalms 78:48 "He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts." Psalms 78:49 "
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." Psalms 78:50
"He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;" Psalms 78:51 "And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:"
what is most interesting to 101G here in Psalms 78:49 & 50 A. he, God, sent EVIL ANGELS, and B.
He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence. he, God made a "WAY" to his anger?. the Way of God? is it not righteousness? so, 101G is asking what was it that cause God's "WAY" of righteousness, which produce LIFE, now, produce temporary... (DEATH). for 101G remember God's command to Adam ...... Genesis 2:16 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of
every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:" man could eat of every tree, even the Tree of KNOWLEDGE of Good and Evil, but the prohibition was, "THOU" shall not eat of it. did one see it? man could eat of it, but not on his on. the command was "THOU" shall not eat. why, because God must reveal himself. which bring 101G to his conclusion on EVIL..... simple answer MAN DID NOT KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE POWER OF "EVIL" IN A CHILD LIKE STATE, NOR ADULT EITHER, WHY? . the first step is for man to HUMBLE HIMSELF before God which is a MIND SET of OBEDIANCE, which he, man broke. why? because of self-pride, meaning to know and be wise .... "LIKE GOD". but man mind is immature to obedience.... it takes TIME to LEARN obedience from scratch. this is why... (101G's personal opinion), the scripture made this statement. Romans 8:20 "For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,"
now saying that, 101G conclusion. if God gave Adam and Eve a map, (a road map to righteousness) and told them to go north and the road map did not have a south to go by.... Question, "how would they know that was going north?".... for sure. now place yourself in their shoes, and you have a map with only N on it, and someone tell you to turn right at a 100 feet and you will be going north? would you listen?
as another example from experience. as young children, (as was with Adam and Eve in the garden), my sister and I was in a home that had a Iron stove that burned wood for heat in the winter, (Yes, this is in the 1950's). and our parent will tell us, "DON'T TOUCH THE STOVE WHEN IT IS HOT, FOR IT WILL BURN YOU". WHAT DO YOU THINK WE DID WHEN THEY LEFT OUT OF THE ROOM? yes, we touched it to see for ourselves if it was really hot, and yes, it did burn us.... remember, we been told NOT TO TOUCH IT when it is hot. what's going here.? we saw dad and mom touch the stove by putting wood in it. but the catch was they avoided touching it while fire was in it. just as in the garden the serpent said, "has God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?" see the deception. yes, they could, but not on their own, just as my sister and I could touch the stove, but not on our own, only when out parents was in room. just as God, when he was in the room. because God came in the room/Garden. then they could be feed by God, not they themselves, or us .... ourselves. WHY, because we did not KNOW .... YET how to Handle/discern when the stove was hot or not. and how to handle/discern to make the stove hot, as with God use/handling of Evil in making a way for his anger. Psalms 78:50 "
He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;" and EVIL was that "WAY" to his anger. and knowing that we see God can get angry, for he is a jealous God. and thank God he knows how to control his anger. as the scripture states, Isaiah 1:9 "Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah."
so, to BE LIKE GOD, is first to LEARN God. and that takes time..... in growing up.
this is just 101G's opinion, hope it may help someone, or further all our edification in discussion for the truth in God Holy Word.
101G
