Answer: At first it might seem that if God created all things, then evil must have been created by God. However, evil is not a “thing” like a rock or electricity. You cannot have a jar of evil. Evil has no existence of its own; it is really the absence of good. For example, holes are real but they only exist in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole, but it cannot be separated from the dirt. So when God created, it is true that all He created was good. One of the good things God made was creatures who had the freedom to choose good. In order to have a real choice, God had to allow there to be something besides good to choose. So, God allowed these free angels and humans to choose good or reject good (evil). When a bad relationship exists between two good things we call that evil, but it does not become a “thing” that required God to create it.

Perhaps a further illustration will help. If a person is asked, “Does cold exist?” the answer would likely be “yes.” However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist; it is the absence of light. Evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. God did not have to create evil, but rather only allow for the absence of good.

God did not create evil, but He does allow evil. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. He did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their “programming.” God allowed for the possibility of evil so that we could genuinely have a free will and choose whether or not we wanted to serve Him.

As finite human beings, we can never fully understand an infinite God (Romans 11:33-34). Sometimes we think we understand why God is doing something, only to find out later that it was for a different purpose than we originally thought. God looks at things from a holy, eternal perspective. We look at things from a sinful, earthly, and temporal perspective. Why did God put man on earth knowing that Adam and Eve would sin and therefore bring evil, death, and suffering on all mankind? Why didn’t He just create us all and leave us in heaven where we would be perfect and without suffering? These questions cannot be adequately answered this side of eternity. What we can know is whatever God does is holy and perfect and ultimately will glorify Him. God allowed for the possibility of evil in order to give us a true choice in regards to whether we worship Him. God did not create evil, but He allowed it. If He had not allowed evil, we would be worshipping Him out of obligation, not by a choice of our own will.

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Greetings Pastor Davidson, this is a topic that can bring great dialog....and I am smiling because this is an area that I have read, studied and till this day only God has the answer.  Yes, we can say that everything God made was good, because that is scripture.  We can also say that out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree, the tree of life, also the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  It is knowledge of good and evil that man contends with.  God created the knowledge of evil, which was in the midst of the garden, which was not supposed to be eaten by man and we know what happened with that.  Disobedience prevailed and evil became known to man and thus evil is present.  But God in His all knowing and love for man came down off His thrown to reconcile man back to Himself.  Man is made in the image of God and all that God is, man is.  God is AWESOME and man can never know the infinite being of God, but man can know the ways of God through scripture that is inspired by God and His spirit that He promised that will lead and Guide man to truths and the way of righteousness. 

 

God allows what He pleases and can stop ANYTHING or allow ANYTHING the story of Job illustrates that for believers.  God don't want us to figure Him out, He laid His life down and showed us....there is no figuring out....it is through obedience to His word that man will know God.  God has prerequisites for His promises and we have only to chose which we will do.  Either love one or hate the other, either believe or not believe that is the choice.  Once we believe and accept the Lord Jesus and deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow His steps....its not hard, we make it hard on ourselves, because we want to live our way one minute and His the next.  His yoke is really easy, it is our own will that won't allow us to be obedient to someone other than ourselves....we must deny ourselves.

 

So, my answer to your question is God did make evil...He made EVERYTHING, but He did not intend for evil to rule because He is the ruler and God of ALL creation and the creature cannot create the creator nor can the creation be the creator.

 

In love Sister Denise

 

P.S.  I am tickled about this subject because it is full of dialog, but thats all it is and will be dialog, because God already said what He created and He said it, I believe it and that settles it for me....smiling

Brother and Sister:

This post and the response are deep. I read a blog from a Rabbi recently that was spot on with what you both said.  In a  short description, he suggested that evil is the absence of having "the light" or "enough of HIS light" within.  I will look for it over the next 3 or 4 days and would like to add it for this dialog.  Its going to take me some time to find it.  Some clarity would be good, so as not to confuse others by seeming to claim God is evil in any way.

Careful though, you are opening up a can of worms if this gets turned around in an unintended way.  I'm familiar with Sister Denise's witness, you've got an Zulu warrior princess at your back!  So you aren't out there by yourself, Pastor!  God bless you and keep you.

Greetings Bro. Phil:  I am laughing and somewhat tickled at your discription of me.... Zulu warrior princess...lol  Honestly, I had to look that up and found it complimentive...the Warrior Princess, now the Zulu was sort of abrasive at first because I thought of Shaka Zulu and I found him to be a terror and I didn't want to be looked upon in such a way....smiling.  But I can say - if me standing for Jesus will make one think I am a terror I will take that to the chin also.

 

So in that, I will say thanks for the compliment and you continue to be blessed and stand for the Lord.

 

In Love, Sister Denise

Greetings,

My dear sister in Christ, of course it was complementary. 

My words were only that you are a FIERCE, FEARLESS, UNCONDITIONALLY COMMITTED TO JESUS CHRIST, WARRIOR OF GOD!  King Shaka was a scoundrel for sure, but his Zulu nation fought together as one and brought fear to his adversaries as saints should do for God's kingdom.

We are in a battle, but "we wrestle not against flesh and blood. . .." and so having a female heirs of Christ that's not scared of hell or the devil, is what we need on the front lines.   You are much like my wife, (sold out and unashamed), whom I respect as much as I love. 

So as Pastor Carlton Pearson would say, "You yet holding on? . . T hen keep on keeping on!  (smile)

Greetings My Bro. Phil, as I responded before thank you.  I so love the descriptive (sold out and unashamed) and most of all "not scared of hell or the devil, because I know he was defeated and there is NO rematch....lol  The King rose with all POWER in His hand, so the battle has already been won....I am just in the race to show my love, obedience and appreciation for what has already been done.  Thank You Lord!!!!!!  So yes, I am yet holding on til I see Him face to face and receive my crown in glory.

 

In Love, Sister Denise

Amen!

Thanks you all for your comments....

Good insight my brother. Please allow me to quote Isaiah 45:7 "I form the light and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. God himself says he does!"
Blessings
Paul

Greetings Brother Thomas, now that is a RIGHT NOW Word.....thanks for sharing.  I will advise all who read it, read the whole chapter.  I love the Word of the Lord....it is so plain and simple. 

 

In Love, Sister Denise

Brother Paul'

Greetings to you.  One thing is certainly safe to assume when reading scripture, we as flesh and finite creations will never understand an infinite Lord and every 'jot and tittle' of all of his revelations for us in this life.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ...

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I ...

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now ...

Seeing thru a glass darkly is all we are capable of handling in our mortality.  This is as it should be, . . he would not be GOD if we were able to fit him or his ways in a (our) box.

Peace

Isaiah 45:5  ¶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.

Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

John 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

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