What about evil?

The term evil relates to those things that are morally wrong and reprehensible. Theodicy, meaning “the problem of evil,” is considered a theological/philosophical quandary. Its roots stem from ancient theological works declaring the goodness of divinity, despite the existence of evil (Ehrman, God’s Problem). The term was coined by Gottfried Leibniz (1646–1716) in his Essais de Théodicée.[1]  The greatest challenge historically to Christianity is the problem of evil: How can an all-powerful, all-loving God tolerate evil and suffering? He must not be able to stop it, or if He can, He doesn’t want to. In either case, it proves He doesn’t exist as Christians believe.[2]

The Torah teaches how Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world—no explanation is given as to why sin was allowed to enter the world. God later allowed the Israelites to endure evil and overcome it because of the covenant He made with them at Mount Sinai. Theodicy is a common theme in Old Testament writings:

•  Abraham asks the Lord: “Shall not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” (Gen 18:25).

•  Sacrifices were often considered efficacious in preventing woe in the Old Testament (Kraus, Sacrifice).

•  Moses asks that the Lord write him out of the record of history in Exod 32:32 after His massacring of those who constructed the golden calf at the base of Mount Sinai (Horeb).

•  Amos 3:6; Jer 12:1; Ezek 18 brought up the idea of God causing woe.

•  Isaiah 45:7 says of God: “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.”

•  Jonah prefers God’s justice over His mercy when related to the Gentiles at Nineveh, but God contends it is because Jonah did not create them (Jon 4:9–11).

The book of Job deals directly with the subject of theodicy. The Israelites believed a doctrine known as retributional theology, in which sin resulted in punishment. In chapter 1, God gives Satan (שָּׂטָן, satan; “adversary”) permission to tempt Job—an upright man—only up to certain points to see how Job reacts. The subsequent narrative of Job and his interactions with friends presents the classic problem of theodicy: How can a good, all-knowing God allow evil to happen to someone as upright as Job? No answer is given—God allowed it to happen to Job based on His sovereignty. Job shows that not all evil is a punishment for sin.[3]

 

Job is the fullest development in Scripture of the issue referred to by theologians and philosophers as “the problem of evil” or “theodicy.” Simply put, the matter is this: since humans, especially the seemingly innocent, suffer pain and evil, then what kind of God must there be? Logic suggests one of three answers: (1) God is righteous, but he is not powerful enough to prevent suffering; (2) God is all-powerful, but he is not truly good and has elements of evil in his nature; or (3) all pain and evil is in fact deserved by the sufferer and sent by God (in other words, the truly innocent do not suffer).

The biblical view finds these answers unacceptable, and the book of Job wrestles with the alternative. Job reveals a wider arena than humanity can observe. The conflict of the ages between God and Satan must in the end demonstrate both the righteousness and supremacy of God. He lets the innocent suffer to demonstrate that in his sovereignty he receives glory even when his people suffer and persevere in faith without understanding why. From a merely human point of view, the answer is that there is no answer given to the problem of evil. From a divine perspective, the answer is that God’s glory is served even when evil is permitted. (Christ’s death is God’s ultimate answer to the problem of evil.) Those who study Job today should interpret it in view of its original purpose.[4]

The New Testament shows how God uses and allows evil for His greater purposes. It teaches how believers can live in the strength and grace God gives. Three approaches are given in the New Testament literature concerning evil and how believers may understand its presence in the world.

1.   Evil is a natural repercussion of free human choices. Romans 2:3–5 explains how persons who practice evil do so out of the hardness of their hearts. While this approach does explain the evil actions caused by the evil choices of humans in the world, it does not explain every form of evil, such as painful deaths caused by natural events.

2.   Evil may be used by God to help shape a believer and sanctify them further (1 Cor 9:24–27; Heb 12:3–13). Human suffering comes as God either directs or permits suffering to teach. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul states that God disciplines those He loves. As persons suffer, God is bringing about discipline and maturity in their lives. They must walk by faith to eventually understand what is happening.

3.   Though evil may be carried out and performed, God will one day execute justice and fairness on all evildoers (John 14:1–3 and 2 Cor 4:16–18). The suffering in this world is small against the perspective of eternity. All suffering and wrongs will be righted at the end times when God will judge the world.[5]

 

God is separate from all evil and is in no way responsible for it. Moral evil arises from man’s sinful inclinations (Jas. 1:13–15). Israel repeatedly ‘did evil’ and suffered its consequences (Jdg. 2:11; 1 Ki. 11:6, etc.). Behind all history is a spiritual conflict with evil powers (Eph. 6:10–17; Rev. 12:7–12), ‘the evil one’ being the very embodiment of wickedness (Mt. 5:37; 6:13; 13:19, 38; Jn. 17:15; Eph 6:16; 2 Thes. 3:3; 1 Jn 2:13–14; 3:12; 5:18–19). Satan’s power is under divine control (cf. Jb. 1–2), and will finally be broken (Heb. 2:14; Rev. 12:9–11).

God is against evil, but its existence is often a stumbling-block to belief in a God of love. It can only be attributed to the abuse of free-will on the part of created beings, angelic and human. God’s whole saving activity is directed to deal with evil. In his life, Christ combated its manifestations of pain and sorrow (Mt. 8:16–17); but the cross is God’s final answer to the problem of evil. His love was supremely demonstrated there (Rom. 5:8; 8:32) in the identification of the Lord with the suffering world as the Sin-bearer. The moral change effected in men by the gospel is evidence of the reality of Christ’s triumph over all evil powers (Col. 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:8), and therefore of the final victory of God. Evil will be eliminated from the universe, and the creation will share redeemed man’s glorious destiny. Both physical and moral evil will be banished eternally (Rev. 21:1–8).[6]



[1] D. A. Neal, "Theodicy" In , in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry, Lazarus Wentz, Douglas Mangum et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2013, 2014).


[2] Dan Story, Christianity on the Offense: Responding to the Beliefs and Assumptions of Spiritual Seekers (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998), 166.


[3] D. A. Neal, "Theodicy" In , in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry, Lazarus Wentz, Douglas Mangum et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2013, 2014).


[4] Kendell H. Easley, Holman QuickSource Guide to Understanding the Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2002), 112.


[5] D. A. Neal, "Theodicy" In , in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry, Lazarus Wentz, Douglas Mangum et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2013, 2014).


[6] G. C. D. Howley, "Evil" In , in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard et al., 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 349.