Question: If God exists, why is there evil?

[Nang]

Answer: Romans 5:12

The rebellion of the first man, was evil and caused sin and death in this world that was created good by God.

Question: So why does God allow evil?

Answer:

God has worked to reverse evil with His good, to His glory.



". . The very point of Christ's (incarnation) life, death, and resurrection . . absorbs . . (evil) results, and thereby transforms them.

In the Person of Christ, God engages (not merely judges) the sinful doings of man, [but] takes them into His design.

In Christ, God converts (not merely condemns) the works of Evil, [but] makes them serve His purposes.

In Christ, God willingly endures the evil that men do against Him, and thereby reverses it meaning . . from bad to good; from wrong to right; from defeat to victory.

He purges wrong of its wrongness, by making it serve His love: 'You meant evil . . but God meant it for good.' Genesis 50:20 . . .

Christ has risen from the dead, trampling down death by death . . .

God can come to us in peace only by bearing our hostility; i.e. by submitting to violence at our hands. He can come to us in mercy only if He consents to be killed (as a substitute for the judgment we deserve; thus giving rise to the statement that 'Christ died for out sins.' II Cor. 15:3).

But in His consent, God's judgment is turned to salvation; in His submission, God's grace is unleashed.

And the eucharist has the same meaning: The loaf cannot nurture unless it is broken; but once broken it may feed many." Brooks Alexander, "Spiritual Counterfeits Newsletter", Volume 41:4

 

[glorydaz]

Mr. Nang. Is that you again?

 

[patrick jane]

Mr. Nang. Is that you again?

Nang's husband?

 

[glorydaz]

Nang's husband?

It looks like his "work" to me.

 

[Eagles Wings]

It looks like his "work" to me.

Nang cited the source.

 

[Epoisses]

Because Angels and Men had free-will prior to the fall. Satan screwed up and caused Adam to screw up and now we're all screwed up! Thankfully we serve a God who can fix screwed up people! Screwed up angels are lost forever.

 

[iamaberean]

Short answer:
God gave us free will to follow whomever we will. Without evil, there is no choice..

 

[ttruscott]

Answer: Romans 5:12

The rebellion of the first man, was evil and caused sin and death in this world that was created good by God.

So you really believe that GOD could not make everyone else after Adam as unique and ingenious innocent as you believe Adam and Eve to be but chose to instead create us in Adam's sin and evil and corrupt and contemptible so we would perhaps make better Brides for HIM??? The GODwho is light with no darkness in HIM created people as evil and dark?

There is no good reason to consider HE created HIS Church and Bride first as evil degenerates needing to suffer under evil before they can be ready for the marriage. This idea is preposterous and blasphemous, forced upon Christian theology by the acceptance that people are sequentially created here on earth...

 

[jamie]

The Father allows evil for our benefit.

We learn evil by hands-on training.

The rain falls on the just and the unjust.

 

[ttruscott]

The Father allows evil for our benefit.

We learn evil by hands-on training.

The rain falls on the just and the unjust.

The only benefit that comes from our sharing this planet of evil and suffering with the tares is that it brings HIS sinful elect, the good seed of the kingdom to repentance, redemption and sanctification quicker so the wait for the final judgement is shortened, postponed no longer:
2 Peter 3:11 Since everything will be dissolved in this way,what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness 12as you anticipate and HASTEN / SPEED UP the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be dissolved by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.…

 

[jamie]

The only benefit that comes from our sharing this planet of evil and suffering with the tares is that it brings HIS sinful elect, the good seed of the kingdom to repentance, redemption and sanctification quicker so the wait for the final judgement is shortened, postponed no longer:

There's more to it than that. If a person wants to develop physical strength they can use physical weights to amplify the downward pull of gravity.

If a person wants to develop spiritual strength they must overcome the downward pull of temptation to sin.

God is not tempted to sin and we must learn to turn off our temptation to sin by using the power of God's Spirit.

It worked for Jesus.

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9:14)

 

[oatmeal]

Since God gave us free will, we have the ability to rebel against God.

God does not want us to, but without options, we cannot exercise free will.

Since we rebelled, we have brought evil into this world and that was contrary to God's desire and desire for us.

 

[jamie]

Paul said we are designed to sin.

 

[glorydaz]

Paul said we are designed to sin.

Where can I find that?

 

[jamie]

Where can I find that?

"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:6-7)

The carnal mind is the natural mind of a person without God's Spirit. His Spirit makes all the difference.

 

[glorydaz]

Paul said we are designed to sin.

Where can I find that?

"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Romans 8:6-7)

The carnal mind is the natural mind of a person without God's Spirit. His Spirit makes all the difference.

So you think that means we are designed to sin?

 

[Tambora]

Since God gave us free will, we have the ability to rebel against God.

God does not want us to, but without options, we cannot exercise free will.

Since we rebelled, we have brought evil into this world and that was contrary to God's desire and desire for us.

Not according to Calvinism.
Calvinism teaches that no one can do anything except what GOD has predetermined them to do.
Everything man does is because GOD predetermined them to do it.
Not just foreknowledge of what men do, but actually predetermined what men do.

 

[oatmeal]

Paul said we are designed to sin.

Where is that written?

 

[oatmeal]

Not according to Calvinism.
Calvinism teaches that no one can do anything except what GOD has predetermined them to do.
Everything man does is because GOD predetermined them to do it.
Not just foreknowledge of what men do, but actually predetermined what men do.

So what?

Calvinism is error.

Calvinists choose, by their own free will, to ignore one of the greatest gifts man has received from God, which is our free will, the ability to think and choose.

Calvinists have with their free will, chosen to ignore the abundance of scriptures that teach us that to their great loss.

 

[Tambora]

Where is that written?

Jamie gave her answer to that in post #15.