The Problem of Evil

Consider This: Terrible tragedy seems to have no positive value Genocides of Hitler & Stalin Child slowly dying from cancer in terrible pain Baby in 3 rd world country dying of starvation Little child molested

Consider This: Terrible tragedy seems to have no positive value Genocides of Hitler & Stalin Child slowly dying from cancer in terrible pain Baby in 3 rd world country dying of starvation Little child molested “How could a good God allow this?”

Epicurus – 300 BC “Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?”

They Say That Christians Cannot Logically Accept: 1. God is All-Powerful 2. God is All-Good {yet evil exists in the world} 3. He should want to get rid of evil {must be able to prevent it & rid the world of it}

Presence of Evil does not make God impotent or evil Presence of evil in no way contradicts God’s nature God is Holy He does no moral evil God is light – 1 John 1:5

Build a “Straw man” Argument Misrepresent world view of true Christians “We begin with presupposition about what Bible teaches That God is Holy & Good Then try to fit presence of Evil into the picture so His holiness is not violated.”

Three Questions in Response Who are You to argue against God? By what standard do You make such a judgment? IF God were to rid the world of evil, what would happen to You?

Who are You? Real Issues: Their autonomy, pride & arrogance for trying to use God as an excuse for their rebellion! Many claim God nothing more than a fairy tale or wishful thinking, talk about Him as if they believe He exists! We need to Use & Speak the Word with Authority. Hebrews 4:12

Three Questions in Response WHO do you think you are, speaking against the creator of the Universe like this? Romans 9:20-22 Job 38:2-6; 40:1-5 God has a way of shutting mouths

Three Questions in Response What is your Standard of Morality & Truth? Proverbs 26:4,5 Problem of evil not a logical issue for believer, but unbeliever – they have no logical or rational basis to make such an argument against God

Only from a “theistic world view” can someone consider anything genuinely evil in the objective sense. Declaring anything “evil” assumes an objective standard to judge good & evil. Only way is to have an absolute moral law giver. Unbeliever has no logical basis to stand on.

Only from a “theistic world view” can someone consider anything genuinely evil in the objective sense. Declaring anything “evil” assumes an objective standard to judge good & evil. Only way is to have an absolute moral law giver. Unbeliever has no logical basis to stand on. Needs to Borrow from God’s Standard to Criticize God

“Atheism reduces morals to either personal preferences similar to enjoying one flavor of ice cream over another, or to the increasing preferences of a given people group. In either case, a blatant fact remains: morals are entirely “arbitrary & subjective.”

Atheist- Hitler Perfectly Moral Accepted by German society as a whole IF morality is chosen by consensus of society, no reason for unbeliever today to condemn Hitler! “Survival of the fittest” “Might makes right”

IF you reject God, Cannot account for Objective Morality “One cannot consistently affirm both that there are no objective moral values, on the one hand, and that rape, torture & the like are objectively morally evil on the other.” [Chad Meister] Unbelieving Atheist cannot prove anything objectively good or evil.

Three Questions in Response IF God were to rid the world of evil, what would happen to You? Romans 3:10-12 “none righteous, no, not one” “IF God were to destroy ALL of the evil in this world in 5 minutes, where would You be in 5 min. & 1 second?”

Why does God allow evil? I am sure that God has a morally sufficient reason for the evil which exists in the world God can use evil to accomplish good: –Acts 4:27,28

God Used Evil to Bring Salvation Innocent man arrested Unfairly & unjustly Tried Beaten, mocked, spat upon & murdered God planned it for good Death of Christ = Our Hope

God Used Evil to Bring Salvation Evil prevails when we reject the remedy for the guilt of SIN provided by the Blood of Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”