Question:  One thing about Christianity has always been a mystery to me, and no one has been able to answer this question. 

            I find it very difficult to imagine that the God of all good and Creation would, in fact, have created evil.  There is a major “misconnect” here that I have major problems with.  Evil had to come form somewhere originally, and my question is: what is that origin?  Satan was, presumably, created by God, so where did the evil element or force come from if Satan was good to begin with???

            Can you help me out with this one?  Thanks for your explanations.

            Mike

Answer:  Dear Mike,

            Two possible answers:

1.      God is responsible for evil, is stronger than evil, but for some reason allows Evil to exist—that includes Satan who is evil personified.

2.      God is not responsible for evil, evil is stronger than God is, therefore evil is God.

The Bible does not claim that God created the conditions that allowed for evil and then tempted hapless humans, and angels (Satan was originally named Lucifer).  The Bible instead claims that god created humans, and angels, with choice.  Instead of creating robots that would mindlessly do his will, God’s plan was that humans would have choice—and in so doing the possibility of wrong choices had to exist.

            The Bible claims that God created Adam and Eve perfect—they were not evil when he created them.  God knew that in creating humans (and angels) with choice, that wrong choices would be made.  The Bible in fact says that the Lamb of God, God the Son, was slain from the foundation of the world.  God knew from the beginning that he, in the person of Jesus, would come to this world and conquer sin and death, so that salvation from sin, suffering, and evil would be made available to humanity.  That was done by Jesus Christ.  In fact, the process of saving us from sin and evil involved suffering on his part, becoming one of us to die that we might live eternally, finally escaping the evil and suffering that results when humans make the wrong choices.

            One of the problems we have in grappling with evil is the wrong presupposition that God does not fail to reward those who do good with blessings, and those who disobey him, with curses and sufferings.  But experience, as well as the Bible, says otherwise.  “Bad” things do happen without explanation.

            On the other hand, God rewards us with good even though we do not deserve it.  The Bible tells us that Jesus died for us while we were yet in our sins.  No advance guarantees from us that if he extended himself for us that we would respond favorably.  He loved and loves us that much.  The Bible makes it clear that God is much bigger, more loving, more gracious, than simply being a divine scorekeeper, referee, judge, and executioner who keeps track of the score and as judge, jury and executioner carries out sentences on us all.  That would be the way we humans behave and act—but God is not like us, thank God!

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht