One look at the news and the age-old question arises again: why does a good God allow evil and suffering in the world?
We take up this difficult question in week 11 of this series because such a complex issue must not be considered in a vacuum; it must be considered in the light of established rational reasons for belief in God, that a God-given objective morality exists, and we can know God through the trustworthiness of the Bible and personal experience. With all this in mind, we can begin to approach the problem of evil and suffering.
First, consider that we humans, believers in God or not, all recognize “shoulds” and “oughts.” We should be good. We ought to be kind. Humans should be better than we are. We ought not do evil. The fact that we all speak this way, and we all recognize that humans fail to meet such a standard, begs the questions: if there is no God, what are these shoulds and oughts for which we are striving? Who says we should be “better”? And how are “good” and “better” even defined apart from a God standard? What mysterious universal “good” are non-believers trying to attain? The truth is, without a God standard, good, better, should, and ought are mere opinions of an individual or group. To speak of good and evil is to speak of the nature and standards of God.
Genesis 1 makes it clear that God created all things “good.” Evil, therefore, exists as a parasite upon goodness, a twisting of the good. Badness is only spoiled goodness, and there must be something good before it can spoil. Evil is rust on iron or a hole in the roof. We can explain the perverted from the normal, but we cannot explain the normal from the perverted. As such, God is not the author of evil in the same way He is the author of good. God created all things good, but gave us an ability to do otherwise, which we have exercised. The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis illustrates this basic truth. We are not as we should be, and we all know it.
God knows and allows evil and suffering to occur but only within the boundaries of a greater good that only God knows; we do not know all things because we are not God. Again, God exists and God is good, and so we can trust that although we avoid and abhor evil, we also know that God always intends a greater good. This understanding makes evil and suffering no less difficult, but it does place our understanding (and our coping) within God’s wider perspective. Personal responsibility remains even as God knows and allows evil and suffering in order to bring about a greater good. “What you meant for evil against me, God meant for good,” said Joseph, sold into slavery, yet rose to prominence and saved many lives from famine (Genesis 50:20).
In addition, some moral goods are impossible apart from their response to evil. The church father Origen (c. A.D. 185-253) said, “Virtue is not virtue if it is untested and unexamined.” While the first humans (Adam and Eve) lacked sin in the beginning, they also lacked suffering and struggle that help produce virtue. Courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, as well as triumph and patience remain unrealized without struggle, danger, and even the reality of death. As Marshall Shelley of Denver Seminary observed, "The greatest evangelist I ever knew never said a word or took a step." His severely disabled daughter, who lived only a few weeks, drew people together and inspired them in deeper and more beautiful ways than could have ever been otherwise possible.
Ultimately, there remains a certain synergy among good and evil. Although evil is a twisting of good, our joy and happiness in life is made much sweeter because we know and experience the opposite. Evil gives joy and happiness greater value because of the alternative. If only joy existed, would we even appreciate it or understand it without knowing and experiencing the opposite?
Finally, a quick word about suffering caused by nature, sometimes incorrectly referred to as “natural evil.” Earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural phenomena can certainly cause great suffering and devastation. Yet, we must also recognize that such acts of nature are an important part of sustaining life on earth. As astrophysicist Hugh Ross notes:
“[Hurricanes] counterbalance the ocean’s tendency to leach carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This leaching, if unchecked, would result in our planet’s catastrophic cooling.”
Earthquakes return essential nutrients to the land, tornados remove dense vegetation allowing new and diverse growth, and most of the viruses in our bodies are highly beneficial. Just as water, necessary for life, can also cause floods, and fire that warms can also burn, nature’s necessary attributes can sometimes cause harm. Within such harm, however, we yet find opportunities for kindness, sacrifice, and other virtues.
Evil is, well, a necessary evil. However, what is truly despairing is not evil itself. What is truly despairing is that with no God, there is no meaning in suffering. Such pain, and grief, and hardship become just bad luck - no purpose, no certainty of greater good, no deeper perspective. Just sadness. With God, no suffering is ever meaningless. It matters deeply to God who loves goodness, hates evil, weeps with us, and offers comfort. Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." God is in the business of bringing goodness out of evil. After all, He brought a Resurrection out of a crucifixion. “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55).
“Every good and perfect gift comes from God” (James 1:17). Yet, as imperfect, sinful human beings, we pervert our God-given goodness. Many questions about evil and suffering become boomerang questions coming right back at us. Why does God allow evil and suffering? Perhaps God responds, why do you allow evil and suffering? Why does God allow violence? Why do you allow violence? God is all good, all loving, all powerful, yet also infinite in His righteousness and wisdom. In ways we can never fully comprehend, God allows evil for the purpose of a redemptive greater good, a good exemplified on an evil cross that leads to resurrection and our eternal salvation – the greatest good of all!
We take up this difficult question in week 11 of this series because such a complex issue must not be considered in a vacuum; it must be considered in the light of established rational reasons for belief in God, that a God-given objective morality exists, and we can know God through the trustworthiness of the Bible and personal experience. With all this in mind, we can begin to approach the problem of evil and suffering.
First, consider that we humans, believers in God or not, all recognize “shoulds” and “oughts.” We should be good. We ought to be kind. Humans should be better than we are. We ought not do evil. The fact that we all speak this way, and we all recognize that humans fail to meet such a standard, begs the questions: if there is no God, what are these shoulds and oughts for which we are striving? Who says we should be “better”? And how are “good” and “better” even defined apart from a God standard? What mysterious universal “good” are non-believers trying to attain? The truth is, without a God standard, good, better, should, and ought are mere opinions of an individual or group. To speak of good and evil is to speak of the nature and standards of God.
Genesis 1 makes it clear that God created all things “good.” Evil, therefore, exists as a parasite upon goodness, a twisting of the good. Badness is only spoiled goodness, and there must be something good before it can spoil. Evil is rust on iron or a hole in the roof. We can explain the perverted from the normal, but we cannot explain the normal from the perverted. As such, God is not the author of evil in the same way He is the author of good. God created all things good, but gave us an ability to do otherwise, which we have exercised. The story of Adam and Eve in Genesis illustrates this basic truth. We are not as we should be, and we all know it.
God knows and allows evil and suffering to occur but only within the boundaries of a greater good that only God knows; we do not know all things because we are not God. Again, God exists and God is good, and so we can trust that although we avoid and abhor evil, we also know that God always intends a greater good. This understanding makes evil and suffering no less difficult, but it does place our understanding (and our coping) within God’s wider perspective. Personal responsibility remains even as God knows and allows evil and suffering in order to bring about a greater good. “What you meant for evil against me, God meant for good,” said Joseph, sold into slavery, yet rose to prominence and saved many lives from famine (Genesis 50:20).
In addition, some moral goods are impossible apart from their response to evil. The church father Origen (c. A.D. 185-253) said, “Virtue is not virtue if it is untested and unexamined.” While the first humans (Adam and Eve) lacked sin in the beginning, they also lacked suffering and struggle that help produce virtue. Courage, heroism, self-sacrifice, as well as triumph and patience remain unrealized without struggle, danger, and even the reality of death. As Marshall Shelley of Denver Seminary observed, "The greatest evangelist I ever knew never said a word or took a step." His severely disabled daughter, who lived only a few weeks, drew people together and inspired them in deeper and more beautiful ways than could have ever been otherwise possible.
Ultimately, there remains a certain synergy among good and evil. Although evil is a twisting of good, our joy and happiness in life is made much sweeter because we know and experience the opposite. Evil gives joy and happiness greater value because of the alternative. If only joy existed, would we even appreciate it or understand it without knowing and experiencing the opposite?
Finally, a quick word about suffering caused by nature, sometimes incorrectly referred to as “natural evil.” Earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural phenomena can certainly cause great suffering and devastation. Yet, we must also recognize that such acts of nature are an important part of sustaining life on earth. As astrophysicist Hugh Ross notes:
“[Hurricanes] counterbalance the ocean’s tendency to leach carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This leaching, if unchecked, would result in our planet’s catastrophic cooling.”
Earthquakes return essential nutrients to the land, tornados remove dense vegetation allowing new and diverse growth, and most of the viruses in our bodies are highly beneficial. Just as water, necessary for life, can also cause floods, and fire that warms can also burn, nature’s necessary attributes can sometimes cause harm. Within such harm, however, we yet find opportunities for kindness, sacrifice, and other virtues.
Evil is, well, a necessary evil. However, what is truly despairing is not evil itself. What is truly despairing is that with no God, there is no meaning in suffering. Such pain, and grief, and hardship become just bad luck - no purpose, no certainty of greater good, no deeper perspective. Just sadness. With God, no suffering is ever meaningless. It matters deeply to God who loves goodness, hates evil, weeps with us, and offers comfort. Romans 8:28 tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." God is in the business of bringing goodness out of evil. After all, He brought a Resurrection out of a crucifixion. “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55).
“Every good and perfect gift comes from God” (James 1:17). Yet, as imperfect, sinful human beings, we pervert our God-given goodness. Many questions about evil and suffering become boomerang questions coming right back at us. Why does God allow evil and suffering? Perhaps God responds, why do you allow evil and suffering? Why does God allow violence? Why do you allow violence? God is all good, all loving, all powerful, yet also infinite in His righteousness and wisdom. In ways we can never fully comprehend, God allows evil for the purpose of a redemptive greater good, a good exemplified on an evil cross that leads to resurrection and our eternal salvation – the greatest good of all!
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