Tough Questions for Christians #12—What could God do that would be considered evil?
Tough Question #12
AZ has a short video this time. He speaks of the evil that God has done. Killing millions in a flood, killing someone for looking the wrong way (not sure about this one), creating the Ebola virus. So, he says, if these are examples of God’s mercy, then what is evil? What could God possibly do that would be more evil than this?
A couple theological problems, here. First of all, in Scripture it is clear that God is not merciful to everyone. Evil people, the oppressors, etc. are punished by God, often with death or hell. So to be complete theologically, we have to say that God is merciful to the merciful in the long run. He is kind to the faithful. Others who do evil to others he’s not so kind to.
Secondly, God punishes people for seemingly small things because of their heart, not the action itself. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 5, a person who looks at a woman with lust has committed adultery with her—oh that’s what AZ means! Not looking the wrong direction, but with the wrong intent! Anyway, the issue is that the man deeply desires to have sex with her, to rape her and the look is the action he is displaying. He is sent to hell for his intent, because he intends to fulfill the action, not because he is just thinking about it. So the man who touched the ark. Probably—we don’t know—it wasn’t his innocent act of touching that was problematic, but his intent of being disrespectful. This would probably cause other problems for AZ, but there you go.
As far as God’s sovereignty, God never promised that issues wouldn’t come up or disasters wouldn’t happen. He’s not in control of all that, and He didn’t plan it ahead of time. But He could stop it. Instead, he put humanity in charge of the world to take care of such issues. Yes, He could stop it, but we’d have to ask. Or we can try to take care of it ourselves. That’s all good for God. But because he gave us authority isn’t evil.
So what could God do that was evil? Killing the innocent, creating genocide in His name, despising those who do good. Some claim that God has done this, but I say that people have done this in God’s name. Jesus opposes all this, and he is the best representative of God on the earth. I trust his interpretation of God.
I must take issue with at least part of your analysis. God is sovereign over all things. There is nothing he is not in control of including the behavior of nature and men ("a
ReplyDeleteman plans his way but his steps are ordered by God")
Further since God created all things , if evil is a thing he must have created it. Why does it trouble Christians so? If God created evil then that act of creation must be good for there is no authority above God that may judge his actions either good or evil. Certainly man is unfit to judge God. Only God can judge God and then only based on his faithfulness to the things he has freely obligated himself. My opinion is that evil is not a thing but rather a manifestation of injustice. Since God is the ultimate judge he is incapable of injustice.
You and I hold to a different view of God's sovereignty. In matters of the earth, He has given sovereignty to humanity, and He has his hands off except in some circumstances-- that of the gravest oppression, and that of humanity asking for His help.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you are saying that the creation of evil is a good act. Interesting logic, anyway.
Who can judge God? Certainly the creature cannot judge the creator? Since God can do whatever he wishes and we must assume he only does what he finds pleasing then it follows that whatever he does is good to him. Thus we have a definition of good. That which pleases God. Therefore if god created evil it must have pleased him and then must be good.
DeleteIf God is not completely in control over all things at all times then he lacks at least one of the necessary attributes of God - omniscience and also omnipotence. It is his attributes that define God. If he lacks any of these he is not God. This view of God does no violence to man's free will. In all things at all times men do only what they find most pleasing. I think sovereignty is a hard concept for Americans because it conflicts absolutely with democracy.
Delete"If God is not completely in control over all things at all times then he lacks one of the necessary attributes of God-- omniscience and also omnipresence. It is his attributes that defines God."
ReplyDeleteI disagree. God is a person and only He knows who He is so it is God who defines God, not a set of attributes created by human beings. The Bible doesn't say that God is omnipotent-- it says He can do whatever He wants. It doesn't say that he is omniscient-- it says that He knows whatever is necessary. And to say that God isn't in control of everything may be denying someone's attribute of God, but it is confirming what the Bible says about God. So that's good enough for me.
Please advise chapter and verse where the bible confirms that God is not in control of everything?
ReplyDelete