How Can A Good and All Powerful God Allow Evil and Suffering?

Hello, family!

Today we kicked off a topic we will be discussing the next few weeks in class regarding understanding how and why God allows evil and suffering in our world. Its an objection that many skeptics and atheists bring up as reasons to doubt the Christian message. I also think the issue ruminates in the heads of many Christians from time to time, even if its not spoken.

Here is a recap of the discussion this morning:

- The question (if there is a God, how can he allow evil) itself presupposes true evil and good, or injustice and justice. The argument for an objective and universal good or morality really requires a God in the first place.

- Examples of evil and suffering include: human genocide, natural disasters, suffering of innocents, God's apparent injustice in the OT.

- Where does evil come from? Our free will to reject God and His will.

- Why does God allow evil to exist? Because he desires a true loving relationship with people, so they must have the option to not choose God. If there is no other choice but God, the "relationship" is contrived and forced.

- What is evil? Evil is the rejection of God, disobedience to his command, or deviation from His will and character. Evil cannot exist without goodness...it is defined in the negative as a lack of goodness. Evil can be defined as being "not good". Whatever is not good, is evil. It is much like light and darkness, in that darkness is not a hting in and of itself, but merely a lack of light.

- Is God at fault for creating evil since he gave humans free will and knew they would choose it? No. First, evil is not a created thing since it is just a rejection by free agents of God. Secondly, even though God knew man would sin, man bears the full responsibility of choosing evil instead of God (and Satan too).

There is a lot more to discuss and say about this subject (we only made through about 25% of my notes). I would love to have everyone come contribute the next couple of Sundays. If the tming works out, I also plan to open up the book of Job to see what insights it offers.

Until next Sunday, I leave you guys with this 18 minute video from Christian apologist Paul Coban on the same subject:

Good God & Evil World (in 18 Minutes) from Paul Copan on Vimeo.