Why is there evil?

I got a question from my wife one day She asked, If the world was created very good, why is there natural occurring radiation?

There are 2 ways of answering this question. I could to a study on radiation, what role it plays in creation, and how it may have changed because of sin and the flood. Or I could generalize the question to something like why do bad stuff happen, or more eloquently, why is there evil?

I will now put down 4 reason I believe is exists:0

  1. Without evil, how do you know good? Without hate, how do you know love? Without cold, how do you know hot? Without darkness, how do you know light? We think in dualist terms. Opposites. But I like to look at this differently. A more scientific approach would be that darkness is the absence of light. Cold is the absence of heat. And then to get philosophical, evil is the absence of good. And when people deny the source of goodness, i.e. God, they are left with evil
  2. Free will. God loved us enough to give free will. He also made us relational. And therefore, we can choose who to give our love to. And we can also choose not to give love, and instead to cause harm and suffering, and do evil
  3. Sin – Romans 8:18-25 says “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
    When Adam sinned, the world underwent a change, which was further changed by the flood. And this has resulted in a world with natural disasters.
  4. God’s sovereignty. When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers in Genesis, many would look at this as evil, and ask why God allowed this. Until you read that later God worked this out to the benefit of the house of Israel, and they were delivered from a famine because Joseph saved food in Egypt. In Genesis 50:20 Joseph says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
    God will sometimes allow bad things because he knows the beginning and the end. He sees the future and knows what is best for us, the world, and for His ultimate plan. And will then allow things to that end.

Whenever you are going through hard times, just remember Roman 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *