But Joseph didn’t. Everything humans experience is in existence because God's power holds all things together. It is easy to remember the three “p’s”. It is according to God’s purpose, God’s pleasure, and God’s power. God could be essentially good—perfect even—but use existing evil in the world for His purposes without being contaminated by it. — Genesis 50:20 NASB. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. The universe was created to display God's glory (Psalm 19:1), and the wrath of God is revealed against those who fail to glorify God (Romans 1:23), just as His glory is on display through His mercy and love to the fallen creatures. The bible clearly teaches that in the human realm it is God who appoints principalities and powers, all kings and rulers are appointed by God to serve his purposes, both good and evil. Here we have the grace and glory purpose of God, the dealings and doings of the sovereign God of all grace; all in, by, and through the Lord Jesus Christ, and all for Christ’s sake. Rather, God created a good being with free will who abused his free will and became evil. God says in His Bible that this side effect is only for a time. According to the good pleasure of His will. Evil was defeated officially at Christ’s first coming through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:14, Hebrews 2:14, Ephesians 4:7-12). If this secret had been made known, then God s purpose in evil would have failed, for Paul says that if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. The second purpose is less clear, but Genesis 2:9points t… Though used by God for his purposes, the ungodly are still evil. He is not confined to the reality humans have access to, but He did design it and speak it into being. Pro Pr). God decided to make people in such a way that they could choose whether or not to obey Him. Romans 8:28 says, “For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” “All things” includes both good and bad things. In the end, it must be worth it in God’s eyes to create a world in which He knew the devil and others would rebel against Him. The Lord hath made all things for himself--, The Lord hath made all things for himself. God is the Creator of the world. Therefore, God does bring judgment and calamity (either directly or through human authorities) on those who rebel. Many people have a difficult time believing the biblical truth that God is both good and great. Still, God knew this would happen in advance, of course, so He must have had a good reason for allowing evil into His creation. International Standard Version The LORD made everything answerable to him, including the wicked at the time of trouble. JPS Tanakh 1917 The LORD hath made every things for His own purpose, Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. What I mean by the sovereignty of God is his absolute right, power and de facto intention to govern all things according to the counsel of his will, without any decisive influence from outside his will. His victory over sin and the grave ensured Satan’s eventual defeat. God is not the author of sin, but He can use sinful men to attain an objective. First, God uses the wicked to punish His people’s sin, calling Assyria the rod of His anger (Isaiah 10), and using Babylon for the same purpose (Habbakkuk). God created Lucifer to be one of the chief among his ministering angels. In Jeremiah 51:24, when God renders unto Babylon all their evil, this was Gods use of mans evil as a way of judgment upon an evil nation. Why does God let bad things happen to good people? They argue the following: If God is truly good, then he must not be great, because a good God would end the evil and suffering in the world. If there is a God who has established absolute morality, then there has to be some sort of consequence for evil. God created all things, and the scriptures here is emphasizing that God created both the good and evil, and also want us to appreciate what is good from those that are evil, it is a logical comparison, and with the sincere knowledge that evil will hurt and dangerous for human relationship. He sent His only Son into the world to die for the world and to defeat evil. "Nolo putes pravos homines peccata lucrari: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Proverbs 16:4 Yahweh has made everything for its own (Prov. God may ordain to use their wickedness, but this does not make it morally right. But Lucifer fell when he wanted to take God’s place. 8:28). This must have occurred before the first human sin in Genesis 3 because the tempting serpent who led Adam and Eve to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is later identified as Satan (Revelation 12:9). The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. God has not made the world primarily for man's good, but for His own pleasure; good for man lies in conforming himself to the supreme purpose of creation, and evil in departing from it (C.G., III, xvii, cxliv). And in his explanation we find his inspiration. Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Evil was defeated officially at Christ’s first coming through His death and resurrection (Colossians 2:14, Hebrews 2:14, Ephesians 4:7-12). Similarly, God is good implies that Godlessness is evil. Literal Standard Version Evil can ultimately have a good purpose because of the sovereignty of God. This would glorify the name of the Lord and reflect His image. 4. Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. If God made everything and holds everything together, is He accountable for evil as well? The good and hard news of the existence of good and evil is the requirement of justice. The LORD has made all things for himself: yes, even the wicked for the day of evil. This "fall" also came from the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. If this is so, what is responsible for the origin and continuation of evil? God could have made people in such a way that they would be robots who would react when God made them do so. Job 21:30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? Not only that, He's the Creator of the cosmos and all reality. God can use struggles, heartbreaks and tragedies in … Therefore, evil … Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. And God separated the light from the darkness. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, referred to in the question as the “forbidden tree,” was placed in the garden of Eden, most likely on the sixth day. It was in association with this final declaration that God said: “I make peace, and create evil.” In order to understand this statement, it must be viewed in concert with the overall affirmations of Scripture relative to the character of the Lord. Providence means that God is in charge of the entire universe at all times and nothing happens outside his control. There is an important distinction to be made between God controlling evil and Godcreating evil. they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Acts 2:23 tells us that Jesus was delivered up, “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death” He rejected God, as a result of which his heart was filled with everything evil. Isaiah 43:7,21 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him…. God made the wicked “for the day of trouble.” How so? Christian Truth. 9 God will ultimately judge all people, since rebels will not be allowed in the new, perfect creation . Evil serves the limited purpose of establishing real love relationships between creation and the Creator, and evil will be done away with after that purpose is achieved. Romans 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. Paul echoes this truth in Romans 8:28: “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” Some other verses, however, lead critics to deny God’s goodness, or even to claim that he is the author and creator of evil. Amen. God did not create evil as nothing evil can come from good God. The evil comes from man, but God will allow, frame, or render evil in a way to bring about good. We expect this from our local law enforcements, our governments, and parents. God is once again plainly stating that he has created the waster, the evil one and he has created him to destroy. The only conclusion we can come to is that God's purpose was to create a world in which His glory could be manifest in all its fullness, and that included His allowing evil to exist. Why does God allow evil rulers like Hitler and Saddam to have power. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. When I read this verse I’m reminded of Joseph, the son of Jacob, who at a young age was sold into captivity by his … As I heard the leitmotif of “Jeroboam son of Nebat” again and again in 1 and 2 Kings, I suppose I came to think of his twisted song as a dominant force in Scripture’s score. Satan and other demons were at first good angels, created by God, but they became evil by their own doing. The LORD has made everything for his own purpose, even wicked people for the day of trouble. C) God uses all events—good and bad—to accomplish his purposes. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. But that would not give humanity any significance. “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.” Genesis 50:20. Second, God already has done something about evil. And God saw that the light was good. God did not create evil and neither is He to blame for the evil in the universe. God created man in His image to be His steward on the earth with dominion over all living creatures. Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. His victory over sin and the grave ensured Satan’s eventual defeat. On the other hand, they say, if God is truly great, then he must not be good, because he could stop the evil and suffering but doesn’t. The Purpose of Man. Its purpose appears to have been twofold. But I know, by knowing Him personally and by the testimony of the Scriptures, that He is a good, faithful, truthful, loving God. He sent His only Son into the world to die for the world and to defeat evil. In Jeremiah 18:11, when God says He frames evil, it is to call His people to repentance and to restore them to good works and right relationship with Him. Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. If God is the First Cause, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, then He created evil. The first and most often considered purpose was to provide man with a choice: to love and serve God willingly or to rebel against him and reject the one prohibition he had given them. God is not the author of evil. 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