The Question of Evil
April 17, 2011
INTRODUCTION
May 11, 2011 -- GAFFNEY, SC
-- A three year old child is dead after a tragic accident at a Gaffney church.
Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler says that Alyssa Jade Mayfield, of Gaffney, was airlifted to Spartanburg Regional Hospital Wednesday afternoon where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
According to Fowler, Mayfield was in the gymnasium at West End Baptist Church around 3:20 pm when a 4x8 foot section of a wooden stage fell on top of her. Mayfield, who was at the church day care facility, was trying to retrieve a ball and according to Fowler, it appears that the child had bumped the wheel cart where the stage was being stored on and caused it to fall.
"The stage section was one of several pieces that were being stored on a wheeled cart that was positioned next to a wall in the gym," Fowler said. "It appears the child bumped the cart while trying to retrieve a ball, causing the section to topple off the car and onto her."
February 24, 2011 -- Dublin, KY -
A western Kentucky coroner has identified the Amish children who died when their buggy tipped over in a flooded creek.
Rescuers found three bodies early Friday, then recovered the fourth later in the morning.
Hickman County Coroner Paula Boaz says the dead include three siblings, 8-year-old Samuel Wagler, 5-year-old Sarahmae Wagler and 5-month-old Rosemary Wagler. The fourth child is their cousin, 11-year-old Elizabeth Wagler.
The coroner says all four children drowned.
April 2, 2011 -- Japan
"Dear Mommy, I hope you are alive. Are you well?"
This is the heartbreaking letter written last week by 4-year-old Manami Kon. The girl's mother, father and 2-year-old sister have all been missing since their town was devastated by a tsunami March 11.
Manami is one of many children whose parents have died or remain unaccounted for since tsunami struck coastal towns in the Tohoku and Kanto regions 21 days ago. Children in the towns have been seen looking at the sea, apparently in the belief they will be reunited with their parents some day.
Press release, 07/19/2004
"Some 15 women and girls were raped in different huts in the village. The Janjawid broke the limbs of some women and girls to prevent them from escaping. The Janjawid remained in the village for six to seven days."
"Five to six men would rape us, one after the other, for hours during six days, every night. My husband could not forgive me after this, he disowned me."
Quotes from Sudanese refugees interviewed by Amnesty International
Stories like this make us scream "Where is God in this?" "Why did this happen to me?" "How could a good God allow so much evil, pain or suffering?" "If he is good why doesn't he care?"
THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF THE PROBLEM OF EVIL IS ONE OF THE TOP TWO CRINGE QUESTIONS.
How do we answer this question when it's posed to us?
I. Establishing the Conversation
A. Confession:
Lousy things happen, life is unfair, innocent children and people die, EVERYDAY.
Cr** Happens
B. Recognition:
Sometimes the question is not really a question. They may not really be looking for an explanation. They may be saying if God cares show me his kind of love and care.
James 2:15-16
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
1 John 3:18
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
C. Assertion #1: The cause behind much suffering is human.
Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
Admit we can't explain why people do such evil things.
D. Assertion #2: Not all Suffering is Evil
In general a hurricane, a flood, a tsunami is not evil, it is a act of nature. A happening of the created order. They cause suffering, but not by God's direct hand.
Suffering can be tragic, painful, ugly, but it may not be evil. Jesus said in this world we would have trouble. Bad things happen, but he does not abandon us in the bad things. He is with us in the storms.
II. The Crux of the Question -- The Problem of Evil
God is good, absolutely pure, hates evil, and is compelled to respond to everything that is in rebellion to him.
God is great, all powerful and he can conquer anything that challenges him.
Evil is real.
Since Evil is real one of the first two must not be true.
III. Possible Solutions
At first look it seems that there are only 4 possible solutions to the problem of evil.
#1 Deny God's existence
In an atheistic universe there is no ultimate Good or evil. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.
"I learned that all moral judgments are "value judgments," that all values are subjestive, and that none can be proved to be either "right" or "wrong." Ted Bundy
We need God to be able to condemn the acts of Ted Bundy, Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden.
If there is not a standard for Moral Good in the universe, is there any real argument for evil. Dark is without meaning.
#2. Make Evil a part of God.
Deify it. Everything is apart of God (eastern thought) so is Evil Exists, God must be evil. No solution for the Christian.
1 John 1:5
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
#3. God is not truly all powerful -- Diminsh his greatness.
God really does exist but his is no match for evil. God and Satan are in a deadlock match.
Matt 19:26
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
#4. God is not truly Good
NAHUM 1:7
7 The LORD is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,
PSALM 145:8-9
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
IV. An Answer in the DARK
So how do approach an answer? I believe it is found in the dynamic tension of his reality. This is not the answer at the funeral home, the hospital bed, this is the honest discussion answer.
If He is, and he is good and great, and then if evil is, then he has allowed it.
BUT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
4 REALITES THAT FRAME THE ANSWER.
A. Reality #1 -- He opted for Free Will
By His choice he created us with free will knowing that it would produce heartache and tragedy in the world.
Free will was a good gift, with huge consequences.
He knew it would lead to a fall and expose creation to suffering. But The Free will gift is a good gift. Ultimately it will enhance our relationship with him. Rather than being an automaton, we in reconginiton of all that the gift of free will meant, will find ourselves as the objects of his incredible love, grace and care.
B. Reality #2 -- He dealt with the consequences.
As a demonstration of how deeply he understood the ramification of the gift he himself comes into our world, dies to remove all consequences of our misuse of the good gift, giving all of humanity a new hope.
C. Reality #3 -- His normal (natural) response.
Having dealt with the eternal and greater consequences of evil God does not regularly overturn evil's existence.
Can he YES. Can God override freewill? YES
Pharoah--
Can he send a flood? YES
Noah
Can he send fire from the heavens YES
Elijah
WHEN HE DOES IT'S SUPERNATURAL NOT THE NATURAL OUTFLOW OF EVENTS.
In the order God has created designed to lead us to him and his glory, he limits himself (Phil 2) and most often allows the natural events of the world and the natural consequences of the free will choices to play out. Instead of intervening, his seeks to insert himself into their reality
God does the supernatural to bring great glory to himself.
Jesus predicted this.
John 16:33
In this world, this life you will have trouble, but I have overcome the world. So even in the midst of trouble I can bring comfort, hope, healing,
The world remains impacted by the natural consequences of sin (free will exercised in morally wrong ways)
Romans 8:19-21
19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
God himself promises not to abandon us in the face of "evil" circumstances, though he does not promise that we will avoid them.
Matt 28:20
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Though he can and sometimes does supernaturally override freewill, he willing limits himself (Phil 2), ultimately enhancing the relationships of those who come to him as the discover the greatness of his response to our abuse of the great gift.
D. Reality #4 -- In the end Justice with triumph.
Ultimately God will Judge all evil, he will use what we call evil to bring beauty from the ashes. For those who trust in him, he will prove just.
THE SUMMARY:
So God is Good, Great and evil Exists
Much evil is the result of the gift of freewill.
Not only did Jesus die for us to amend the wrong, he promises that in a world filled with trouble he will not be overcome or abandon us.
In the end God's justice will be undeniable to all.
This tension is the best answer to the reality of evil in our world.
TIPS:
1. Remember the question is not always a question.
2. Be shock proof to strong emotions
3. Don't be quick to blame God. (this must have been his will)
4. Avoid the use of Romans 8:28
5. Embrace the pain that causes them to struggle and PARY.
6. Show them love more than you argue your position.
Follow up Discussions:
1. Why do people blame God for bad things?
2. What is the Problem of Good?
3. How does our entitlement define our position?
