Why Does Evil Exist? Series

Questions For God: Why Does Evil Exist?

Introduction:

It has almost been two week since a gunman killed 32 people on the campus of Virginia Tech, many people were appalled at what took place, and if you are anything like me you were left wondering, why is there so much evil in the world? We think back to other people who did such awful and unspeakable evils. We think of the tens of millions of people that were killed under the tyrannical leadership of evil dictators like Hitler, Stalin, and Saddam Hussein. If you are anything like me when you hear of such things you are left wondering, how can some people do such evil things? You hear of people in other parts of the world who participate in terrorist activities, having no care of concern for life, it is not uncommon to hear of myriads of innocent people killed because of the evil actions of some crazed terrorist. If you are anything like me you are left wondering, how could someone be that evil and how can someone senselessly devalue human life? Just watch the news, there really is some evil people that do evil things in this world.

For many unbelievers they have a hard time understanding why evil exists. A few weeks ago we talked about the reasons bad things happen and this is closely related, but is not referring to bad things like diseases and accidents, but simply a reference to the intentional evil that some people do. Many people have a hard time in their mind understanding how a good and a loving God could allow such evil things to take place in the world? They want to know why God created evil? Well, first of all it important for us to note that God never created evil, he only created the potential for evil. It also important for us to understand that evil is never in the will of God. He never wants evil to take place.

Before we get any further it is important for us to note that our definition and God’s definition of “evil” probably differ to some extent. When we think of someone who is evil we think of someone who does something really bad. We think of murders and rapists as evil people. In the Scriptures anyone who sins is considered to be evil and do evil.

Text: Romans 1:18-32

I. Evil Exists Because of People

a. People corrupt what is good

A lot of times sin and evil come as the result of people corrupting something that was intended to be a good thing. A lot of sin is a perversion or corruption of what God intended to be good.

b. People who are full of pride

Sometimes people do evil things because of their pride. Pride is a big problem in the society in which we live in and many times it is that pride that leads to people doing evil things.

Proverbs 16:18

Furthermore, I John 2 teaches us that sin often times results from people’s pride. Pride says that we are in charge, it thinks more highly of ourselves than we ought. People who deal with pride do not like to be told what they can and cannot do; therefore being subject to commands and rules is not easy. People who deal with pride often think they have the right to act out. Many of the most wicked people in the world have done the things they have because of their pride.

c. People without proper upbringing

I would assume that some people do the evil things that they do because they did not have a proper upbringing. I have to think that a lot of the problems that exist in the world today stems from the break down of the home. Children growing up today often times do not have a proper upbringing and are not taught what is right and what is wrong. Many times kids are not shown by example how they should live and how they should act. We cannot be surprised when children without the positive example and discipline of their parents rebel and do evil things.

Proverbs 22:15

Part of a parent’s responsibility is to show their kids what is right and what is wrong, and many people grow up to do evil things because they did not have a proper upbringing.

d. People without fear of God

I can guarantee that if more people feared God then there would be less times we would have to talk about evil things that take place. There would be less shootings, there would be less violence and there would be more good done. A lot of sin and evil comes because people really do not fear God in their lives.

Romans 3:11-18