If God is So Good, Why is There Evil?
Imagine the scene, a high speed train is barreling toward another on the tracks. The operators made an error and never caught that these trains are going to collide. You are standing on a hill not far from the future crash and you notice that this tragedy will occur. Thinking fast, you pull out your phone and immediately call 911 warning them of the coming danger, but since the operators see no error, no action is taken. The trains collide and the tragedy you saw coming unfolds before your eyes. Allow me to ask the question: was this your fault? I would hope that all of us would say of course not, you saw the trains’ fate and tried to warn them, but it was the inaction of the operators that led to the tragedy, right? In this scenario, we all can clearly understand ability and consequences, but unfortunately in the realm of Christianity it becomes more difficult to understand.
If God is such a good and powerful God, why are there bombings, murders, wars, abuse, car accidents, disease, etc? This question is a perfectly valid question. How can a God that is all-powerful allow such wickedness to thrive? The problem with the question, however, is the framing of the question. There is a false understanding that one with all power and all knowledge should be all responding. We live in an incredibly reactive world. We see protests immediately break out as soon as a new policy comes down the pike or our favorite fast food sandwich changes in recipe. God, however, is not this way. God is a just God (Deuteronomy 32:4). This implies that some reactions would not be prudent or valuable for the moment. Remember, the Lord made all things (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1). This implies that there is no one on this earth with a greater understanding of life, morality, and existence than the Lord. With this understanding, it becomes better to try to understand God’s reasoning than to throw an accusation of apathy or evil toward the Lord.
That being said, why does God allow evil? This is not complicated, albeit a very difficult question to address. God created the world perfectly (Genesis 1:31), but there was an abandonment of truth which led to the current state in which we live (Genesis 3). This state of sin introduced God’s perfect creation to death and spiritual separation from the Lord (Romans 5:12). God cannot fellowship with evil; therefore, man’s sin led to man’s separation (Isaiah 59:1–2). As for the reason God allows this, God is a twofold God (Romans 11:22). His goodness seeks mercy for those who wish to change, and His justice will hold the wicked accountable (Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9).
This world is not the end of God’s plan, it is the context in which we prepare for what is to come. If God were to rid the world of evil immediately, He would have to eliminate the capacity for choice—free will—which He gave from the beginning (Joshua 24:15). For love to be real, it must be chosen. To choose righteousness, there must also be the capacity to reject it. Evil exists not because God is absent, but because man is rebellious. God is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). But His patience will not last forever.
God does not sit idly by in the face of evil. He has done something about it: He sent His Son to bear the full weight of sin and offer salvation to all who would come to Him (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Christ did not come to eliminate the consequences of free will, but to give hope in the midst of it. God uses suffering to discipline, refine, and awaken men (Hebrews 12:6–11). Even the most grievous acts of evil can serve to demonstrate the stark contrast between darkness and the light of the gospel.
Ultimately, the question is not "Why is there evil?" but rather, "What has God done to address it?" The answer lies in the cross of Christ. A day is coming in which all wrongs will be made right (Acts 17:31). Justice will be served and eternal separation from God will be the consequence for those who refused His grace (Matthew 25:46). But today, God offers peace and forgiveness to all who will humble themselves in obedience to the gospel (Romans 1:16).
God’s goodness is not diminished by the presence of evil—it is magnified in His mercy, magnified in His longsuffering, and glorified in His final judgment. Let us not accuse God of injustice when it is our own sin that brought death into the world. Instead, let us thank Him for holding back His wrath long enough for us to be saved (Titus 3:4–7).