We have all heard people say, “Why does God allow evil in the world?” That’s a good question. By assuming that God “allows” is not far from the truth. But what is not true is that God is blind or not active in doing anything to stop evil and with this line of thinking, people ask, “How can God be good or be a loving God?” From the very beginning, we see God in action calling/commanding forth, from darkness and chaos, all things into their proper order. Then when humanity, deceived by the snake, messed up what God put into order, we see God active in bringing order back through Enoch, to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, to David, to the prophets, and finally to Jesus, and then through us, Christ’s Church.
But God’s way of stopping evil is not with evil. God’s way of dealing with evil is to perpetuate or empower what is good.
Now this activeness of God in creation as we read through the Scriptures display God to be a God who saves. Indeed, God does save, and that desire to save comes from who God is and will always be: love. But does God save people who don’t want to be saved? No. Does this mean God doesn’t love them? No. People who don’t want help will not seek help. They will reject help, and will show little to no appreciation for help graciously given. This is their choice, because God has given us free will to accept or reject. This choice is also deeply tragic, because all that God wants to do is to flood our hearts with everlasting life.
God cannot be manipulated, coerced, or shamed into doing what we want; God can, however, be inspired by the cries of the helpless, the integrity of the godly, the faith of the humble, and the praises of his people. God is Spirit and so are we. So when we cry for his help, or stand up against lies and deception, or step out in faith as we obey His words, or sing to him with gratefulness in our hearts, He empowers us. God is good and empowers everything that is good to continue to be good. God is faithful and empowers everything that is faithful to continue to be faithful. God is love and empowers everything that is love to continue to be love. You get the idea.
In contrast, God is not a liar, so He won’t empower those who lie. God is not a killer, or a destroyer, or a thief, so he won’t empower those who seek to kill or destroy or steal. The things of evil will eventually die because it does not have God’s life in it to keep it alive.
Brothers and sisters, evil entices us to do evil and its destination is death. Good inspires us to do good and its destination is life and life everlasting. Good notices and acknowledges evil but does not pay attention or join in the desires of evil. Evil is jealous of good, and watches for an opportunity to destroy what is good, but in vain. Good looks for good, and empowers good to continue to be good. Good cannot be destroyed, because God is good and he cannot be destroyed. Evil is destroyed by evil. Good outlives evil.
Seek the face of God with all your heart, body, mind, and soul, and learn what is good. Then, live in what is good: live in God.
Genesis 1 (the whole account of creation)
Revelation 22:11
“Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.”
1 John 2:8
“Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.”
