If God ordains everything which comes to pass, how is it that He is not the author of sin?

Question

The Westminster Confession of Faith states:

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.

Consider Romans 9:14-21:

14What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be!

15For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION."

16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH."

18So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

19You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"

20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?

21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

Answer 1

The only way to answer this the way the WCF did, would be to acknowledge that man stands condemned before the Lord. If we start out as guilty, then God can simply allow the guilt and the associated behavior to continue, because man does not hold fellowship with God, and has no capability to do so, on his own. It is only with the regeneration received from the Holy Spirit and a continual working in man's heart, that he does hold that fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Since He would be fully justified in leaving man in his sins, I believe the WCF provides sound doctrine. He guides the footsteps of the ones He calls unto Himself, and He also guides the footsteps of the reprobate, though they do not realize it or care.

Answer 2

God created all but sin is a lack ,twisting or perversion of a good that God created. Sin "lacks an essence" unlike good.

I do not think that Calvinism can have it both ways:
volitional creatures either were given free will (which I see as a perquisite for love) or their creator,
if he willed and predetermined all choices and actions and if his "irresistible grace" is given only "by whim"-however wise and holy in his own ego and mind,
is primarily responsible for all the actions predetermined( predestined to evil acts and attitudes) and is most guilty for the crimes that such a god almighty willed his creatures to do.

The above mentioned guilt and responsibility are especially true if the god of the "massa damnata"( damned mass of people) does this "freely" and" unchangeably ordain[s] whatsoever comes to pass" . Not only is this "concept of the divine' the ultimate author of sin,he is also the sustainer of sin if grace is irresistible.

Of course ,the "liberty is taken away" and it is free will that establishes actual moral agency and liberty . The Dort Calvinist motive of defending the sovereignty and omnipotence of God is laudable but God's omnipotence does not need our defense if His Goodness,Justice and Mercy are sacrificed.

Answer 3

Finally you have asked a question that I'm not sure I can answer to my own satisfaction let alone yours.
But I cannot accept the premise which might imply that God created sin. This would contradict Scripture in several places.
Of course you will agree with me that God CANNOT sin.
So we must ask, how was iniquity able to come about and be found in Lucifer?
I have heard ministers teach on this, but I'm still not satisfied with anything I have been taught. Of course it has to do with free agency(free will) which is a benefit of perfect love. But that's about as far as I will take it.
Have a good week Kidd!, everyone else too.
I Cr 13;8a

Answer 4

Actually a good question. You do need to read the whole passage carefully, though.

Remember, the wording and word usage is from the time of the Reformation--and the meanings of some words have shifted.

A better rendering in modern English for "ordain" would be "permit" or "allow." The term "author" is closer to our current usage of "instigate" or "initiate." And the context supports this interpretation. God allows all that comes to pass (necessarily--He has the power to prevent any action or event)--but He does not interfere with the free will of people to act in ways that are contrary to His will.

Another way of saying this is tha tGod allows humans to make free choices--even bad ones. In that sense, He "alllows" sin--but it is our choice to engage in ("author") sin--or not to do so.

Answer 5

Sin is SPIRITUAL wickedness in high places. Satan is a spirit; for example legion. God is also a Spirit; John 4:24. God wasn't created and I wonder about satan. Genesis 1:14-19, tells us God made lights in the firmament of the heaven, but days earlier, in verses 1-5,DARKNESS was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was GOOD:::: and GOD divided the light from the darkness". Did you notice that God didn't say, "Let there be darkness". What was this darkness? Rom 1:20, tells us we can see his Spiritual things by observing his created things. John 1:4-5 "In him was life; and the life was the LIGHT of men. And the LIGHT shineth in DARKNESS; and the darkness comprehended it not". Could the darkness have been satan? God has done all inorder to destroy satan & at great cost to himself. If satan had been His creation, why not just destroy him without going to such lengths? After-all, the potter can do with his creation whatsoever pleases Him??? God has no part with evil. It is hard for me to believe that God created pure evil. Yes, He allowed it to exist but to say He created it, is a bit much. Could satan have been that darkness in the beginning with God but God created only the good things? I honestly don't know and only God has such knowledge. I just trust in His mercy.

Answer 6

Sin is not created - it is not a tangible entity - it is an action or thought. Because we are given freewill to either follow God's will or not - we exist outside the direct control of God (we are not puppets). Because of this, we perform evil and sin on our own accord. I don't believe that we need Satan's influence to commit sin - we are capable of it on our own.

The analogy I would use would be - I manufactured oil paints and canvases. An artist paints a picture. Did I create the picture?

Answer 7

Well from my POV God did not create sin. Satan(Lucifer)is the creator and holder of Sin. He is the one who caused most the angels in Heaven to turn against God and become like him. The things that come to pass are not exactly controlled by God, its because of our choices. When God doesn't approve of certain things he will destroy them. Because he knows the outcome.It's hard to explain for me, but I can only tell you God is not the controller of sin, why would he be if He is the same one tell us NOT to sin.

Answer 8

Homie, I wonder the same thing. I think that life is a test to see how you lead your life and if you are a good person. God is judging your actions and will decide what to do with you after you die. Unfortunately, whenever you ask if God created sin, people here take it so personally and abuse you. Read the response when I asked this question. Some people are living on the edge and anything sets them off on a rampage.

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=At_GL6H19HUJEZLY6vSMv._BFQx.?qid=20070827204729AAaeWp3

Answer 9

Because man brought sin into this world by disobeying God's command not to eat of the tree of good and evil.God cannot sin so he cannot be the author.

Answer 10

Some things man can do by his own free will with no help or authorship from God. That is the core of sin: Abandoning God and choosing to screw up on our own.