Origin of Evil: In contrast with what religious leaders may say, the Bible does not portray God’s permission of evil as incomprehensible. A key point in understanding the question of evil is to recognize that Jehovah did not create a wicked world. He created the first human couple perfect, without sin. Jehovah looked upon his creative work and found it to be “very good.” (Genesis 1:26, 31) It was his purpose for Adam and Eve to extend the Paradise of Eden earth wide and to populate it with happy people under the protection of his loving sovereignty.—Isaiah 45:18.
Evil began with a spirit creature who, though originally faithful to God, developed a desire to be worshiped. (James 1:14, 15) His rebellion manifested itself on earth when he influenced the first human couple to join him in his opposition to God. Instead of submitting to God’s clear instruction not to eat or touch the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve took some and ate it. (Genesis 3:1-6) In so doing, they not only disobeyed God but also showed that they desired independence from him.
A Moral Issue Was Raised
This rebellion in Eden raised a moral issue, a challenge of universal importance. The human rebels called into question whether Jehovah properly exercised his rulership over his creatures. Did the Creator have the right to require full obedience from humankind? Might people be better off if they acted independently?
Jehovah handled this challenge to his rulership in a way that demonstrated his perfect balance of love, justice, wisdom, and power. He could have used his power to crush the rebellion immediately. That might have seemed just, since he had the right to do so. But doing so would not have answered the moral questions that had been raised. On the other hand, God could have simply overlooked the sin. Such a course might seem to some today to be a loving option. Yet, this too would fail to address Satan’s claim that humans would be better off ruling themselves. Furthermore, would such a course not encourage still others to deviate from Jehovah’s way? The result would be endless suffering.
In his wisdom, Jehovah has allowed humans to go their own way for a time. Even though this has meant permitting evil to remain temporarily, humans have thus had the opportunity to show whether they can successfully rule themselves independent of God, living by their own standards of what is right and wrong. What has been the result? Human history has consistently been characterized by war, injustice, oppression, and suffering. The ultimate failure of the rebellion against Jehovah will settle the issues raised in Eden once and for all time.
Meanwhile, God has displayed his love by providing his Son, Jesus Christ, who gave up his human life as a ransom sacrifice. This enables obedient humans to be freed from the condemnation of sin and death that resulted from Adam’s disobedience. The ransom has opened the way to everlasting life for all who exercise faith in Jesus.—John 3:16.
We have Jehovah’s comforting assurance that human suffering is temporary. “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more,” wrote the psalmist. “You will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Psalm 37:10, 11.
2007-10-08 10:03:53
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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God begans with the heavens and earth created, the earth isn't in any concern to be inhabited, Gen.a million:a million,2, so whilst will this is? No age or time is given, heaven, earth, area, universe, angels, activity 38: 4-7,30-32; angels see, Gen.a million:3-25, the earth is being arranged for some element, that something replace into Gen.a million:26, guy Adam, he replace into there in God's day six, after him the bible helps 6130 years to the only thousand year reign of Christ Jesus, each and every of the ineffective are made alive, for a clean heavens and a clean earth, yet no longer all get eternal existence interior the hot heavens and new earth, Gen.2: a million-4, Heb.4:a million-12; whilst God's day 7 ends, all of God's days are sometime, so if God's day seven is 7000 years then time 7 is 40 9,000 added to all time in the previous that that no person is familiar with what that's.
2016-10-21 11:49:57
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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A good question, and not an easy one to answer, because the answer is quite complex. There have been books written on this subject that in my opinion give pretty lame answers. There are several factors that play into this. For one, there is a devil, and secondly, God gave man freedom of will, and dominion over the earth. The fact is that God is not in charge. Man is, and man screwed it up. The evil is certainly not God’s desire.
Eze 33:11 Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Not only is God a good God, but he is also a just God. In his goodness he cannot allow evil to continue eternally. In order to do this without stepping outside of his goodness or justice, there are certain sacrifices that he has to make. If he were to simply destroy all that is evil, he would be stepping outside of his goodness. It almost seems like he is waiting for evil to destroy itself.
In order for him to show his mercy, he needs to let evil continue for a season because some of us will repent, and those of us who do, he forgives, but his justice will not sleep for ever. There is a day coming when all who do not repent will be cast into the lake of fire.
I look at life as a school. Here we learn that we are not righteous. Not one of us. It doesn’t matter how hard we try, We still need Jesus.
Bad stuff also happens to God’s people when they are disobedient to him. All through the Old Testament bad stuff happened to Israel whenever they were disobedient. There are still conditions on God’s blessings today.
2007-10-08 08:44:43
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answer #3
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answered by Caveman 5
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Here we go again! God is being blamed for 6000 years of evil. Cannot you understand that it is not God, the devil or anybody or anything else that causes so called evil, it is the individuals themselves. Why don't YOU try and change things around right now. WHY don't YOU start to be fearless.
Isn't there something in the bible state states in so many words "what you fear you bring to you". (I realize that this is not word for word correct.) and "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." When Jesus was speaking don't you see that he is not blaming "Father" but them, the individuals. If you are not Christian and am sure there is something in everyone's religion that tells us the same basic things. Out of all religions come funamentalists who change the chore believe. We can improve this world if we look to ourselves for improvement. Try and be the best that we could possiblly be and in time, the whole world will change to. It isn't the "devil" "satan" or "God" that is causing problems but we ourselves. By the way turn the word evil around and you get Live!.
2007-10-08 08:46:25
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answer #4
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answered by Maureen S 7
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The question of why God permits evil to run rampant has always perplexed those who do not understand God's purposes. The truth is that God has not passively done "nothing" as you suppose.
The Bible reveals that Jehovah has loving taken the initiative by giving his dearly beloved son as a human sacrifice. That single greatest act of love has made it ethically possible for God to justify redeeming mankind from the grave and granting all the obedient ones everlasting life as earthly sons and daughters of God.
God's purpose is to destroy the Devil and bring an end to the entire wicked system of things and completely undo all the evil that has taken place over these past 6,000 years.
A God who sacrifices his own son and who has given his word that he will use his great power to reverse all the evil that has taken place certainly deserves our worship and honor.
2007-10-08 08:56:31
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answer #5
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answered by keiichi 6
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In my personal opinion, mankind was created perfect. No diseases, no hardship, just pure bliss. Then there was the fall of man, when everything became distorted. Because of that, perfection was no longer in the world. God gave people free will, therefore, not stopping them from the wicked things they were doing. He wanted them to choose for themselves, ot restrict them. Sure, there are still consenquences for the actions.
2007-10-08 08:41:54
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answer #6
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answered by Rin 6
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That,s come,s from the one,s that think they are smarter
than God,Satan is the god of this world,God has no part
with sin and evil.
2007-10-08 08:41:54
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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Because he's the Boss and what he says goes, and don't you forget it. Or he just might give you 6000 more years of that evil crap.
2007-10-08 08:42:46
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answer #8
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answered by osok48 2
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The flip side is 6000 years of free will, and second and third chances... He'd rather have us love him, out of choice than out of obligation.
2007-10-08 08:39:25
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answer #9
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answered by David F 7
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Okay.
GOD has NOTHING! to do with the bad things here, on Earth! GOD is only about the good! He gave us FREE WILL!
MAN alone is responsible for the evil man does.
2007-10-08 08:40:42
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answer #10
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answered by Ja'aj };> 6
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