Christian Doctrine & Worldview Explanation for the Problem of Evil

Every person on Earth is familiar with the concept of good and bad. One of the first images of the concept that appears in one’s mind if the image of God, as something good, and Satan, as something bad. Due to people recognizing that evil exists, as well as good, the heated debates have been created, surrounding the problem of evil. “The problem of evil is one of the oldest problems in the literature of the philosophy of religion.” [1]

The problem of evil is risen to understand whether God exists and to understand the concept of evil. Bible states that God is someone, who is all-good and all-powerful. Therefore, no evil can be created by someone who is all-good. Due to God being all-powerful, there will be no evil, as he would prohibit it. And lastly, evil does exist. “I believed, even when I spoke, ‘I am greatly afflicted'” (Psalm 116:10)[2] Therefore, many people have raised questions, which state that God either is not all-good, not all-powerful or does to exist at all.

There is a popular belief that in the Christian worldview, evil should not exist, as it would corrupt the statements that God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent. Contrary to this belief, Christians do define the evil as something that exists, and they explain that evil is “any thought, word, and deed that is not in accord with God’s moral will.” [3] More specifically, people believe that the issue of the evil is unanswered. However, the Bible does address the problem of evil. Bible does acknowledge that evil exists, yet states that God did not create, yet instead, God has given people the free will to decide how to act. “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it, you will certainly die.’” (Genesis 2:16-17) [4] While God has given humanity the ability to be responsible for their actions, people are the one who is responsible for the evil. What is more, the physical evil is the result of the moral evil, which is, once again, the result of the human actions. Despite there is no solution to evil in this explanation, it is clearly understood that God is not responsible for it. Thus, the existence of God is not questionable. Just like Satan is a fallen angel, whom himself decided to disobey God, and Adam and Eve have sinned, knowing that what they are doing is wrong, people’s evil doings are their own responsibilities. “In principle, God could prevent any single instance of evil, but he could do so only by destroying the very possibility that this world enables a meaningful life, based on free will, and the regularities of the laws of nature.” [5]

In the Scripture, it is explained that the popular belief that, if the God is all-good, He must cease the evil to exist, is not true. Instead, the whole existence of God acts as a defeat against all evil. With creating free will, God let us choose what we do. However, he also gave us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness. “Forgiveness is the Christian answer to the problem of evil.” (Got Questions) Despite the belief that forgiveness excuses all of the evil doings, “it acknowledges that there is wrong to be made right.” (Got Questions) Bible states that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16-21)[6] Forgiveness makes people acknowledge that they are sinful, but they see what they have done wrong.

Currently, evil exists among us. Due to that fact, many people have questioned the existence of God, or have questioned his all-good and all-powerful nature. Because of this, the Problem of Evil became one of the most debatable issue, as well as one of the oldest among philosophers, and those who wish to understand religion. Some of the people want to understand, why the evil exists, why others simply want to convince that God does not exist. Even though many people still refer to this question as unanswered, the Bible has addressed and justified the existence of evil all along. Some of the explanations of evil include God giving us free will, and people then acting sinful and bringing evil into this world, as well as God giving us the ability to ask for forgiveness, which lessens the impact of the evil in the world. Therefore, the Bible does address evil, and Christian worldview has arguments that prove that evil and God can coexist and that the Problem of Evil is not relevant in stating that God does not exist.

Bibliography

Keller, James A. 1989. “The problem of evil and the attributes of God.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 26(3), 155–171. doi:10.1007/bf00142861

Gocke, Benedict Paul. 2017. “The Existence of Evil in Christian and Naturalistic Worldviews.” Synthesis Philosophica, 63(1), 5-20.

“What is the biblical solution to the problem of evil?” Got Questions.https://www.gotquestions.org/problem-of-evil.html

Pacey, Ian. 2012. “Christianity’s Answer to the Problem of Evil.” Higher Things, http://higherthings.org/myht/articles/catechesis/answerproblemevil


[1] Keller, James A. 1989. “The problem of evil and the attributes of God.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 26(3), 155–171. doi:10.1007/bf00142861

[2] “What is the biblical solution to the problem of evil?” Got Questions.https://www.gotquestions.org/problem-of-evil.html

[3] Pacey, Ian. 2012. “Christianity’s Answer to the Problem of Evil.” Higher Things, http://higherthings.org/myht/articles/catechesis/answerproblemevil

[4] “What is the biblical solution to the problem of evil?” Got Questions.https://www.gotquestions.org/problem-of-evil.html

[5] Gocke, Benedict Paul. 2017. “The Existence of Evil in Christian and Naturalistic Worldviews.” Synthesis Philosophica, 63(1), 5-20.

[6] “What is the biblical solution to the problem of evil?” Got Questions.https://www.gotquestions.org/problem-of-evil.html

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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