The question of whether God is evil is a complex theological issue that has been debated for centuries. At the heart of this debate is the problem of evil and suffering in the world. If God is all-powerful and all-good, why is there so much evil and suffering? This article will examine what the Bible has to say about the goodness and justice of God in light of the reality of evil.
To begin, it is important to establish what the Bible says about the nature and character of God. Scripture repeatedly affirms that God is good, righteous, holy, and just (Psalm 25:8, Psalm 145:17, Deuteronomy 32:4). The prophet Habakkuk declares of God, “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). The Bible clearly presents God as morally perfect and the source and standard of goodness.
At the same time, the Bible does not deny the reality of evil in the world. From the original rebellion and fall of Satan to the entrance of sin through Adam and Eve, evil has corrupted God’s good creation. God’s goodness does not negate the presence of evil, but rather provides the moral framework for recognizing and confronting evil. The challenge is understanding how evil can exist under the sovereignty of a good and all-powerful God.
There are several key theological principles that provide insight into this issue. First is the concept of free will. Rather than creating humanity as robots or puppets, God made human beings as volitional creatures with the ability to make moral choices. This free will enables genuine love and obedience, but also allows for the possibility of sin and rebellion against God. The origin of evil is located in the abuse of created free will, not in the character of the Creator.
Second is the concept of judgment. A good and just God cannot simply turn a blind eye to evil forever. The Bible presents God as patient and longsuffering toward evildoers (2 Peter 3:9), giving time and opportunity for repentance and salvation. However, God’s forbearance with evil must eventually come to an end for the sake of justice. God will one day fully eradicate evil and judge unrepentant wrongdoers.
Third is the concept of redemption. Even in the midst of evil and suffering, God enacted a plan to bring redemption and restoration. By sending Jesus to suffer and die on the cross for sinners, God defeated evil and opened the way for people to be rescued from sin and reconciled to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:8). God’s response to evil is not indifference but intervention at immense personal cost to save those who trust in Him.
When examined closely, the Bible presents a God who is unrelenting in His opposition to evil. From casting Satan out of heaven to overturning the corrupted order through the flood in Noah’s day, and ultimately pouring out judgment on sin through the death of Christ, God forcefully responds to evil without compromising His righteousness.
In allowing evil for a time under His sovereign providence, God permits the genuine significance of human choice while also demonstrating His justice and mercy. The Christian hope rests in the promise that one day God will completely destroy all evil and suffering and restore His creation to perfect righteousness and peace.
There are several additional points that can provide more perspective on the goodness of God in contrast to evil:
- God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours, so we should be humble in accusing Him of wrongdoing (Isaiah 55:8-9). As finite creatures, we lack the full eternal perspective.
- Evil entered the world through human sin, not through God’s direct agency (Genesis 3, Romans 5:12). Humans, not God, are to blame for corrupting what God declared good.
- God is capable of bringing redemptive good out of evil situations, though this does not justify or excuse evil (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28). God can overcome evil with good.
- God has defeated evil and its ultimate power through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). The cross represents God’s victory over evil.
- God will one day rid the world of all evil, injustice, and suffering (Revelation 21:4). The existence of evil is temporary.
- Allowing free will enables the possibility of love. Forced or robotic obedience would not satisfy God’s purposes (1 John 4:8).
- God’s mercy and patience in judging evil is meant to lead people to repentance and salvation (2 Peter 3:9).
- Humans have limited knowledge. Aspects of God’s divine plan remain mysterious and unclear (Deuteronomy 29:29).
In summary, the Bible presents a God who is holy, just, and good. The existence and persistence of evil reflects the tragic rebellion of creation against the Creator. Yet in His mercy, God enacted a plan of redemption to rescue humanity from evil and ultimately eliminate it altogether. When properly understood, the biblical narrative does not present God as evil but rather as the moral force opposingly arrayed against evil.
Here are some key Scripture verses that provide insight into God’s goodness and hatred of evil:
- 1 John 1:5 – “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
- James 1:13 – “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”
- Psalm 34:8 – “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
- Psalm 11:5 – “The Lord tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.”
- 1 John 4:16 – “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love…”
- Isaiah 61:8 – “For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong…”
- Romans 12:9 – “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”
- Romans 2:4-6 – “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”
In closing, the Bible provides a consistent revelation of God’s holy and righteous character across both Old and New Testaments. When seen within the grand narrative of Scripture, the existence of evil does not impugn the goodness of God but rather elicits His redemptive purpose. Despite present suffering, the Christian hope centers on God’s promises to judge evil and bring His people into eternal joy in a world with no more sin, pain, or death (Revelation 21:4). The gospel calls people to find refuge from evil in Jesus Christ, the supreme demonstration of God’s love triumphing over evil for the salvation of those who trust in Him.