Is it possible to have an all good God when there is evil?

Is it possible to have an all good God when there is evil? Absolutly! Lets let the Bible explain how this is possible. Moses stated at Deuteronomy 32:4: “Perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.” The disciple James wrote at James 1:13 : “When under trial, let no one say: ‘I am being tried by God.’ For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.” God neither tempts people with wickedness nor entices them to commit vile deeds. James puts part of the blame for wickedness on humans. As He said under inspiration: “Each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.” (James 1:14, 15) God cannot and does not cause wickedness. So why does He put up with it? Why God has permitted wickedness to exist until our day has a lot to do with events that happened early in human history. All the way back to the Garden of Eden an incident took place that raised an important issue concerning the Creator himself. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were endowed with the gift of free will. As free moral agents, Adam and Eve could use their intellect to choose to love, serve, and obey their Creator. Or they could select a course of independence from God and deliberately disobey him. God placed one restriction upon them. Obediance to the one rule would prove their love for their Creator and disobeying would mean death. With Eve, Satan saw his opportunity, using a serpent, Satan lied saying: “You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.” Consequently, the tree seemed so desirable to Eve that “she began taking of its fruit and eating it.” The account continues: “Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it.” (Genesis 3:1-6). The Devil contradicted what God had said to Adam. Satan’s words implied that Adam and Eve would not need God in order to decide what was good and what was bad. Satan’s challenge brought into question the right of Gods rulership over man. The issue that Satan raised was that of the rightfulness of Almighty Gods sovereignty. How did God answer the challenge? God had the power to destroy the three rebels—Satan, Adam, and Eve. God was unquestionably stronger than they were. But Satan did not question God’s power. Instead, he questioned his right to rule. The issue affected all creatures having free will. Only time could answer wether Gods rule was best. God kindly gave mankind the time to try every form of rule they could devise to see if their rulership was better than His. Man has failed in his attempt but during this time God waited to see who would want rule by God or rule by the world of mankind (who the Bible says is ruled by Satan 1John 5:19). Each of us must take a stand on one side or the other.
By: Tetrion

Date of comment: Sun, Feb 12th 2012

This is an interesting question. Many people feel that the concept of an all good God and the existence of evil are mutually exclusive concepts, but in reality they are not. The question you are asking can be further defined like so: 1.An all-powerful God could prevent evil or hardship from existing in our world. 2.An all-knowing God would know that there is evil or hardship in our world. 3.An all-good God would wish to prevent evil or hardship from existing in our world. 4.Evil or hardship exists in our world. There is a Christian apologist by the name of lvin Plantinga who presented what is called the free will defense as an argument for this, it goes like so; 1.Creatures who are free cannot be causally determined to do what is only right. 2.Thus, if God creates creatures who are significantly free, he cannot causally determine them to what is right. 3.Thus, if God creates creatures who are significantly free, he must create creatures who are capable of moral evil. 4.Thus if God creates a world containing creatures who are significantly free, it will contain creatures who are capable of moral evil. 5.If God creates a world containing creatures who are capable of moral evil, he cannot then guarantee that there will not be evil in the world. 6.Thus, if God creates a world containing creatures who are significantly free, He cannot guarantee that there will not be evil that world. 7.A world containing creatures who are significantly free is more valuable, all else being equal, than a world containing no free creatures at all. 8.Thus, God has good reason to create a world containing creatures who are significantly free. 9.Thus, God has good reason to create a world, which He cannot guarantee will not contain evil. For more info on this please see:http://darcylbell.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people.html
By: dblam1

Date of comment: Wed, Feb 17th 2010