Why I don't argue/debate Christians anymore

Did God Create Evil - Does the Bible Say So?
by Rich Deem

Introduction

One of the most common reasons skeptics reject the existence of God is due to the presence of evil in this universe. They reason that a perfect God would not create a universe in which evil exists. Skeptics claim that since God created everything that God must have also created evil. They even cite Bible verses, such as:

• I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, KJV)
• Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (Amos 3:6, KJV)
• Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? (Lamentations 3:38)

However, evil is not really a created thing. You can't see, touch, feel, smell or hear evil. It is not one of the fundamental forces of physics, nor does it consist of matter, energy, or the spatial dimensions of the universe. Still, skeptics like to claim that God created evil and cite the Bible to "prove" their point. The Bible is quite clear that God is not the author of evil and insists that He is incapable of doing so.

Love that King James translation!

Skeptics love the KJV so much, one would think that they were still back in medieval England. Use of this translation is problematic these days, since it uses an archaic version of modern English, which doesn't necessarily mean the same things today as when it was translated over 400 years ago. In addition, the KJV was produced using a limited number of medieval manuscripts that did not represent the earliest Alexandrian set of manuscripts.

What do the modern translations say?

• The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. (Isaiah 45:7, NASB)
• I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:7, NIV)

Isaiah 45:7 contrasts opposites. Darkness is the opposite of light. However, evil is not the opposite of peace. The Hebrew word translated "peace" is shâlôm, which has many meanings, mostly related to the well being of individuals. Râ‛âh, the Hebrew word translated "evil" in the KJV often refers to adversity or calamity. There are two forms of the word. Strong's H7451a most often refers to moral evil, whereas Strong's H7451b (the form used here) most often refers to calamity or distress. Obviously, "calamity" is a better antonym of "peace" than "evil."

Amos 3:6

• If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it? (Amos 3:6, NASB)
• When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it? (Amos 3:6, NIV)

Likewise, Amos 3:6 uses the same word, râ‛âh, referring to calamity or disaster. the context (a disaster happening to a city) does not refer to moral evil.

Lamentations 3:38

• Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? (Lamentations 3:38, NIV)
• Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? (Lamentations 3:38, NASB)

The King James Version of Lamentations 3:38 seems to suggest that God speaks both good and evil. However, if one reads the verse in context, the preceding verses indicate that God does not do or approve of evil. The verse following indicates that people should not complain in view of their sins.What the verse really is saying that God decrees times of good things and times of judgment. Lamentations was written by Jeremiah during a time of judgment, when Judah had gone off into exile. Jeremiah was chosen by God to be the prophet to tell Judah to reform or be judged. The people did not believe Jeremiah, and, therefore, fell under God's judgment. In Lamentations 3:38, the word translated "good" is ṭôb (Strong's H2896). The word usually refers to good things5 as opposed to bad things. Again, râ‛âh does not refer to moral evil, but calamities, in this verse. Likewise, the Bible commentaries indicate that the verse refers to God's judgment based upon people's sin.

Conclusion

God is not the author of evil. However, God does reward and punish on the basis of good and bad behavior. Therefore, God does bring judgment and calamity (either directly or through human authorities) on those who rebel. God will ultimately judge all people, since rebels will not be allowed in the new, perfect creation.

 

You rebel against God, against the very teachings you claim to champion;
heaping up teachers after the itching of your own ears instead of accepting sound doctrine.

"To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work."

 

That same doctrine you got that out of you do not believe it in!!!!

 

Kharakov,
Keep in mind, in the Hebrew language, there is a very narrow window of words and often those words can be misunderstood because of that window. Yet, God creating evil in Isaiah 45:7 is the same as God creating trouble for those who would trouble God. It should not to be taken as if God is looking for ways to hurt the innocent, because God has fun creating evil and hurting people. The Evil that comes from God, comes in a form of judgement against evil men.

 

I believe in God. The bible kicks ass if you understand it. You don't. You memorized some verses but do not truly understand what they mean. You ignore what God teaches you in the 'world' around you.

 

Is the Bible the true words of God?

 

Ok.

Maybe.

 

You hypocrit, you look for ways to trip me up with words, instead of loving me as a brother and seeing that I am here to help you gain understanding.

 

Please tell me, what do you think EVIL is?

 

I am just asking you basic fundamentals of a believer... if you cannot answer this... I do not know if I can gain anything from you...

So what is it: Is the Bible the true words of God or not?

 

well the way you claimed evil wasn't a thing, i could say the same for goodness. I do believe in God, i believe God created all- good and bad. maybe to teach us lessons, maybe so we are given freedom to choose which path, but God did create it for whatever reason, i do not pretend to know Gods intentions, as i beleive God is uncomphrehendable.

evil i believe is what ever is morally wrong to me- such as murder of anything, rape, cruelty, and some thing that are personal to me such as meat eating (this is my personal morality so it is evil to me). evil may be different to all. as good may be different to all. how can God create good, if he didn't create evil
peacex

 

So you say that evil is determined by what you believe is evil. So evil is in the eye of the beholder, based on yours, or someone elses imagination. So where does God fit into this picture? And how can you claim God created evil, when it appears that evil is but suggestive? If evil is just part of YOUR personal morality, how can you blame God, for your personal opinions?

 

God created me. God created me, and humans have morals. Many peoples morals are quite similar- especially murder etc. I do not BLAME God for the last time. I said this a while ago, are you not reading these posts at all. I am not even critising christianity, i am going on representation. I know you are used to people flaming you in here, but i am not doing that, all i claimed and i thought that many christians would agree here, that God created everything for what ever reason

 

i dont know if i could go that far fuzzy , but i just think he is representing christianity differently. all the christians i have personally known were about spreading the love as living like Jesus. and i liked them and was quite envious of them for a while. however it seems on here, many are quite bad-tempered and refuse to listen to others. its the first time i ahve heard a christian say that God didn't create all

 

he is evil by your definition which makes my point that evil is subjective. and if there is a god that created all, he created evil

 

God did create everything, but evil is not a thing. Evil is an act of rebellion against God. Yet, you have stated that evil is regulated to your imagination. I'm just trying to get you to answer my question. Which is. If evil is what ever YOUR imagination says it is, then how do you attribute this, to God creating evil? If there is no standard for evil, other then what some people believe might be evil, where does God fit into the equation? God created you, yes. Yet, what does YOUR imagination have to do with God creating evil? Your imagination is filled with your thoughts, not Gods. So why do you blame God for your thoughts?

 

stop saying i blame God!! God created humans and what it means to be human- he created every attribute- imagination, he gave me an imagination and freedom so he did create evil. if evil is not a thing then goodness is not either, so God did not create 'good'. So either God was neutral and didn't create good or bad- (although he did). God created all- so therefore God created all

 

What does God giveing you an imagination have to do with Him creating evil? It is true that He gave you the ability to consider evil, yet this in itself is not the creation of evil by God. God created good things, and the Bible tells us that. GOOD THINGS. I can give you some examples of good things that God Created. GOD did not create EVIL THINGS. What evil things did God create? Can you give me some examples of evil things God created?

 

God gave me the ability to consider evil, so therefore created evil. If God desgined humans all our detail then yes he did create evil. If God created all the materials on the earth, then we put them together to create something new, god created these materials and created the ability to mix them and created humans with minds to do as so, so therefore created this new material. I am not doubting that God created good, he did, but also he created evil or there would be no point in life. God created humans which are naturally sinful so therefore there was one evil thing God created- humans.

he also created the apple in the garden of eden, that was evil to give humans that apple,
he created all, i will always believe that, im sorry you can't, but i wont force my view on you. i wish you wouldn't do the same. if i do not believe god created all, then i wouldn't believe in God, that is what i believe, God does not exist if he didn't create evil and good.

something you do say on here do make sense, but from this issue of evil, i have to say that you are way of the mark, and i can't trust this view
peacex

 

Evil, existed before man was created, and God did not create that evil either.
God gave me the ability to consider buying a car, does that mean God physically made the car at the Chevy plant? Did He push the workers out of the way, so He could put the wheels on. God made the materals, but HUMANS put them together. God made HUMANS without sin, but it was a HUMAN act, that brought forth evil. And God did not give the apple to humans, the apple was stolen by eve. The apple was not evil, but Eves act of stealing it was. Human's have only been considered naturally sinful, after the fall, and not before. And you keep saying God created all, the Bible does not say that, the Bible states that God created all things, which will be found in John 1:3. All things were made by Him. And that verse was speaking of the physical, not concepts. You can believe what you will, but you can only believe that based on a mis-reading of the Scripture. And ignoring the fact, that the Bible states that all good things were made by God. EVIL IS NOT A GOOD THING.