We have asked the question, “If God’s so good, why does evil exist?”

We acknowledge that these three Statements Appear Contradictory:
     A. God is all good.
     B. God is all powerful.
     C. Evil exists.

In our first two devotional thoughts, we answered, “Is God all good?” with a resounding YES!
And, we answered the question, “Is God all powerful?” with an emphatic YES!

Of course, answering “YES” to both of those questions leaves us in a bit of a bind. If God is all-good,  it seems logical to believe that He would want to destroy evil. If God is all-powerful, it seems logical to believe that He would be able to destroy all evil.

To understand why God doesn’t destroyed all evil, we must understand…

C. Why does Evil exist?

Last time, I offered three statements to help us understand a little more how a good, loving all-powerful God could allow evil to exist:

1. God did not create evil, but He created the potential for evil.

2. Evil is a corruption of what is good.

3. God could eliminate SOME evil, but the problem would still remain.

One more statement is necessary:

4. God could destroy ALL evil, but that would include you and me.

We tend to put people into categories based on their sinfulness. On one side are the really “bad” people.  People like abusive parents, thieves, murderers and international terrorists. The really “bad” are people like Hitler, Saddam Hussain, Osama Bin Laden.

Then, on the other side are “bad” but “not so bad” people.  People who may lust a little, may have anger issues, may tell a little “white” lie every now and then. Even less worse than them may be people like my wife, Carol, who most who know her think she is just the sweetest thing out there.

We might think that this second category of people are surely closer to God than the first.

But, God doesn’t see it like that. While some sins are certainly more hurtful and damaging than others, God sees all sin and all sinners in the same way.  Why?  Because any sin, no matter how great or small places us outside of the forgiving grace of God unless it has been forgiven through the blood of Jesus.

I’ve heard many a person say, “one sin is the same as another.”  That statement can be very misleading.  Certainly, the consequences are not the same.  I’d much rather you steal my pen than shoot me..

We may not be thieves or murderers or international terrorists, but we are all experienced in evil in our thoughts, our actions, and our attitudes.
In Matthew 5, Jesus goes beyond murder to tell us that if we’re even angry with our brother, we are acting in an evil manner.

Matthew 5:21–22 (ESV) 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;….”

Jesus goes beyond adultery to say that if we even look at a person lustfully it is evil.

Matthew 5:27–28 (ESV)  27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Romans 3:23 (ESV) says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Isaiah 64:6 (ESV) “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
i.e. taken us far from God,

Do you see that if God destroyed all evil, it would include us as well?

So, instead of whining and complaining that God allows evil to exist, thank Him for not destroying you. Because when it comes to sin and evil, it’s only a matter of degrees, and God can’t stand any of it.

Allow me to share an observation I’ve made over the years: The person who screams the loudest that “if God were a loving God, why does He allow all this evil to exist?” is the same person who says, “I’m not going to live my life for Christ. I’m going to live it for myself.”

Do you see the false logic?  We want “bad” people to not do evil toward us, but we want to choose the degree to which we live out our lives with other people.

When we see ourselves against the backdrop of a Holy God, we will all cry out as Isaiah did…

Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)
5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”