Is Evil a Problem?

There is an old syllogism that says:

If God is all powerful
And God is good
And there is evil in the world
Then God must not exist.

Or some would say:

If God is all powerful
And Evil is in the world
Then God is not good

Or some would say:

If God is good
and evil is in the world
then God is not all powerful

Or some would say:

If God is all powerful
and God is good
then there is no such thing as evil

The Bible says:

God is all powerful
and God is good
and evil is real and God has allowed it

So how can we reconcile these things? The syllogisms that deny God or His goodness or His power or the concept of evil fail to realize that there is a biblical justification for all three. When we make the mistake of denying one of the 3 we make the mistake of acting as if we are God. Human beings have a hard time understanding how an all good and all powerful God can allow evil, but God is not perplexed by this problem. This is because God is God.

A simple illustration will help us understand the solution to all of this. If I as a father allow my son to crash his bike as he learns to ride, am I a bad father? The answer is "no." I am letting him crash so that he we learn and gain the ability to ride his bike without crashing. Will I limit the danger for him? Yes. Will the hurt that he feels in crashing ultimately accomplish his good and enjoyment--Yes. In a very simplistic way this helps us understand God's allowance of evil.

As human beings we tend to pass judgment in the present. We have a hard time reconciling the goodness of God and the present evil of the world. But the Bible teaches us that God allows evil for His purposes. Ultimately God's allowance of evil will bring about the perfect and good plan of God. Those who are trusting in Jesus Christ (God the Son) for their life and salvation will ultimately be benefited by God's allowance of evil.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.NASB95

But what is more important is that God will bring about His glory and the exaltation of Jesus Christ in the end by allowing the existence of evil.

Ephesians 1:9-12 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.NASB95

When we question God for His allowance of evil, what we are really doing is acting as if we are god. Let us embrace the world that He has given us knowing that it and we are in the hands of an all wise, all powerful, good God, who will accomplish all of His desires. If we are His children, through the grace of Christ, this should bring us great joy!