Did God Create Evil?

Often we things go wrong in life there is a thought that somehow God had a hand in creating the evil. There are a couple of things I would like us to look at today.

First, Jesus tells us that in the world there will be tribulation but note that He tells us that He has overcome these things.. John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

God created us with the ability to choose between right and wrong. Gen 2:15-17 15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die." NASU

Adam & Eve didn’t need to know about evil. God did not create evil, He did create the potential for evil, Adam & Eve chose the "off-limits" option.

God created a "perfect world" Evil and suffering are a result of Adam’s sin Romans 5: 12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Holy Bible, NLT

Result: Rom 8:21-25 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. NASU

But why let this happen? "Young couples often wrestle with the potential for birth defects and other dangers as they weight the decision to have children. Most choose to go ahead in spite of the risks. Why? Because of a desire to have a relationship with someone in their own image. God made the same choice. God did not create evil. He did create the potential for evil to enter the world, because it was the only way He could create the potential for genuine goodness and genuine love. But it was human beings, in our own free will, who brought the potential evil into reality.

I hope that today that God did not create the evil in the world. He did however give His so that we could receive the gift of eternal life in heaven (where there will be no evil).

How Can a Good God Allow Suffering?

Many people who experience suffering (or know someone who experience suffering) struggle with the truth about God. They really as asking some form of the questions below.
If God is all knowing, then He is aware of everything that goes on. If He si all powerful, then He can prevent or correct anything bad. And if He is completely loving, then He cares about everything that goes on. So, why is there suffering in the world? (Hal Seed & Dan Grider, The God Question, 2007 Outreach Publications)

Here is why they struggle.
1. All knowing / all powerful but lacks love (this god lacks compassion)
2. All powerful/all loving but lacks ability to know everything going on (this god is blind)
3. All loving/ all knowing but lacks the power to prevent evil (this god is weak)

The book of Job gives us some insight to some issues. Jobs friends says face it Job, you have sinned and that is why you are suffering. God answers in ch...38-40 and condemns friends for lack of compassion
Look at God’s perspective, "is that He alone is God".....Job’s reply... "surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know...Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes

God does not expect us to completely understand suffering. He wants us to trust Him.

As long as you try, right?

So many times when people talk about getting to heaven they believe it is "good intentions" it all that really matters when it comes to whether or not they (or anyone else) gets into heaven. But to really get any true idea we need to see what Jesus has to say about that issue.

John 14:4-6 4 "And you know the way where I am going." 5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. NASU

We can see that Jesus clearly tells us (those are not my words) that good intention do not matter at all. It has to be obedience to what Jesus says. Jesus also warns us that Satan’s goal is to deceive anyway he can John 8:44-47 44 " You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 " He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God." NASU

Billy Graham says "There are many religions in the world, but only one Christianity, for only Christianity has a God who gave Himself for mankind. World religions attempt to reach up to God; Christianity is God reaching down to man."

Titus 3:5-7 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. NASU

The question you must ask yourself today is a simply one. "Do you think "a good effort" is all that is necessary to get to heaven"? If this is what you have been depending upon to get to heaven you have seen today that this is no correct. You need to admit you are a sinner, ask you to forgive you of your sins and come into your life.

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Can You Trust the Bible?

Things have been a little "crazy" over the past few weeks so I haven't been getting to the blog like I had hoped. I've been assisting in our church plant at Cape May Court House, NJ so that means ferry trips and several days away from home during those times.

One to our topic.

Can you trust the Bible?

The Bible was written over 1500 year span in three different languages (in originals).

See what the Bible says about this.

2 Peter 1:20-21 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.


2 Tim 3:15-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. NASU

God used man to write His Word.

The Bible has been around longer than any other book. There are more copies in more languages all over the world.

You can find that the things that the Bible speaks about from the beginnning to the end still works in our lives today.

If you compare the evidence in archaeology with what is found recorded in the scriptures you will find many things that have been told about in the scritpture that are confirmed through archaology.

There is also evidence in science (www.reasons.org).

What you need to do is not be afraid to examine the Scriptures and evidence that is out there in the world. There are several books that will be helpful in this search. Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh Mcdowell, A Case for Christ by Lee Stobel or Choosing Your Faith In a World of Spiritual Options by Mark Mittelberg. Any of these and others will prove helpful in your search.


Luke 12:29-31 29 "And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not A keep worrying. 30 "For 1 all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 "But seek His kingdom, and A these things will be added to you. NASU

Do be afraid to seek the Truth.

First Night Bible Study in Cape May Court House

Exciting times for our first Bible Study in Cape May Court House.