Ignition 7 Video Spark DevosSample

Why Did God Create Evil and Satan? (part 1)

Christians believe that God is all good, all-powerful, and all-knowing. He created the universe and everything within it. But did he create evil? Wouldn’t this detract from the fact that he is all good? This question touches on a problem that has plagued humankind since Genesis—the problem of evil.

First of all, let’s define the word “evil.” A “moral evil” or “sin” is actually a byproduct of our freedom to choose God or to reject him. The Apostle John talks about this in 1 John 3:4 (NLT) when he writes: “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.” This kind of evil exists when we act against what God wants in our lives. Evil is not just the bad way… it is the absence of God’s way.

With this definition of evil in mind, could God create evil in the world? Of course not, because creating evil would require that he choose against his very nature of pure righteousness to break his own holy law. God’s goodness is essential—he cannot make anything contrary to it. Why then does evil exist? What makes our world such an evil place if God didn’t craft it in the first place?

God did not create evil, but God did create choice—or what we call “free will.” In creating human beings, God allows us to choose a relationship with him. But this choice naturally allows for the opposite decision as well—we can reject God. Just like Adam and Eve, this rejection of God’s way is still what generates evil in us today. When we do not choose God, we are living apart from him—which, by definition, is sin.

So why did God create free will exist, knowing evil would happen? God’s love for us is so strong that he allows us the opportunity to choose evil over his goodness. Only then can we likewise choose to live in true relationship with him. This may seem counterintuitive, but true relationship—even our daily friendships or romantic relationships—requires choice.

God doesn’t want human-shaped robots. He wants children eager to be with their Father. Therefore, he allows choice to enter the equation. What a huge decision on God’s part, knowing that his heart will be broken again and again so that we might freely choose him.