If God is so good, why is there evil?

By Carole

This is a real question in the midst of the human struggle. I think as Christians, we sometimes feel embarrassed to admit that we ask questions like this. It’s easy to live intellectually satisfied by the knowledge that God is good, and yet experience some emotional uncertainty when something tragic happens, like a family member dies. I admit I’ve questioned God’s intentions at much less than the death of a family member. Sadly, it is the problem of evil and suffering that causes many to walk away from God. The argument from a non-christian goes something like this (paraphrased from the book God’s Problem, by Bart Ehrman, who himself left Christ because of the problem of evil):

If God is sovereign, this means he is in complete control. If God is good, that means he does not cause evil. A good and sovereign being cannot exist if there is evil in the world. There is evil in the world, so either God is not sovereign, God is not good, or God does not exist.

Here’s the problem with Ehrman’s argument. It’s not just that there is evil in the world, there is evil in me. If God deals with the evil in the world, the way Bart Ehrman wants- get rid of it, destroy it- He would have to destroy every person. He would have to destroy me and you, for the evil in us. The fact that God allows the evil in the world is to give us time to repent and turn to Him so He can cleanse us, before He ultimately judges the world.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)