Question 19 – If God created the world, didn't he also create evil?
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Jesus Christ; Matthew 5:6)
Who created evil?
Some might think that if the thesis that God created everything holds true, then it is logical to assume that evil is also His creation, some might think. However, the problem arises in whether we can view evil in the same way as we view a tree, a gazelle, or a stone. In a previous question, I mentioned the idea that evil is a lack of good, just as darkness is merely the absence of light. Let me introduce another interesting analogy. What is a hole? Can it be created? I think not! While we can dig into the ground and make a hole, in its true sense, a hole does not exist. It is merely a human description of a reality where something (earth, wood, a plastic bag) is disrupted and where a part of the material is missing. Therefore, the concept of a hole only has significance in the context of other created things, without which it cannot exist. In other words, a hole is formed by the material that allows for its possibility. Thus, I believe that neither a hole nor evil is created directly. They are rather a consequence of the emergence of beings (humans and demons here) who bring these concepts to life through their behavior and characteristics. God did not create holes as such, but He created things that allow for the creation of a hole. Similarly, He did not create evil directly, but He created free beings who have the choice – to do good or evil.
Therefore – when discussing evil in relation to God – one can infer from the context that, in a certain sense, it is something He permits, and because of free will, temporarily tolerates. Yet, even in the Bible, we find numerous examples where God takes the initiative and "allows" evil to enter the lives of nations, families, or individuals. How should we respond to these divine interventions?
I would split the answer into two areas, each bringing light in its own way to this complex issue.
1) The Origin of Evil and Its Role in Human History
When we want to talk about evil, how it came into the world, why it's not suppressed by an omnipotent God, and how it will eventually end, we must go to its roots. I believe that these reflections will help us to understand and accept the reality that a loving and omnipotent God can exist, despite all the evil surrounding us.
The whole story of evil begins well before the first man was created. God created spiritual beings, called angels, before us. One of the highest and most splendid of them was Lucifer (literally "light bearer"). Originally, he was a beautiful and intelligent being, serving God alongside others. We do not know exactly what happened back then. Perhaps his position and stature made him lose focus on God and become self-centered. He ceased to be content with his position before God and wanted more power.
I believe that there was no objective reason for this! A rebellion began, into which Satan (literally "adversary" – formerly Lucifer) drew many other angels who joined his side. For a harmonious relationship, trust and freedom must exist. However, Satan disrupted that trust and possibly planted a seed of doubt about God's nature. Since Jesus himself called Satan the father of lies, it's conceivable that lies and deceit played a role in this rebellion. Ultimately, God expelled Satan and many other angels from His presence. Since then, they are called "fallen angels = demons," playing a significant role in our history.
This raises a simple question: why didn't God intervene at the beginning? Why didn't He just eliminate Satan? After all, if he couldn't play his role as humanity's tempter, no further evil could arise. Billions of people wouldn't have to suffer! The second of these questions has been addressed several times before (see the discourse on free will). The first question is somewhat more intricate. I'll illustrate it with an example from Dr. Gerhard Padderatz's book God on Trial:
"To understand Satan's tactics, we need to address one more question: How can we rid the world of lies and half-truths? Allow me an absurd example: Suppose I visited your friends in your city, who know you, and started spreading rumors and lies about you. It would undoubtedly upset you. And suppose further that you sought revenge and had me eliminated. What would these people then think about you and what I told them?" If your friends know you, they have no reason to doubt you and believe these lies. But if you retaliate in such a harsh manner, they might say, "Well, maybe there's some truth to it." This would lend credibility to even the most unfounded lies. Lies cannot be disproven simply by eliminating the liar!
The author continues:
"To comprehend God's reaction to Satan's rebellion, we need to consider another aspect. How would the loyal angels and all those intelligent beings perceive it if God had immediately destroyed Satan for his revolution? Imagine yourself in that situation. Wouldn't God seem like a murderer? Angels would not understand His actions, much like in the example with your friends. What might happen next? Probably no one would dare to even slightly disagree with God anymore. Every being would be scared of God... We see this clearly in child-rearing. Obedience compelled by the threat of violence breeds dissatisfaction, humiliation, and new rebellion... In relation to God and the entire universe, it means that had God immediately destroyed Lucifer, other beings would serve Him out of fear, not love." [21]
Removing the origin of evil immediately would make free beings feel oppressed, as in dictatorial regimes. But how to resolve this? How best to show that Satan's (or anyone else's) claims are false? Gerhard Padderatz suggests and elaborates on an intriguing thought – a public trial, the final judgment the Bible speaks of. At this trial, all the facts and motives of all involved will be revealed. Of course, before any trial, evidence must be gathered; otherwise, it would be a case of the word of one against the word of another. Therefore, God gave Satan an open opportunity to present his accusations against Him and then let his actions demonstrate to all what his true character and intentions are.
Jesus said that everything will eventually be revealed, and nothing will remain hidden. Hence, I believe that at the judgment, every created being (human, angel) will see and understand all the necessary details to form an opinion about who is truthful and what the true character of both God and Satan is. God will prove to all that He acted fairly and justly, and the accusations of Satan and many other people will be refuted. From this perspective, it implies that Satan and humans must have the space to carry out their evil intentions. Perhaps all this evil must transpire so that everyone will, in the end, recognize the path of rebellion against the Creator God. Everyone will understand whether God truly is merciful and just and deserves our trust and obedience.
In addition, this thesis also answers the question as to how God will ensure that there will be no further rebellion in the new earth after the final judgment. The entire conflict will not be repeated. If all beings understand the true character of God and where the rebellion against Him leads and what it brings, no one will have a reason not to trust and love Him.
2) Divinely Intended "Evil"
"I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things." (Isaiah 45:7)
The above statement might seem to contradict everything we've discussed so far. However, it's essential not only to read it in the context of other passages but also in the context of the entire Bible. I shall attempt to explain my understanding of God's role in the statement "create evil" in the following points:
God, the Creator of the Universe
Yes, as we have already mentioned, God is the sovereign Lord of the universe, without whose permission not a single hair falls from anyone's head. In this sense, He is the one who "creates" (in the sense of allowing the emergence of) evil. I understand it this way: if I decide to kill someone (say, using a gun), it is God who allows all of this. He is the one without whom not even a single atom of my body would hold together. He is the one who created the physical conditions for the bullet to leave the barrel and gain sufficient speed to be lethal. He is the one who created our bodies in such a way that if a bullet hits it, it will penetrate and, after hitting vital organs, cease to function. Thus, He is, in my understanding, the one who creates this evil. Rather, He allows space for my free will to act in this manner.
God, the Creator of Consequences and Spiritual Laws
God is not only the author of physical, chemical, biological, and other laws, but also the creator of "spiritual" laws and principles:
"Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it." (Proverbs 11:27)
"Disaster pursues sinners, but the righteous are rewarded with good." (Proverbs 13:21)
"For whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7–8)
We could continue with such similar statements. Sometimes, they can be perceived as observations of reality. However, in my opinion, God is the one who established these principles. In Old Testament times, before Jesus had come, God established the well-known principle of "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." In this sense, someone might say that God is the one who orders "harm" to be done to another in cases of retaliation – that is, evil. And in this sense, His statement "create evil" might be understood too. Yet, it is more of an equation: ACTION = REQUIRED REACTION/CONSEQUENCE. If we accuse God of deliberately causing evil things to happen to those who violate the laws He set, we might find ourselves blaming Him for allowing a stove to be hot and for someone to get burned. If you touch a hot stove, you will inevitably suffer a consequence – a burn. Similarly, transgress God's set principles? Expect a "burn" in the spiritual sense. If you're cruel to others, don't expect love in return. If you harm others, expect harm to come your way. If you murder, expect a potential execution. If you cheat on your spouse, expect unrest, guilt, and dissatisfaction in your personal life. God is the one who permits these consequences and perhaps even deliberately brings them upon those who act contrary to His will and love.
God, Judge, and the Ultimate Authority
This point is perhaps the most critical for understanding the meaning behind "I create evil." As I understand it, God intentionally brings about "evil" in the form of His partial judgments. The Bible, particularly the Old Testament, is full of examples where God, due to an individual's (or a nation's) rebellion, casts His judgment upon them. This judgment took various forms—from causing troubles to even death.
But wait! "How does this align with a loving God?" some may ask. These examples reveal that God is not only a friend and a loving Father to humanity but also the sovereign Lord of the universe, holding absolute and ultimate authority over the life of every creature in the universe! He exercised this authority during the great flood, due to extreme corruption, eradicating almost all of creation. Humankind had "broken free of its chains," and all of humanity was perverse and wicked. Some may not like it, but God is the one who gave life. He is also the only one who can take life away. And in this particular case, He chose to stop evil to prevent it from spreading further. If I were to take someone's life, I would be taking something that does not belong to me, something I cannot even begin to comprehend, let alone create. But if God takes life, He has the right to do so. He is the one who gave it and sustains it; hence, He has the right to intervene.
Another example is God's reaction to the rebellion of His chosen nation:
"And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, 'Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?' And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods." (Deuteronomy 31:16–18)
In this case, God's role as creator of evil might lie in His ceasing to protect and care for His people. After all, they evidently did not want this, as they turned to other deities and idols, ignoring the living God. As a result, they became targets of the cruel nations surrounding them and which almost wiped them out.
To comprehend such a harsh reaction, it is necessary to understand the context, which shows that God desired to bless His people, love them, and show them many benefits—peace and prosperity. All of this was within Israel's reach—provided they remained faithful to God. God warned them emphatically: if they abandoned Him and cut themselves off from Him, the source of life, many evils would befall them, and they would be cursed instead of blessed.
If you are among those who refuse to even contemplate the possibility that a loving God might intervene in this way (taking someone's life), here is an additional reflection for you, which underscores God's sovereignty and His claim over our lives. It is the final judgment. You see, everyone who has ever walked this Earth will face a judgment where they will give account for their lives. Those who have rejected God, never sought Him, and wanted nothing to do with Him (or did not love the truth) will be destroyed and cast out of God's presence—meaning they will lose their life. If God intervenes earlier by taking someone's life prematurely, He is simply enacting this judgment earlier on that particular individual.
So, when God declares that He creates evil, I believe that even His premature judgment could be a possible interpretation of this statement. Nonetheless, for Israel (and I believe not only for them), the following holds true:
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11–13)
Natural Disasters
If we move beyond the specific biblical examples, we could mention natural disasters that seem to occur randomly (at least at first glance) without any direct human involvement. I used the phrase "at first glance" because I am convinced of humanity's significant role in today's frequency and intensity of natural disasters. It is humanity that excessively pollutes the planet, depletes limited resources, destroys fragile ecosystems, and exterminates species. All this cannot remain without consequences, and thus much of the disastrous outcomes can be attributed directly to greedy humanity.
However, there is, of course, a category of misfortunes and disasters attributable to divine action or allowance. Why does He allow them? It's hard to say. Perhaps because He wants to halt us on our wicked path. Something must shake us to make us stop thinking we are masters of the universe. Something must show us how small and powerless we truly are. I believe this "stop function," as mentioned in previous discussions, is not some malicious divine act but an attempt to turn us away from a path leading to destruction—a destruction without God, who alone is the source of fulfillment, love, and life. Alternatively, the answer may simply lie in the fact that we live in a broken world heading towards its end, and the growing number of disasters merely indicates that this world will soon end and that we need to look forward and seek a new world.
Based on the brief comments above, I believe that God does not create evil in the sense of sin—something wrong, perverse, malevolent, and unjust. Yet, if He is somehow involved with evil, it can be understood in the following manner:
The Creator of the universe and the natural laws He has put in place allow the possibility for free actions by beings that can be evil.
He establishes laws and spiritual principles that inevitably bring retribution for actions contrary to these laws or principles.
The Creator of the universe is also the supreme judge, who has the right to intervene at His discretion where and when He decides.
The STOP function, or an unpleasant way of halting us, to prevent a worse fate than the halt itself.
From what has been stated above—and certainly, others would find additional reasons—we can state that the reputation of the living God as a loving being is not significantly threatened. We can also affirm that while we cannot answer all questions regarding the existence of evil, satisfactory answers do exist.
Summation
God created all living and non-living things. Yet, for free interaction to exist among living beings, He had to take a risk and create the possibility for behavior that is undesirable from His perspective. However, since the whole world is a great corrupted battleground, He sometimes uses "evil" to achieve His purposes. Still, God's intentions for humanity are about peace, not about malevolent and sadistic punishment.