God Vs. Evil

I was listening to a PBS production, known as Crash Course: Philosophy, and was dumbfounded at their ideas on to the existence of evil in the world. The specific topic was the existence of God, and it involved examining the possibilities through a philosophical framework. At first, I did not really care for the premise. However, the host assured the audience that he would be approaching the topic from the perspective of a theist, particularly that of a Jew, Christian, or Muslim. So, I listened. Before long, I was annoyed that some very basic concepts, which are clearly taught in the Bible in relation to God's nature and his existence, were left out.

The series failed to properly address how Jews and Christians deal with the reality that evil exists in the world. The host stated that God could not be ALL GOOD and ALL POWERFUL because if he were, he would not allow evil to exist in the world. He then questioned that God is ALL KNOWING. He stated that if God was all good, all knowing, and all powerful, he would stop all evil in the world. Thus, God is either not all good, or not all knowing. 

2 Peter 3:8-9 states, But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The above passage is referring to the coming of judgment day, but God is patient with our wickedness up until that day comes. This is where Crash Course: Philosophy failed to understand the existence of God in terms of a Judeo-Christian theology. There will be a day when evil will be punished, but that day has not yet come. 

In the Garden of Eden, mankind was told that they would die if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. After Adam and Eve ate its fruit, they did not die immediately. Their death was gradual (which was evident in God's warning in the original Hebrew text). Why would God allow evil to enter the world when he could have snuffed it out immediately? The answer is grace. God is full of grace. He forgives our sins and allows us a chance at repentance.

When studying the nature of God, the problem of evil, and various dilemmas that plague the philosophical world (in an effort to know God) do not follow humanity's flawed logic. God is not an equation. He is dynamic and living. He has personality. He wants a relationship with those he created. And His grace is overwhelming.

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