Gospel Views

Did God Create Evil

     God created this world, and everything in this world. Yet many people refer to this world as an “evil world”. But did God create the evil, or is it a manifestation of our disobedience?
In looking at the subject of evil let’s start at the beginning!

Gen 1: 1-25
1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2) The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3) Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
4) And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6) Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
7) Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so.
8) And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9) Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.
10) And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11) Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.
12) And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
13) So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14) Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
15) and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
16) Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
17) God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,
18) and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
19) So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20) Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22) And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23) So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24) Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.
25) And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29) And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.
30) Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so.
31) Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

      So from the very beginning we do not see any signs of evil, but we do see that everything God created was good. So where did evil come from?
Let us go to Genesis 2:9 to see the first mention of the word “evil”.
9) And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

     The tree of Knowledge of good and evil, what can we gather from this statement.
Is evil a form of knowledge, and why would God, make this statement knowing what man would do?
     Let’s assume; or accept the fact that the tree of knowledge was put there as a test of obedience. Also it was God’s way of showing that we had the freedom to choose the direction we would go (free will).
Right from the start man failed the test, not only was there disobedience but also lying and deceit.
Throughout history man has continued this trend of disobedience to God, and with the disobedience man has also continued with the rest of the package of lying and deceit; But as creative as man can be, we added stealing, murder, and other evil acts to the package. Basically man has destroyed his relationship with God.

     God in his infamous wisdom knew where man was headed, but he already had a plan to give man a way to reestablish our relationship with him, and that plan was acceptance of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

     Unfortunately not everyone will accept, and some are mislead with false gospels. Evil will always run rampant in this world, and the only way to not get caught up in this is to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Question: Whom do you wish to serve- God or evil?
Joshua 24:15 - And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

We must not seek to be like the world:
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

     God welcomes you with open arms, and through an intimate relationship with God, through prayer, and the studying of His word; through your faith and trust in Him; through your desire to completely commit to Him, then will you choose God over evil.
Do not pretend to serve God, just for show, or any other foolish reason. You can not hide anything from God. He sees, and knows all. Be very real with God, and serve Him with all of your heart, and soul.

II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:22-24
22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Acts 3:19
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

II Timothy 3:16-17
16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Ephesians 4:23
23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Luke 9:23-25
23. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

So my final questions:
Will you choose God or Evil?
Will you choose this world and your own agenda, or God's will in you?
Will you repent of your evil self, or continue on the path of destruction?

To the question I asked in the beginning: Is evil a form of "Knowledge"? The answer is yes. But do you really want this kind of knowledge to destroy and separate you from God?