Biblical Worldview - Part 10- Why Doesn’t God Just Remove All Evil?
By Ben Quine
****The way we act is shaped by the way we look at the world. Our lives are shaped by our basic assumptions and convictions. These Worldview Articles will explore what a “worldview” is. Each person has a worldview, whether they know it or not, and it determines every decision and choice a person makes. Do you have a Biblical Worldview or are factors other than the Bible informing your choices and decisions. In this series of articles, we will take an in-depth look at 7 Vital Worldview Questions, as the starting place for building a Biblical Worldview. (These articles are adapted from David Quine’s Answers for Difficult Days “Seven Vital Worldview Questions.” David is Ben’s father and the founder of Cornerstone Curriculum a Biblically based Homeschool Curriculum.)
In the last article, we saw that evil entered our world through the choice of Adam. Adam and Eve’s terrible disobedience brought with it devastating consequences for all mankind and the whole world. Their rebellion fundamentally altered the universe from the “very good” place God made it to be, into a place filled with suffering, pain, and death. We can still see those repercussions all around us today. In fact, evil is so prevalent, that it prompts many people to wonder about God’s stance on the sufferings of this world. It can be difficult to understand why a loving, all-powerful God doesn’t purge the earth of evil.
One of the questions that comes to our mind is, “since evil is still here, maybe God just simply isn’t able to stop it?”
“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)
God can do whatever He wants, nothing, and no one can stand in His way.
Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. (Psalm 115:3)
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (Psalm 135:6)
If God does not do something, it is because He does not want to do it.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Humans are limited by our knowledge, our understanding, our resources, and our strength.
But God is not limited like we are!
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.” (Revelation 19:6)
God is the ruling king of the universe. Then why doesn’t God destroy evil?
3 [S]coffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (II Peter 3:3-7)
God made the world by His word. Because of the evil on the earth at the time of Noah, He sent the flood by His word. And one day He will destroy the world and all evil on it by His word.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (II Peter 3:8-10)
God’s judgment is coming, but He is delaying it to give time for people to repent. His judgment might seem slow in coming, but it is coming. God’s patience, His long-suffering, and His mercy motivate Him to wait — He does not want anyone to perish.
11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:11-13)
We can be confident that God will destroy evil in His own time. Until that day, we must do good, obey Him, and tell everyone the Good News of the Gospel!
And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it (Luke 19:41)
[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Incredibly, God’s response to the evil and suffering of the world was to weep over it. He then laid down His own life and died for us.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (II Corinthians 5:21)
Instead of destroying all evil — instead of destroying you and me — Jesus took our sin on himself and allowed God to crush him. Only Christ’s death on the cross can spare us from the coming blow of judgment that will remove all evil from the earth.
How should we respond to suffering?
When Jesus encountered a man born blind, his disciples asked him whose sin was responsible for the man’s disability and suffering.
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3)
Suffering is not always the result of our sin, but it is always an opportunity to bring glory to God.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. (I Corinthians 11:27-32)
Paul also makes it clear that sometimes God does bring direct punishment or consequences on us for disobedience to His commands. This was the case for those believers who were weak, ill, or who had died because they brought judgment on themselves.
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-6)
God’s discipline is for our good, to help us mature and grow up well in our faith.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (I Peter 1:6-7)
Temptations, trials, and sufferings all work to bring us to maturity and completeness, which brings praise and honor to God.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (I Peter 5:10)
God wants us to have hope: our sufferings are only for a limited time, God will never forsake us, and He will bring us into His eternal glory!
Secular worldviews teach that the universe is just matter in motion, or that the gods are not all-good, or that the universe is a vast, impersonal, force that doesn’t care about our suffering.
But the Bible gives us hope — God understands and cares deeply about our trials, and He will never leave us abandoned.
Suffering is a vivid picture of the gravity of sin. If we don’t understand how serious sin is, we will never understand history, the world today, or the human condition. All Christians should work to alleviate the suffering of our neighbors by standing against sin. A great place to start is to take the Christians Engaged pledge to pray, vote, and engage!
Suffering reminds us that the world is broken, that we are limited, and that we must turn to God, relying on Him moment by moment.
Ben Quine is Vice President of Christians Engaged and is the Director of Curriculum Development and Strategic Ministry Partnerships.
Learn more about Ben on our website: christiansengaged.org/leadership
Find Ben’s corresponding “Answers for Difficult Days” books in our Christians Engaged Store