Did god create evil?

[tsth]

This is from an old thread: I am posting it in response to the comment about Pharoah........Pharoah and his choice for evil was used as a tool in God's hand. God does not perform evil for the sake of evil, He does seemingly allow mankinds choice for evil, to be used as a tool to train up His own, and glorify His Name. We choose which vessel we will be in His Hand, by belief and obedience, or disbelief and rebellion, but either way we will be used by the Master.

tsth:

You are given the choice to be used of good or evil (that must be what the fruit of the tree in the garden afforded......the choice for "either" one) But either way, you will be a vessel in God's hand, much in the same way Pharoah was in shaping the Israelites and glorifying the Lord ultimately. The Lord bears our rebellion with great patience.........but.........only up to a point, then, we are given over completely.

I like what I think you are saying, that is the part about being a vessel in God's hand. But, who are we given over to? the law of sowing and reaping? God does say he is not mocked, that which you sow you will also reap.

I think more accurately put, the tree of knowledge of good and evil was just that! The tree provided a menu, so to speak, of good things and also of evil things. In essence it was a tree of choice. The Bible says that after Adam took a bite, "the eyes of them both were opened." That is when they were able to make a conscious decision to choose good or evil, life or death, love or hate, etc. Just as it is our choice today.

[godrulz]

Good and evil are not things, but wrong moral choices. Before God created other free will moral agents in the universe (with the potential vs certainty of evil), there was no evil. God was perfect in His holiness, and evil was only a possibility when other moral agents came into being (Lucifer= Satan; Adam= became a sinner).

[Guest mcm42]

irregardless of whether they are "things" or they are "moral choices" the existance of one, will hinge on the other.

God cannot choose evil. But that doesn't make it non-existant... rather God always knew of the potential of his creatures to choose something other than himself. Of course, their choice was never outside of God's soveriegnty. NO choice the angels or man makes is without God's permission and ultimate sovereignty.

That does not mean it is by act of direct cause, rather indirect Allowance. So the idea of evil, if no where else, has always existed inside the mind of the omniscient God, that is his knowledge of this potential.

SInce there was never a time that God didn't know something, then it stands to reason that God always knew of evil, and at least in that sense it was created. Therefore Evil has existed as long as God has known about it... Answer that how you will, anything short of forever, is blasphemous.

[Guest ChosenOne]

I did not read all of the replies but I would like to post this scripture in answer to this topic..........

Isaiah 45:7

I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, AND CREATE EVIL: I the Lord do all these things.

God bless.

ChosenOne

Cheri

[tsth]

Evil itself, serves a purpose. So in choosing, so do we.

Vessel for noble purposes?

2 Timothy 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

And then those who are used as a vessel in the Makers Hand for ignoble purpose:

Romans 9:22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,

this particular vessel referred to, was Pharaoh

Even in his rebellion and choice for evil, he was used in the Masters Hand, to serve a particular purpose.

In His Truth,

Suzanne

[tsth]

Psalm 90:15 Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil.

In His Love,

Suzanne

[tsth]

Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

KJV

We are given over to the one we choose to serve. Either way, God will be glorified, for He will even be able to take bad and use for good. There will be a purpose.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Edited March 14, 2004 by tsth

[tsth]

That passage is very intriguing, if you spend any time meditating upon it.

Here's another version:

NAS

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. (emphasis mine)

In His Love,

Suzanne