god and evil

[Gerioke]

Evil existed before the fall as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil existed before the fall.

My question is, since it was there before the fall and it will continue to be contained in hell for eternity, is it created or is it an eternal state like God's eternal existance?

I don't mean to sound contrary to my faith here but I am having a hard time comprehending this.

[M45510G1C]

Evil is not a thing that can be created. Like cold is the absence of heat, or darkness is the absence of light. These are not actual things, and the only way we can measure them is by the absence of something. The same goes for evil, evil is the absence of moral correctness.

[Gerioke]

Isn't moral correctness man made?

Does evil need to exist as long as God exists?

[nebula]

Evil is not a thing that can be created.  Like cold is the absence of heat, or darkness is the absence of light.  These are not actual things, and the only way we can measure them is by the absence of something.  The same goes for evil, evil is the absence of moral correctness.

Isn't moral correctness man made?

OK . . . how about evil is the absence of good?

[Gerioke]

So when the scriptures say that God cannot know evil it's because evil is the absense of God.

I get it

Thanx

[M45510G1C]

Isn't moral correctness man made?

Does evil need to exist as long as God exists?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, Yahweh defines moral correctness. It is an absolute, independent of any opinion or theory man may devise. If you prefer the term 'good' that would work as well, as long as it is understood that these are merely terms for a characteristic of Yahweh.

Again, evil does not exist per se, so asking if evil needs to exist in order for Yahweh to exist is a bit redundant. It is akin to asking if darkness needs to exist in order for light to exist.

Now, it could be argued, and I believe correctly, that there needs to be evil in order for man to begin to have an understanding of just what good is. If there were no darkness we would likely not have a very good, if any, concept of what light is. It would be unneccesary.

So when the scriptures say that God cannot know evil it's because evil is the absense of God.

Persactly.

[jc49]

Evil existed before the fall as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil existed before the fall.

My question is, since it was there before the fall and it will continue to be contained in hell for eternity, is it created or is it an eternal state like God's eternal existance?

I don't mean to sound contrary to my faith here but I am having a hard time comprehending this.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

GOD IS GOOD and PERFECT..He wouldn't create evil....the devil is the originator of evil from the time of his rebellion....I know that we are so limited in our understanding of supernatural things but the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures ascribes ALL GOOD to GOD,our Triune GOD,and ALL EVIL to satan...and his followers and Jesus calls satan THE FATHER OF LIES....and in fact the real power of the enemy is in THE LIE and THE LIES that he fabricates and spreads( in a quite efficient way I would say) in THE WORLD ( KOSMOS= actual evil sistem opposed to GOD and His Messiah and Kingdom)...insinuating DOUBTS about THE GOODNESS of GOD and THE VERACITY of the REVELATION in THE WORD of GOD.

Geri,you have touched a subject that problably will raise a ton of speculation/s,it has been like this since the beginning of time,but it will probably brings to confusion and despair of finding out a satisfactory answer,unless we TURN TO A DEEP STUDY of THE WORD, a there and only there we will find out that GOD IS GOOD and HIS GOODNESS ENDURES FOR EVER and that EVIL is the creature of satan,apollion,the destroyer but guess what? THE DESTROYER gets DESTROYED BY THE ALL TRIUMPHANT JESUS CHRIST

[book_wirm]

My original question was not seeking a definition of morality but a reason for evil.

If we witness and pray for the lost and our enemies, does this give God a legal right to make salvation a part of their destiny even though they reject it?

God being a just God has a perfect plan so that none will perish. Is this why it is so important for us to witness? Not so they might be saved but so they will be saved?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you really suggesting that all mankind...every human being will enter heaven and enjoy eternal life?

Or am I misunderstanding you?

In Christ,

Eric

[EricH]

God ordained all things that have come to pass (Is. 40:13-14). In His decrees God determined before the foundation of the world to bring about everything that happens. That is not to say God is the effective cause of all things. God ordains both in the efficacious sense and in the permissive sense. Thus God was not the effective cause of evil, but permitted it to come into the world according to His sovereignty and for His own glory. God also has ordained that certain actions on our part can have definite results and can change the course of events (prayer being an example). God continues to hold together all that he has made so that all things work together to achieve His purposes (Heb. 1:3).

[book_wirm]

Well, yes. The idea of universal salvation is quite offensive, in the sense that it is not in keeping with what the scriptures reveal. They are very clear that there will be those who do not enter into heaven. So even if I agreed with you that God wanted every human to be saved, I would have to disagree that it was possible for that to happen...or else the scriptures would be wrong in their predictions of the end.

In Christ,

Eric