Creation of Evil

[gekko]

hey. im curious as to people's thoughts on this. and/or if they have any scripture to back their opinions.

where did evil come from?

did God create evil?

or did satan?

or what?

[hopedancer92]

um... i'm not entirely sure... but i think satan started evil.... at least he was ( i think) the first one to do evil in the eyes of the Lord... when he wanted to become better than God. i hope that helps... at least a little bit!

[Fool-4-Christ]

Everything that was created was directly or indirectly created by God. God created eveything. Does that mean he created evil? Not exactly. God created Lucifer. God created free choice. From those two creations of God, evil was emerged.

Your argument begs the question that evil is out of God's control because of "free will"

Then I pose this question Hr. Jr.:

Is God soverign? Is God all knowing? If this is the case then isn't it safe to say evil was ordained by God?

Here is a great article on this topic by John Piper: http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/...d_and_evil.html

[Leonard]

The problem is that in the Bible--just as in English today--we use the word two ways: We use it to denote wicked, immoral activity, and we use it to describe misfortune.

If some one is cheating his business partner, we say he is 'doing evil,' but also if some chap falls down and breaks his leg, we might say, 'what an evil fortune!'

Still, in neither event does the word denote a 'thing', but a CATEGORY into which we fit things for naming.

So I would say evil does not exist as a 'thing in itself' (ala' Berkeley), but is rather only a category. Some things are 'good' some things are 'evil', but evil itself is not a 'thing.'

[Floatingaxe]

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Wow! I was looking all over for that verse, and here you have posted it! Thanks!

Here is a paraphrased version for your interest:

I am God, the only God there is.

Besides me there are no real gods.

I'm the one who armed you for this work,

though you don't even know me,

So that everyone, from east to west, will know

that I have no god-rivals.

I am God, the only God there is.

I form light and create darkness,

I make harmonies and create discords.

I, God, do all these things.

Blessings!

[EricH]

God's control over evil is much different than HIs control over good. Goddness proceeds from God's character. God alone is good, so everything in creation that is Good eminates directly from Him. God controls evil as well, but it does not eminate from His character. Rather, God manipulates circumstances so that He can use evil and control it in such a way that His eternal purposes are always achieved. That is why He can promise us Romans 8:28

[hopedancer92]

to answer fools-4-christ.... yea i think its safe to say that ( :

Edited July 20, 2006 by hopedancer92

[Fool-4-Christ]

God is soverign, and God is omniscient. He knows evertyhing He chooses to know. God is also all Omnipotent. He has the power to know what He chooses to know and to not know what He chooses not to know. God created because He wanted a creation of beings that He could fellowship with and that would freely choose to love Him. I believe God chose not to see into the future and see what would happen in certain areas of His creation.

Your statement is very contridictory (Tell him Sylvan!!! - I'm sorry, I just really want to debate you... But I believe you are scared God might give you a heart of flesh and you will be converted??? - You are actually the main reason I'm still hanging out here... LOL!)

By saying that God is Omniscient and yet doesn't know everything is illogical. By very definiton of the word, your statement is wrong.

om

Edited July 21, 2006 by Fool-4-Christ

[Guest SheepDog]

Evil quite often is tied to the "evil one" (Satan) in Scripture.

1 John 2:14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1 John 3:12 not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother.

1John 5:18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him.

It is a contradiction to God's nature to be "evil"

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears open to their prayers. But the Lord's face is against those who do evil.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

2Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you and guard you from the evil.

[dakota190]

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things]. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

what bible are you quoting out of? the verse listed above in my nkjv, says,i form the light and create darkness, i make peace and create calamity; I the Lord do all these things. it does not say, evil in place of calamity. so please, fill me in, is this a bible quote or half a bible quote and the rest, your wording. your personal interpretation. i would like to read this myself.