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The Problem of Evil: A Theological Resolution

The problem of evil has long challenged theologians, philosophers, and believers alike. How can an all-good, all-powerful God allow the existence of evil? Many answers have been proposed, but the Christian faith provides a framework that not only acknowledges the reality of evil but also gives it a purpose within God’s sovereign plan.




At the heart of this issue is the relationship between human freedom, divine justice, and ultimate redemption. The presence of evil serves a necessary role in the world as part of God’s overarching plan for moral freedom, redemption, and the revelation of His justice and mercy. In the end, evil is not simply tolerated; it is overcome, condemned, and encapsulated. The resolution to the problem of evil lies not in its elimination at the outset but in its eventual defeat and in the transformation of those who are willing to accept God’s mercy.


Let’s break it down with the following syllogism:


 Premise 1: God is all-good, and He allows evil because it is necessary for moral freedom and leads to the greater good of justice satisfied and redemption in Christ.


Premise 2: God is all-powerful, so He can bring about moral development through the existence of evil and the greater good of justice satisfied and redemption in Christ.


Conclusion: Therefore, the existence of evil is compatible with an all-good, all-powerful God, as it serves a greater purpose and preserves moral freedom.


Evil as a Temporary but Necessary Variable


Evil isn’t an anomaly in God’s plan; it’s a temporary but necessary variable. It allows for the exercise of moral freedom, where humans can freely choose between good and evil. Without the possibility of choosing evil, moral freedom would be meaningless. In the same way that a programmer conceives of the entire scope of an application before deploying it, God’s knowledge of all outcomes doesn’t rely on “looking down through time” but on His transcendence over it.


The programmer knows the outcome not because they observe the program running but because they designed it with every possibility accounted for. Similarly, God’s foreknowledge of who will accept His mercy is not a reactive observation but part of His sovereign plan. However, that plan could not reach its intended outcome—the redemption of humanity and the display of God’s ultimate justice—without the presence of evil.


In Christian theology, the presence of evil sets the stage for Christ’s redemptive work. It provides the context for the full expression of God’s justice (in judging sin) and His mercy (in offering salvation). As C.S. Lewis once said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” The existence of evil forces humanity to confront its need for something greater than itself—a need for God.


The Final Defeat of Evil


Yet the presence of evil is not permanent. Scripture teaches that evil will ultimately be overcome and condemned. In the final judgment, those who reject God’s mercy will be separated from the source of all good. This separation is not merely physical but spiritual and existential—a conscious, eternal awareness of what has been lost. As John 5:29 states, those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.


The eternal punishment is not a simple cessation of existence, but a state of being where those judged are aware of their separation from God. This knowledge becomes the ultimate punishment, as they fully grasp what it means to be cut off from the source of all goodness, truth, and beauty. There will be no death in the sense of annihilation, but a living awareness of the eternal consequences of their rejection of God’s mercy.


Evil itself will be encapsulated, stripped of its power, and confined. It will no longer hold sway over creation. Revelation 20:10 speaks of the defeat of the devil and his forces, who are “thrown into the lake of fire”—a symbolic representation of evil’s eternal containment. Evil will be overcome, condemned, and rendered powerless. It will exist in a state where it can no longer affect the new creation, allowing goodness to reign eternally.


Mercy and Judgment: God’s Sovereign Choice


At the heart of this ultimate solution is God’s sovereign role in judgment and mercy. As a sovereign ruler, God foreknows who will accept His mercy and who will reject it. But this foreknowledge doesn’t negate human freedom. Those who willingly respond to God’s grace are transformed by the Holy Spirit, overcoming their fallen nature and receiving new life as a gift to Christ. This transformation is wholly a work of God, not of human effort, though it respects human willingness.


Those who reject God’s mercy are not forced into separation—they have chosen it. The consequence of that choice is eternal separation from God, but even in this, God’s justice is served. Evil is encapsulated, confined, and stripped of power, while those who have aligned themselves with it are given over to the consequences of their rejection of the good.


Thus, the problem of evil is not an unsolvable dilemma but a temporary stage in the grand narrative of redemption. God’s omnibenevolence, omnipotence, and omnijustice are all upheld in the ultimate defeat of evil and the eternal triumph of good. Evil serves its temporary role in God’s plan but is ultimately overcome, allowing for the final victory of justice, love, and mercy.


Conclusion


The existence of evil, rather than disproving the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God, plays a crucial role in His divine plan. It serves as the backdrop against which God’s justice and mercy are displayed in their fullest. Those who accept His mercy are redeemed, while those who reject it face eternal separation from the source of all good. In the end, evil is overcome, encapsulated, and rendered powerless, allowing the fullness of God’s goodness to reign eternally. The problem of evil finds its ultimate solution in the wisdom, justice, and mercy of God, who works all things according to His good purposes.


If there is any part of you that has a doubt about your position against God, I hope you take this in the spirit it is intended. Repent and be saved.

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