Abstract: This paper presents a systematic theodicy arguing that the existence of evil—spiritual, moral, and natural—is a logically necessary consequence of the divine decree of a perfectly good and omnipotent God to create beings in His image. Building upon a Reformed theological framework, it posits a universal principle of “creaturely inability,” wherein any free, self-reliant being that is not God will necessarily rebel if not upheld by a specific, electing grace. This necessary fall, in turn, provides the only possible context for God to display the full spectrum of His character, namely His perfect justice in judging evil and His profound love in redeeming from it. The paper will trace the origin of all forms of evil to this principle and demonstrate how this framework provides a robust resolution to the classical philosophical problems of evil and divine ethics.
1. Introduction: The Divine Dilemma and the Purpose of Creation
At the heart of Christian theology lies the tension between the absolute goodness of God and the pervasive reality of evil. Any robust theodicy must reconcile God’s perfect justice, which demands evil be punished, with His perfect love, which extends mercy (cf. Exodus 34:6-7). This paper argues that this tension is not a contradiction but the central dynamic of a divinely decreed plan. The ultimate purpose (telos) of creation is the complete self-glorification of the Triune God. This requires a context in which the full spectrum of His attributes can be revealed. We posit that such a context necessitates the existence of evil, which in turn necessitates the existence of grace, allowing God to be revealed as both a righteous Judge and a merciful Savior (Romans 3:25-26).
2. The Doctrine of Universal Creaturely Inability
The origin of evil is located not in God, but in the inherent nature of a created being. God created both angels and humanity in His image (imago Dei), endowing them with rational, moral, and self-reliant faculties (Genesis 1:26-27). However, this self-reliance, when possessed by a finite being, is the very mechanism of its necessary fall.
A created being’s “self” is an insufficient anchor for its existence. To rely on the self is to necessarily de-center the infinite Creator, which is the essence of rebellion. While Adam, before the fall, was in a state of being posse peccare, posse non peccare (able to sin, able not to sin), his finite nature made his rebellion a metaphysical certainty if left to his own resources. This principle of creaturely inability is universal. It explains the rebellion of some angels and the fall of humanity. Only a being who is both the imago Dei (the perfect Image) and Deus (God)—namely, Jesus Christ—could possess free will without the necessity of rebellion, being in a state of non posse peccare (not able to sin) due to the hypostatic union (Colossians 1:15, John 1:1).
3. The Consequences of the Fall: Moral and Natural Evil
The necessary rebellion of the imago Dei is the single source point for all forms of evil.
Creaturely Evil (Moral and Spiritual): This is the direct consequence of creaturely inability. The rebellion of non-elect angels and of humanity constitutes the moral and spiritual evil that pervades the cosmos.
Natural Evil: This is the indirect, yet necessary, consequence. God appointed Adam as the federal head of the physical creation (Genesis 1:28). Therefore, his state was covenantally linked to the state of his entire domain. When Adam, the steward, fell into moral evil, he necessarily brought the curse of futility and corruption upon the physical world. The Apostle Paul explicitly confirms this connection, stating that “the creation was subjected to futility” and now “groans” as a direct result of Adam’s sin, awaiting its own liberation (Romans 8:20-22).
4. The Necessary Solution: Election and Specific Redemption
If all created beings, when left to themselves, will necessarily rebel, then it logically follows that any communion with God must originate from a unilateral act of divine grace. This is the doctrine of election. For any creature (angelic or human) to be preserved in holiness or saved from sin, God must sovereignly choose to apply a specific grace.
This grace, however, is not applied uniformly. The nature of the being determines the nature of the solution.
For elect angels, who are spiritual beings, this grace is one of preservation, a direct spiritual act that upholds their will in holiness.
For elect humanity, who are physical beings (”flesh and blood”), grace required salvation. According to the biblical principle that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22, cf. Leviticus 17:11), a physical sacrifice was necessary. This necessitated the Incarnation, where the eternal Son took on human nature to act as the Kinsman-Redeemer. As stated in Hebrews 2:14-17, Christ took on flesh and blood specifically to save humanity, not angels.
5. The Unified Work of the Triune God
This entire plan is the unified work of the Triune God, with each Person acting in a distinct role. As outlined in Ephesians 1:3-14:
God the Father is the architect of the plan, whose role is primarily that of election (”he chose us in him before the foundation of the world”).
God the Son is the agent of the plan. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:16-17), the Redeemer of humanity, the Preserver of the elect angels, and the Universal Judge of all creation, to whom the Father has given all judgment (John 5:22).
God the Holy Spirit is the applier of the plan, who seals and sanctifies the elect, guaranteeing their inheritance.
6. Philosophical Implications: Resolving Classical Dilemmas
The coherence of this theological system provides robust answers to classical philosophical objections to theism.
Resolution of the Problem of Evil: The framework serves as a comprehensive theodicy. It answers the question of how an all-good, all-powerful God can coexist with evil by positing that evil is a logically necessary consequence of creating free, non-divine beings. God permits this necessary evil not out of weakness or malice, but for the greater purpose of displaying the full spectrum of His divine attributes. Evil becomes the necessary context for demonstrating His perfect justice in judgment and His profound grace in redemption, a self-glorification that would otherwise be impossible. In this view, evil does not challenge God’s nature; it serves as the stage for its ultimate revelation.
Resolution of the Euthyphro Dilemma: The dilemma asks whether something is good because God commands it (implying arbitrariness) or if God commands it because it is good (implying an external standard). This system resolves the dilemma by rejecting both horns. Goodness is neither arbitrary nor external; it is grounded in God’s own eternal and unchangeable nature. God’s character is the ultimate standard of goodness. Therefore, His commands are good because they are a perfect reflection of His own holy and righteous nature. The source of the command and the standard of goodness are one and the same, dissolving the paradox.
7. Conclusion: A Holistic Theodicy of Divine Glory
The framework presented offers a holistic theodicy wherein evil is not an unforeseen tragedy but a necessary component within God’s eternal decree. The creation of free beings with an inherent creaturely inability made the emergence of moral and natural evil a certainty. This necessary fall, in turn, created the necessary context for the application of necessary grace. This entire cosmic drama—creation, fall, redemption, and glorification—serves the ultimate purpose of allowing the perfectly good, just, and loving Triune God to display the full, multifaceted brilliance of His character. In this, the corruptible puts on incorruptibility (1 Corinthians 15:53), and God’s original decree to have communion with a holy people is gloriously fulfilled.