[Linsinbigler]

The following is a question I received in an online Q&A. The question was:

Why does God permit evil? It would be a much better world without it.

The answer that I gave was as follows:

Would the world really be better if there was not evil and yet no free will? In order to have good, one needs to will it. In order to have love, one needs to will it. We as human beings tend to appreciate having when we first have experience what it means to not have. When we adhere to our creator and cooperate with his divine grace as coworkers in his vineyard, we grow from being innocent infants to being spiritually mature. With us, to whom much is forgiven, they love much, and "to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little" (Luke 7.47). The book of Hebrews tells us quite clearly that "Now no chastening [discipline] seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Heb 12.11). Discipline is not just "punishment" done for something in the past, but rather training the child (even if he is an adult, he is a child of God) to walk in the right path and not stray into the way of his or her own destruction.
Would the world really be better if God took away free will, and in so doing, along with taking away all evil he also took away all love and all good? The one who suffers redemptively, is he not closer to God and to life eternal than the one who never suffers--the one who it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for such a person to enter the Kingdom of God? We know that physiologically those who are in a traumatic state near death are relieved of feeling their suffering through chemicals that we are designed to release when we are in trauma, so we cannot accuse God of wanting us to suffer--He has built it in physically so that we do not suffer beyond what we can bear. This of itself is a miraculous thing. Yet, as every parent knows, it is better for the child to suffer the rejection of punishment than to run out in the street without punishment and be killed. It is part of maturing. Likewise, God's naturally built in chastening is part of our opportunity to grow spiritually. Either we can rebel, or grow spiritually. He does not punish us to "satisfy His wrath," but rather, as Scripture tells us, chastens us as a parent does a child so that they are able to grow without being self-destructive. I thank the Lord every day for His chastening as a loving parent to keep me from being self-destructive, for delivering me from my own reasonings, and I hope that you come to as well.

[SeraphimH]

The evil permitted in the world also helps to foster repentance and long-suffering in the faithful.

If you treat every person who interacts with you like an angel sent by God to teach you something about Him, no matter how good or evil they may be, you become more like God yourself.

[Linsinbigler]

Originally Posted by SeraphimH

The evil permitted in the world also helps to foster repentance and long-suffering in the faithful.

If you treat every person who interacts with you like an angel sent by God to teach you something about Him, no matter how good or evil they may be, you become more like God yourself.

That's metanoia (repentence)--turning of the nous from one's own reasonings to that of the Lord, or rather, more accurately, allowing the Lord to turn the nous (deliver) from one's own reasoning unto His will! Long-suffering is indeed the fruit of the spiritual growth of the sinful child.

[Linsinbigler]

Originally Posted by SeraphimH

If you treat every person who interacts with you like an angel sent by God to teach you something about Him, no matter how good or evil they may be, you become more like God yourself.

For those of you who don't know, the Orthodox are big on praying what they believe, and believing what they pray. One of the morning prayers for Orthodox is as follows, and shows forth Seraphim's statement on this subject:

Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely on your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal your will to me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that your will governs everything.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, and
You, Yourself, pray in me.
AMEN.

[Mark]

These are great explanations. One could argue, however, that Christ was not capable of committing evil and yet He retained His free will... so how closely are they connected?

Originally Posted by Linsinbigler

For those of you who don't know, the Orthodox are big on praying what they believe, and believing what they pray. One of the morning prayers for Orthodox is as follows, and shows forth Seraphim's statement on this subject:

Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely on your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal your will to me.
Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that your will governs everything.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, and
You, Yourself, pray in me.
AMEN.

That's an awesome prayer!

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Linsinbigler

He has built it in physically so that we do not suffer beyond what we can bear.

I forget where it says this in scripture... however, I've often wondered about people who commit suicide? How is that act reconciled with scripture? Although suicide is probably more along the lines of "giving up". Is suicide really the "unforgivable sin" ?

*I don't mean to get off topic - these questions just came to mind as reading your post.

[Linsinbigler]

Originally Posted by Mark

These are great explanations. One could argue, however, that Christ was not capable of committing evil and yet He retained His free will... so how closely are they connected?

One could argue that, if said person believed that Christ was merely human. As for the argument of whether Christ was capable of committing sin, that is a different discussion. But even if one were to argue that he was incapable of committing sin, it is solely by His divine nature that He would be so, and thus is not applicable to us. It was of necessity that God the Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth: God became what we are so that we might become what He is.

[Linsinbigler]

Originally Posted by Mark

I forget where it says this in scripture... however, I've often wondered about people who commit suicide? How is that act reconciled with scripture? Although suicide is probably more along the lines of "giving up". Is suicide really the "unforgivable sin" ?

*I don't mean to get off topic - these questions just came to mind as reading your post.

We don't know whether the person jumping off a 30 story building begins to repent on the way down, or a person after he kicks away the chair and has no ability to reverse the situation has done so. If said person has no remorse, he or she dies having committed self-homicide (suicide). In each case only the Lord knows for sure.

[colin]

Why does God allow evil. Remember in the bible Jesus said to his disciples, you being EVIL give good gifts to you children. God gave us the word in a form a Law and examples of Law, so we know what is right or wrong in this world. Then we are able to deal with evil in court systems etc. There people can and are supposed to be reformed or at least have the fear of Law to prevent them from committing more evil. The evil spoken of in the bible is also spiritual. For every act of what we call sin , you can also do the same spiritually. One is sin against man and the other is sin against God and his people. So God has reform planes for that too and even a prison with spiritual bars to hold you. There is also the thing with wheat mixed in with the tared. With people , some evil is able to be repented of and some times God waits for that.

[Linsinbigler]

Per response on other thread but worth repeating here:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10.13).

Because He gives us a way to be able to escape, does not mean that we will take the way. God "make the way of escape" so that we "are able to bear it." We need to embrace that way.