Why all the evil? ............. Parables 398

November 30, 1993
Remember the question Gordon Sinclair often asked guests on Front Page Challenge: “If there is a good God, why does He allow so much evil in the world?”

Some viewers were annoyed with him, but this is a legitimate question. After all, the Bible says God is not only loving and merciful but all powerful. Since there is nothing impossible for Him, why do people suffer? Why do we have wars and accidents and illnesses? Why does He let criminals victimize innocent people? Doesn’t God care?

The guests on Front Page Challenge had various responses. One pastor even asked Mr. Sinclair another question: if God were not “good,” why do we call anything evil? In other words, the standard we have for goodness is based on God’s standards. He says love is good, kindness is good, justice is good, so we also call them good. Some might think human beings know goodness instinctively (God also gave us a conscience), but there are people-groups in the world who think it is “good” to betray someone or “good” to kill female children.

Certainly that pastor’s response argued for the existence of a good God, but it does not answer why He allows evil. A better answer might be a cartoon I saw somewhere. It pictured a man on his knees with hands stretched up toward the sky. He says, “Oh God, why do you allow so much evil in the world?”

The next frame shows the answer booming down from heaven: “I might ask you the same thing.”

Why insist the fault lies with God? He did give dominion of the earth to people and if people fail to choose goodness (even just the goodness they know), then people are responsible for the lack of good that exists.

That answer is difficult too. Most of us do not like the idea of being responsible for evil, particularly if there is any suggestion that as victims we brought it on ourselves. However, is that what the cartoon intends?

Try this; God has determined certain cause/effect relationships. Those who make poor choices find out they were poor by the results. For instance, His people were drifting into idol worship so He told them, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword” (Isaiah 1:19-20).

Clearly, there would be consequences for either choice. If the people obeyed God, their lives would go much easier than if they did not. He did not promise a rose garden but they could avoid certain thorns.

Think what life would be like if God didn’t permit those consequences. Can we even imagine such a world where people could do whatever they liked and no one would suffer? God would have to intervene in every detail to avert the suffering. For instance, if I didn’t feel like making supper, God must miraculously make it instead or my family would suffer. If a gangster felt like robbing a store, God would have to construct more money so the owners would not suffer any loss.

In that kind of world, where God undid bad, would anyone ever obey Him and do good? Would anyone ever be encouraged to make unselfish choices? Would anyone turn to Jesus for forgiveness and the power to defeat sin?

Perhaps our concept of a “good” God needs to allow Him the freedom of when to “fix” our mistakes. Otherwise, we might never quit making them, nor have the desire to repent so that He can change our lives.

Woe to those who call good evil and evil good............. Parables 351

January 5, 1993
 
Apparently there is a very unusual super-sniffer in Mexico who can detect illegal drugs even in passing cars. So far, he is directly responsible for 113 arrests. Authorities say he is never wrong!

This super-sniffer is a German Shepherd crossbreed. Obviously he is a threat to the profitable life style of illegal drug dealers. They have offered a $25,000 reward to anyone who will kill him.

We have heard that “crime pays” but putting a police dog on a HIT LIST gives a new twist to it. Imagine criminals putting up Wanted-Dead or Alive posters for the good guys; criminals paying criminals to put away law-enforcers. Such cooperation is what we normally expect from the good guys, not the crooks.

Speaking of the good guys, there is a contradictory twist in that camp too. More and more law-makers and law enforcers make news headlines for moving closer to the other side. These days, it is difficult to be certain who is on what side of the law.

Confusing good and bad is not a new thing. The ancient nation of Israel, even though they possessed the Law of God which was intended to help them govern their lives, became confused about good and bad. God said of them, “My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge” (Jeremiah 4:22).

In their early days as a nation, the Israelites were governed by kings like David, who was called “a man after God’s own heart” and his son Solomon, who asked God, “Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.” Both recognized their inability to judge and govern without God’s help.

Later on, during Jeremiah’s life time, both kings and citizens had turned from God to worship idols. In doing so, they earned the labels “foolish” and “silly children.”

One reason the Israelites were unable to do good was simply because they no longer knew what good meant. In departing from God, who is the source of goodness and all ethical standards, they also turned their backs on the very principles which would have guided them. Furthermore, they placed themselves in danger of divine judgment. God said to them, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil...”

The Word of God calls everyone, including Israel, to a true understanding of goodness, a goodness that can only be found in Him. Jesus said, “There is none good but God...”

Jesus offers hope to those who rely on Him and guidance for personal and national goodness. What a difference it would make if people would live by such commands as, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good... do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12).

Most people still long for goodness, yet we need to remember where it is found. If any person or nation abandons God and turns away from His Word, they can expect the only consequence possible--moral deterioration. Without God, evil prevails.

Unfortunately, those drug dealers may find and kill that super-sniffer dog, yet the Bible makes it clear that they (and anyone else who calls good evil and evil good) will eventually have to explain their lives to the Ultimate Judge. He has every right to try, convict, and condemn them--and He will do it according to His definition of good and evil.