Why does God permit evil????

@Amperage,

Satan's Role in Suffering

Satan's Role in Suffering > Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Belief in Satan the devil as a literal being is not fashionable in many circles. Even in the United States, where belief in the devil is common, polls have shown that most Americans do not believe in Satan as a literal, living entity. Many conceive of the devil as merely symbolic of man's inhumanity to man or the embodiment of evil in general.

The Bible, however, presents Satan as a real being-a spirit presence possessing great power to do harm. Because so many reject the existence of an actual devil, he is an unrecognized cause of much suffering. Whether we realize it or not, his deception of humanity is the major cause of anguish and grief.

The extent of Satan's influence and power is clearly revealed in the Bible. Revelation 12:9 tells us he "deceives the whole world." John writes elsewhere that "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19). When Paul proclaims that "the god of this age" has blinded the minds of many so that they do not believe the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), he refers to the devil.

In the parable of the sower and the seed, Jesus tells us that as soon as many people hear God's Word explained to them "Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts" (Mark 4:15). This wicked being wants mankind blinded to the comfort, encouragement and deliverance of God's truth.

Through the spiritual blindness and ignorance Satan has foisted off on the world, he is the instigator of incalculable suffering. He has blinded humanity to the reason for our existence. He has deceived people into believing that his way-the way of selfishness and sin-is better than obedience to God's commands. Regrettably, humanity has fallen prey to Satan's ploys, not realizing the ultimate grief that sin brings.

Satan is called "the tempter" (Matthew 4:3). Throughout history he has succeeded in tempting people to indulge in an unlawful and immoral exercise of their physical appetites. He employed this strategy in the Garden of Eden, and his game has worked marvelously ever since. Everyone has suffered because of it.

Yet Satan's influence goes beyond mere deception. Paul refers to him as "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2)-apparently "broadcasting," as it were, wrong moods and attitudes to receptive human minds.

Jesus described the devil as "a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44). Satan's intent has always been to make human life miserable and ultimately destroy us (1 Peter 5:8). His very nature is destructive, and those who commit destructive acts unwittingly follow him. Revelation 9:11 labels Satan as "the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon." These two names mean "destruction" and "destroyer," respectively. In contrast to GOD

God, who is the creator, sustainer and giver of life, Satan is the ultimate destroyer and murderer.

Satan is the agitator of war and other conflicts. The book of Revelation depicts demonic spirits at the end of the age that "go out to the kings of the earth" to "gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Revelation 16:14).

Satan and his demons will instigate a time of distress that will be more terrible than any devastation human beings have ever experienced (Matthew 24:21-22).

We can see from these passages that Satan exerts a pervasive power over mankind. God, however, sets limits on Satan's power (Job 1:12; 2:6). God will not allow Satan to thwart His master plan for the salvation of humanity. God will never relinquish His ultimate control over mankind and the rest of His creation.

(To learn more about Satan's role in human affairs, be sure to read Is There Really a Devil?)

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@Alan McDougall,

Sorry for the double post, but I really wanted to separate them!!

I think perhaps we might have have created God in our image.

God is all powerful compared to us, but is not 'all powerful' in the way we think he is.

Would you have a child if you knew it would not be 'perfect' by your standards or would you choose not to have said child? If not for first humans, if you will, neither you nor I would even exist and would have no hope of Heaven. We exist, despite all the pain of this world, and can feel/love/etc because we were graced with existence.

If I had a time machine I might go back in my life and make better choices for me, but then the kids who came into existence because of me and my actions might not exist. Sure they have bad days where they cry, days which hurt them, but they have many more filled with joy, and more importantly they exist to have such feelings.

I brought my kids into this imperfect world knowing they would have some days they would suffer, some days where they ask 'why do I even exist?' and yet they have many more days where they hold their own kids, smile, laugh, and enjoy the fruits of this world. Smile

We were given life - what we do with it is up to us. And I can tell you as a father I KNEW my kids would make mistakes, would have pain. But I, like their mothers, brought them here anyway to an imperfect world.

I am glad God did not abort us and let us have this life, even though at times it is painful.

Sometimes we love our more naughty or rebellious children that we do the others, maybe because they are special and need special attention and love, the God of grace and mercy might do the same for us.

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@Alan McDougall,

Alan McDougall;101695 wrote:

Hi,

"I am aware that there have been previous threads along this line, but I wrongly posted it as a statement instead of a question"

Did God create evil as a way of realising goodness?? God is supreme and the ultimate in accountability for good and evil is his (The buck really really stops with him)

Why did God stand back and do nothing during the holocuast?

Why does God permit natural catastrophes like the tsunami that killed 250 thousand people recently?

Why does God create an entity like a virus that does nothing but kill its host?

Etc Etc

Does god come whipe your ass each day? ..no?

...does god teach you to whipe your own ass? ..no?

We can act and think for our selfs, if god should intervein for all disasters, he should do so for an eternity.
We are perfectly able to avoid disasters ourselfs, just need to get a bit better at it, that's why he gave us a brain which to think with.

He lets things happen for us to learn from, and get better beings.

..btw, sounds like you don't know much about Christianity, if you do ..then tell me who is "the son of the morning star"

1 Reply

@HexHammer,

HexHammer;137451 wrote:

Does god come whipe your ass each day? ..no?

...does god teach you to whipe your own ass? ..no?

We can act and think for our selfs, if god should intervein for all disasters, he should do so for an eternity.
We are perfectly able to avoid disasters ourselfs, just need to get a bit better at it, that's why he gave us a brain which to think with.

He lets things happen for us to learn from, and get better beings.

..btw, sounds like you don't know much about Christianity, if you do ..then tell me who is "the son of the morning star"

You have an unhealthy fixtation whith a persons rear end

1 Reply

@Alan McDougall,

Alan McDougall;137464 wrote:

You have an unhealthy fixtation whith a persons rear end

Just general words of wisdom in Denmark Razz

0 Replies

@Alan McDougall,

you have the wrong perception of God. Like most you think it is a person like us that acts and reacts to things. Think of it more like a medium that is existence itself and is separate from the causal universe but connects to all life from within each life form.

---------- Post added 03-10-2010 at 03:57 PM ----------

to answer the original question. god does not interact with this universe in a positive or negative way, for it would be simply become one of us.

1 Reply

@awareness,

awareness;138385 wrote:

you have the wrong perception of God. Like most you think it is a person like us that acts and reacts to things. Think of it more like a medium that is existence itself and is separate from the causal universe but connects to all life from within each life form.

---------- Post added 03-10-2010 at 03:57 PM ----------

to answer the original question. god does not interact with this universe in a positive or negative way, for it would be simply become one of us.

Hey thanks that was one of the very best descriptions of the infinite entity I have ever had the pleasure to read. In fact if you don't mind I am going to save into a word document

0 Replies

@Alan McDougall,

@ Alan McDougall

It seems you have no basic knowledge of "Son of the Morning Star", and if you do, you are nothing more than a group think person whom I can't help.

1 Reply

@HexHammer,

HexHammer;139032 wrote:

@ Alan McDougall

It seems you have no basic knowledge of "Son of the Morning Star", and if you do, you are nothing more than a group think person whom I can't help.

What the heck makes you thing I need your help? The morning star is used both as an a metaphor for Christ or Satan

0 Replies

@Alan McDougall,

In understanding the story about Satan with "psycology eyes" you'll understand the topic in itself.

0 Replies

Why does God permit evil????

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