R.C. Sproul expounds on this dilemma here:
http://www.christianity.com/ligonier/?speaker=sproul1
My notes from the message:
1. What is evil? Evil isn’t. It is nothing (no-thing).
\t
\tIt is not an independent force out there plotting to get you. It’s not a substance, being, or status.
\tIt is an action of something that is a thing.
It’s understood 2 ways:
\t(1) by way of negation: It can only be seen against the backdrop of what is good.
\t\tUn-godliness, un-righteousness, in-justice, unholy. The opposite of the positive being \t\t\taffirmed. You can only understand it when you understand godliness, righteousness, etc.
\t(2) by privation (a lack or deficiency).
\t\tSomething necessary and essential being absent.
\t\tIe what is sin? Sin is a want of conformity to God’s law. Righteousness involves \t\t\t\tconforming; sin is a failure/a lack of conforming.
\t
\t(3) It is however very real and its impact is very devastating, not an illusion.
Evil has been called the Achilles heel of Christianity, the supreme point of vulnerability.
The existence of evil is very problematic for the existence of God. We claim God is omnipotent and good.
How does evil exist? Either He is not good or is not all-powerful.
What kind of being could observe the pain and wickedness of His creation and not eliminate it? He must not be good. On the other hand, He is good and loving and wants to get rid of the cancer, but is helpless too.
2. Where does evil come from?
I don’t know. Augustine couldn’t, Aquinas couldn’t, Edwards couldn’t.
A Theodicy is needed. (An intellectual reasoned defense of God for the problem of evil in the universe.)
Feel the weight of the problem. Think of your deepest pain you’ve felt. When you were misused, taken advantage of, humiliated. Think of starvation, murders, rapes. Think of Hurricane Katrinas and twin towers falling.
Look at Adam and Eve in the garden. Why did they sin?
Common answer is human free will is the source of evil, but this doesn’t solve the problem. Before a choice is made however, a moral inclination is present. James 1. Where does the evil inclination come from?
The inclination is already sin (see Sermon on the Mount).
Another one is the devil made me do it. But if it were real coercion, it would be excusable and would not put the person in danger of the judgment the bible makes clear is so very real.
Another is ignorance: the devil tricked Eve. But then she would be innocent because of invincible ignorance. But God gave her the command and she knew to not to eat it.
It’s an impossible possibility. It had to be possible because it happened. But we can’t find a reason for it to happen and yet it did.
1. Metaphysical evil (spiritual imperfection) gives rise to physical evil (Katrina, disease) and brings to pass moral evil. The world was created less than perfect (for it could not be God) and from this point of weakness evil arises.
God can’t create another God (perfection). By definition the second god would be a creation and not the Creator.
Meta gives rise to physical which breeds moral. This would alleviate guilt from sin however because it would be inescapable.
2. It is a sin to call good evil and a sin to call evil good. And that’s a sin we commit every day when we try to justify all the ways we sin and blow it.
Evil is not good, but it is good that there is evil otherwise it wouldn’t be in a universe created by a perfect God. Unless God has sovereign power over evil, He cannot fulfill the promise of Rom. 8:28.
And so while the Christian has difficulty explaining the problem of evil, the problem actually lies with the unbeliever:
For the question is not why is there evil (the absence of good) but why is there good?
Evil exists:
1. Because we are sinners in a fallen world. The question is why is there good. Doctrine of common grace.
2. To lead us to repentance (Luke 13:1-5) and grow/discipline us (Rom. 5, James 1, Ps. 119/Heb. 12)
3. To reveal the goodness/love of God. Joseph, Rom. 5:9, Day of Judgment (I don’t know the origin of evil, but I do know the future of it)
-Rom. 5:21-The true believer will not abuse such a revelation.
-Sometime we need to change our definition of good in order to fit God’s agenda:
-Look at the Cross: Is. 53:10, Rev. 13:8, Acts 4:28 cf. Acts 3:14-15,17
