Various disasters and calamities that had hit us in recent memories have raised a serious question toward those of us who believe in God:
"Where is God? How can he let these kinds of things happen to us?"
Generally, this has been called "the problem of evil." Why "problem"? I think because it is perceived to be problem for Christians who believe in all powerful and all loving God. It is often formulated this way (in one way or another):
Premise I: If God were all-powerful, he would be able to prevent evil.
Premise II: If God were all-good, he would desire to prevent evil.
Conclusion: So, if God were both all-powerful and all-good, there would be no evil.
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Premise III: But there is evil.
Conclusion: Therefore, there is no all-powerful, all-good God.
This is a philosopher's way of formulating this problem, even though it is oft repeated by non-philosophers, with or without the intent to silence Christians. Alvin Platinga has demolished the problem as presented above just by using logic. Please consult his work to find out more. However, the real pain, suffering, and evil exists. One do not just go to a parent who just lost their young child in a senseless drunk driving episode by someone else then started reciting and debunking the logical argument presented above.
This is a serious issue, such that Mr. Frame labels as "perhaps the most serious and cogent objection to Christian theism."
Is There An Answer?
He said that if we are seeking to vindicate God's providence in every instance of evil, he cannot supply that, and doubt if anyone else can. Nor, can we supply a totally satisfying theoretical reconciliation between divine sovereignty, goodness, and evil.
However, Mr. Frame continues, if what we want is help to go on trusting God despite unexplained evil, that he can do. His focus in on what the Bible teaches concerning the problem of evil because "the Bible itself brings us as close to an answer as we are likely to get."
He started by listing the "answers" as presented by people from various philosophers and theologians that are either unbiblical or inadequate (presented briefly below):
1. The Unreality-of-Evil Defense: Evil is a lack of good being where good being ought to be. Remember the good to evil like heat to cold or light to dark illustrations? (Denying premise 3 above)
2. The Divine-Weakness Defense: God does not overcome all evil because he cannot do so--although he does do his best. (Denying premise 1 and 2 above)
3. The Best-Possible-World Defense: This world, for all its evils, is nonetheless the best world which God could have produced. Certain evils are logically necessary to achieve certain good ends.
4. The Free-Will Defense: Evil came about by the free choice of rational creatures. Since free choice was in no sense controlled or foreordained or caused by God, he cannot be held accountable for it.
5. The Character-Building Defense: Man was created in a state of moral immaturity. For man to come to full maturity, it was necessary for him to undergo various forms of pain and suffering.
6. The Stable-Environment Defense: A stable environment is necessary for human life. However, a stable environment opens up the possibility of evil. For example, the law of gravity will not be temporarily repealed to save me from falling down the stairs.
7. The Indirect-Cause Defense: This is commonly found in Reformed theology. The argument seems to be that since God is the indirect rather than the direct cause of evil, the bears no blame for it. For example, God is the ultimate cause of this blog post, but he is not its author, I am.
8. The ex Lex Defense: God is ex lex, "outside of the law." For example, he tells us not to kill, yet he retains for himself the right to take human life.
9. An ad Hominem Defense: Since a non-believer in God has no basis to distinguish good from evil (since God is the ultimate standard of good), he has no right even to raise the question of evil.
A Biblical Response
1. God is the Standard for His Actions
Mr. Frame continue to provide what the Scripture taught and according to him "it brings us as close to an answer as we are likely to get." Scripture never assumes that God owes us an explanation for what he does. See for example in the book of Job, towards the end, God turns the table to be the questioner, of no less than sixty questions in succession. Job never learns why he has had to endure suffering. To pick one example in New Testament is Paul's argument in the book of Romans chapter 3 and 9. He never answer why all the seemingly unjust things happens, he just said that God's sovereignty should never be questioned and that God is holy, just, and good.
This is not the same as saying that God is ex lex, that he is "outside of the law." God's righteousness is the standard for our righteousness. But as sovereign Lord, God may sometimes do things that our finite minds cannot comprehend.
2. Scripture Gives Us a New Historical Perspectives
Why are the biblical writers so sure of God's justice and goodness? They certainly were aware of the evil going around them. It is simply this: "Because God says so."
The Scripture also reveals how God reveals his justice and goodness throughout the history. Our considerations should cover the past, the present, and the future outlook as revealed by God in the Scripture.
a. The Past: The Wait and the Dialectic (of justice and mercy)
There were certainly a lot of waiting for people in the midst of sufferings. The waited for deliverance from God and for God to vindicate himself. When Jesus finally came, the wait is over.
How can we reconcile between the justice and goodness of God? The atonement did just that. In Christ, the just penalty for sin is paid once for all. In Christ, those who place their faith in Him receive lavish mercy beyond our imagination.
It is true that the atonement does not explain genocide or the suffering of little children. If God could reconcile his justice and mercy where it seems impossible, can we not trust in him to vindicate himself again?
God already solved the most difficult form of evil through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Does it not make sense to trust and obey him, even in the midst of suffering?
b. The Present: The Greater-Good Defense
God is even now using evil for his own good purposes. However, this has to be considered from the perspective of God (theocentric) rather and man (anthropocentric). God's ultimate purpose is to glorify himself, and man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Without this distinction, the greater-good defense cannot be distinguished from paganism hedonism.
Considering greater-good from the perspective of God does not require us to ignore the happiness of human beings. God cares for the greater-good for his whole creation. However, this is not universalism, the doctrine that all human beings will be saved. Scripture teaches that some will endure eternal punishment for their wickedness.
As we see evil being used for good again and again in Scripture (The story of Joseph comes to mind), can we not accept in faith that the evils that are yet unexplained have a purpose in the depths of God's mind?
c. The Future: Some Scripture Songs
We are still waiting for the final vindication of God's purposes, and indeed of God's justice, goodness, and power. He promised that he will vindicate himself and will erase all evils, pains, and sufferings. In the last day there will be no problem of evil. Whatever unanswered questions and or doubts remains at that time, we will completely happy and content to live with.
This, again, is the call to keep trusting and obeying God, despite all the wickedness in the world.
3. Scripture Gives Us a New Heart
Our hearts are warmed as we hear the gospel (Luke 1:16-17). There should not be even an ounce of pride in our own ability. We can only be thankful that God has been wonderfully merciful to us, despite our sin. There are evil in the world, God has taken care of forgiving the evil in out own hearts for the sake of Christ.
The closest we can get to providing the answer to the problem of evil is in the changed values and perspective as we look at the problem of evil because of the changed heart.
-o0o-
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