The Problem of Evil

Discussion Assignment Instructions

Post 2 replies of 200 words each to the student prompts.

Each reply must incorporate 2 scholarly citations in Turabian in-text parenthetical citation format. Acceptable sources include the Bible, textbooks, and scholarly sources published within the last five years.

 

Student 1 Erika

Erickson gave several themes on dealing with evil. Although they are all good ways in which to approach the problem of evil, “Evil in General as a Result of Sin in General” (Erickson, 2013, 397) is probably the most beneficial way to answer people who are critical of the Christian faith. According to this theme, the world was free from sin until Adam ate from the tree of knowledge (Genesis 3:6, NIV). God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with free reign, except for one tree (Genesis 2:16-17). God set the law for Adam, He has the authority to define what is good and evil (Platt, 2017, 4). God gave Adam the choice to be obedient to Him and live in God’s grace, or be disobedient and stand before God’s judgment (Platt, 2017,4). When Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge, he was disobedient to God’s law. This created the first sin, or disobedience from God, which allowed sin into the world. Humanity has a choice to either obey God or disobey God. When one obeys God, they live in righteousness with God. However, sin is a result of disobedience to God (Erickson, 2013, 399). Disobedience is caused by choosing to not do what is right but choosing to do what is wrong instead (James 4:17). It is borne from the heart and acted out on our flesh (Mark 7:21). This includes sexual immorality, selfishness, broken marriages, and abortion to name a few. As a result of this disobedience, sin causes death (Romans 6:23) and bondage (Romans 8:19-23). Humanity is born into a world of sin.

Although humanity is born into a sinful world as a consequence of Adam’s fall from grace, there is a solution. God sent Jesus to die for all of humanities sins (1 Peter 2:24, Romans 5:8). The Bible states that as long as one believes in Jesus they will have eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 6:23) and will become righteous with God again (2 Cor. 5:21). Humanity still has the choice to obey God’s Word or live in disobedience. When disobedience is observed, admitting it to God will ensure forgiveness and being saved from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Sin is all around and is waiting for humanity to disobey, yet choosing to obey God can conquer sin (Genesis 4:7). Having the free will to choose to obey God will ensure that humans are truly free from sin (Erickson, 2013, 399). God did not create sin, God set the authority for good/evil and allowed humans to make the choice to obey or disobey. I believe that it is easiest to present the “problem of evil”  when looking at the history of sin. Although many people may not understand the theological aspect of Adam and Eve’s fall, when presented simply as: Adam choose to disobey God therefore sin entered the world, many people can see how sin started. Giving them hope that through Jesus, our sins can be conquered and forgiven, is what many people need to hear. I have found so many people believe their sin is too bad for God to forgive them. Yet when I present them with people in the Bible who have similar sins, yet are forgiven, it opens a door for others to truly feel as if they too can be forgiven and accepted into God’s family.

 

Bibliography

• Millard J. Erickson, Christian TheologyLinks to an external site., 3rd (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013).
• David Platt, Counter Culture: Following Christ in and Anti-Christian Age, (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 201.

 

Student 2 Jeremy

As it relates to dealing with the problem of evil, especially its existence, we often are left with more questions than answers.  Erickson (2013, 394-402) offers up six themes for dealing with the problem of evil, but even with that many approaches to dealing with the problem of evil, there are still questions that are left unanswered. Simply put, there is no definite answer that our finite minds can produce. We, as God’s creations, are left merely speculating and guessing why evil exists in the world. Of the six themes, there is one that I found to be the best or most beneficial when explaining this topic. This theme is that evil exists in general as the result of sin in general (Erickson, 2013, 397). Essentially this means that evil exists due to the sin of man. Erickson attributes the curse placed on Adam and Eve after their initial sin as the reason for the natural sin that still plagues the earth today (2013, 398). Again, while this answer does leave room for rebuttal or maybe doubt, it is one that I believe to be supported and explained by Scripture.

As a result of the fall, or Adam and Eve’s partaking of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God put a curse on the serpent, Eve, and Adam (Genesis 3:14-19). After they ate the fruit, they were enlightened about what good and evil were, meaning that prior to that there was no evil within them. Their disobedience to God brought the knowledge of evil to mankind. This supports the idea that sin or disobedience to God, brought about evil in this world. Without knowledge of what evil was, it would have been seemingly impossible for mankind to sin. Paul seems to back up this notion in his letter to the churches in Rome in several instances. The first instance in his argument is that if it had not been for the law, he would not have known sin (Rom 7:7). This means that the law opened his eyes to the idea that if he disobeyed the law he would be in sin. This is similar to the case in the garden with Adam and Eve. They had one rule or law, in legalistic terms, and by breaking that law they now knew sin and understood evil. While Paul was talking about the Mosaic Laws, the concept still carries over to Adam and Eve’s sin. Paul, prior to this statement, also makes a profound statement about the origin of sin as it relates to Adam and Eve, or more specifically Adam. In Romans 5:12, Paul states “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (English Standard Version). Paul, a student of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), was well versed in the Torah and would have completely understood the idea that sin initiated with Adam’s disobedience and therefore cursed all mankind that came after him. In that knowledge and through his statement in Romans 5:12, Paul lays out a strong argument that evil exists due to sin.

Though this argument can leave many questions unanswered, I believe that the Scripture supports this theme well. Erickson does point out some of the arguments that are left unanswered or weakly answered, especially as it pertains to the sin of angels such as the devil (2013, 399). Though I believe that his answers are for the most part satisfactory. He leaves the argument that God has left all His creation with the ability to choose good or evil, and this very well could include the angels (2013, 399).