convicted1
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What does this mean when one says God is not the Author of evil? Does this mean that evil is an eternal thing, always was, always has been? Where did evil come from, who created it?
oooooooh, oooooooh, ooooooh, I know. Lucifer......
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What does this mean when one says God is not the Author of evil? Does this mean that evil is an eternal thing, always was, always has been? Where did evil come from, who created it?
It looks to me folks are slinging around 'author of evil' yet no one is defining it. Repeating a term without denying it is useless rhetoric.
What is 'author of evil'? Seriously I think its an over-used term and not much thought is given to it except to be used in a pejorative sense. In this sense it is used toward those who believe the truth of Scripture, that is, that God knew all things prior to creation, and all evil that would come with it. And, that He permitted the evil, which in all actuality 'permitting' is effectual in its end result, or, permitting is still efficacious.
Now define 'author of evil'. Is it any of the following? Creator of evil? Knew all evil that would come and allowed it anyhow? Makes persons do evil? Uses evil subjects to accomplish evil tasks for Him? Uses man to accomplish evil tasks? Uses men to make certain another is slain?
The fact is God is Sovereign and Holy and He does some of the above things.
I'm certain some could rush off and define it ('author of evil') here in defense mode to prove they 'know what it means' (to them), but the definition won't retro back and fit into the context of how it is being used here in this thread, which is pejoratively against others.
God is the ultimate cause of all things, this includes sin.
It's not that hard to wrap one's brain around that fact. Once people let God be God and stop trying to "protect" Him by saying God could NEVER be the author of sin or evil, this makes whole lot more sense.
I personally believe that those who dispute that are disobediant and ignorant at best, and unbelievers at worst.
There are quite a few nice articles on this subject here: vincentcheung.com
God is the ultimate cause of all things, this includes sin.
It's not that hard to wrap one's brain around that fact. Once people let God be God and stop trying to "protect" Him by saying God could NEVER be the author of sin or evil, this makes whole lot more sense.
Agreed. God has set forth a plan which includes good and evil, thus, God is the Author of good and evil. This does not make God anything less than Perfect, Holy, Good, Loving and Merciful.
A paradox of sorts is set forth in the scripture from the beginning. Which is, God set Adam up to fail, thus, causing Adam's failure, however, Adam had a choice, thus, Adam is his own cause of failure. It is a paradox, yet it both are true.
Like Dustin said, let God be God and stop trying to "protect" His character. His character is PERFECT LOVE, even though His plan includes evil, for without evil, love cannot be truly and fully understood. Man must needs be to learn good and evil that he may express true love in his choices.
God protects His own reputation in His Word. We simply need to get in line and agree with Him. Sin was not the primary product of God's creation, but more of a by-product. God doesn't delight in the suffering and death that sin brought into the world, but sin had to come for God to create that which He did desire for man, which is the freedom to choose or reject God on their own. There is absolutely no other purpose for God to have allowed sin to enter the world.
Don't we sorta dance around a bit when we say words like "allowed" ? It is what it is, God designed a plan and that plan included evil. Doesn't make God evil in my eyes for I know the scriptures which declare God is pure good.
God protects His own reputation in His Word. We simply need to get in line and agree with Him. Sin was not the primary product of God's creation, but more of a by-product. God doesn't delight in the suffering and death that sin brought into the world, but sin had to come for God to create that which He did desire for man, which is the freedom to choose or reject God on their own. There is absolutely no other purpose for God to have allowed sin to enter the world.
God wants us to choose Him of our own free will, to obey and love Him. Calvinists go against the deep things of God in so many ways.
I really enjoy reading the truth that you have written in this thread.
God is the ultimate cause of all things, this includes sin.
It's not that hard to wrap one's brain around that fact. Once people let God be God and stop trying to "protect" Him by saying God could NEVER be the author of sin or evil, this makes whole lot more sense.
I personally believe that those who dispute that are disobediant and ignorant at best, and unbelievers at worst.
There are quite a few nice articles on this subject here: vincentcheung.com
Disagree then. Following your logic, there was no need for Him to die, other than 'just in case'.
There was no plan B. He died, or was slain knowing.
That you disagree with that and with me means nothing on this end. I couldn't care less.
God can make sin work to his purpose. But that does not make God the author of sin setting men up to fall because scriptures also say28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
Nor with in God is there sin. Therefore he cannot author it as in this verseWhen tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If God is the author of sin then how can we trust him in anything? Accordingly he might just be lieing to us about everyting and is not worthy of our trust not to mention our praise.
No matter how sovereign a God is if he is evil (in order to author evil) then my statement remains true.Your last statement shows how you are clueless in your understanding of the Sovereignty of God.
This statement shows how clueless you are about love.If you can't trust God, in that it is factual He allows sin, and that in permitting evil the same outcome is just as efficacious and effectual, then I cannot help you and your own struggle here to accept this will be your own journey.
The only reason anyone could say "even if he slay me" is the trust that God is good. If God authored evil God is not good. Judgement becomes irrelevant and sovereignty becomes for us slavery. God can know more about things than us but he can never be evil as you suppose.I see God in Scripture creating the world, permitting all evil, knowing all things at all times that will come to pass, and see Him even using secondary means and agents even to theslaying others, allowing of fortunes to be taken, even of livestock, lives, homes, and sicknesses being inflicted. Some can say as Job in all of this "Even if He slays me, I will trust Him" and as Moses, who saw both the goodness and severe judgment and Sovereignty of God says "I want to know more of You and Your ways" Exodus 33.
Because you call God evil. God is sovereign. God is judgement. God is also Love. Love demands freedom. Love demands sacrifice which Jesus willingly did. Sovereignty and Judgement do not require God's sacrifice. You leave out that aspect of God's characteristics.Others cannot say this. They are appalled at the Scriptures that show us these truths of God.
The first assumption is that because God foreknew mans choice does not mean God made it so man inevitably fell. Because God is eternal everything he does is eternal. Thus when Jesus Died he did so in eternity thus from the begining he was slain. To suggest God tempted man (setting him up to fall) is against James 1:13.
Yes knowing man would fall he purposed to save the summit of his creation. John 3:1611According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
which means the entrance of sin and mans redemption from it, was all part of His eternal purpose for the world.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
Purpose and will are two different thing. God did not will for man to fall or sin. God however is sovereign overall potentialities and eventualities. God is over sin and subjects sin. God purposed to save man and made manifiest both his devine love and power and sovereignty by the incarnation.Sin entering into the world by adam was not a deviation of Gods Eternal purpose but included within it and necessary to make manifest the wisdom of the eternal purpose..Eph 3:9-10
The assumption here is the last sentence. God eternally purposed for man to be redeemed and creation with it. The world wasn't created for it.10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Preview If the Lord Jesus christ in the Eternal Mind of God, was slain from or before the foundation of the world [ Rev 13:8], before the world was created and existed, then it serves to reason, that it [ the world] was created for His Eternal Purpose of redemption Eph 3:11
The first assumption is that because God foreknew mans choice does not mean God made it so man inevitably fell.
Hence, sin does not originate with God.