I have a friend who is really struggling to make it in life currently. Depression, trauma and poverty have really taken its toll on him. He left me an angry voice mail the other day, angry with God and why he doesn’t deal with the evil in this world.
Why is there still evil is one of the biggest questions we face if we’re going to believe in and follow Jesus.
I tried to explain it in the simplest way possible. Here is what I said:
Sin and evil entered the world through us – the citizens of planet earth (see Genesis 3). God gave us free will as there is no other way to have love without this (see Galatians 5:13). Many people have not chosen to follow Jesus, so he’s giving as much opportunity as he can – he is patient with us (see 2 Peter 3:9) – letting people come to him. Again, free will.
Meanwhile, evil rages on. People, all of us, are fundamentally self-centered (see Romans 2:8). God allows the world to continue while he knows one day he will set all things right again (see Revelation 21:5). He is as the Great Parent, and as we who have been parents know, we see and know things our children do not (see 1 John 3:20).
So, I trust him and his Word (see John 17:17). I trust that he will bring his kingdom to this world, through is his Followers now (see Matthew 6:10) and eventually through Jesus in his return (see 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
I welcome your thoughts and comments on how this can be simplified or clarified. I’d love to help my friend see this clearly.
Richard Bahr 