By Alex Murashko

It’s a question that plagues much of mankind, often used as apparent logic to explain why someone would not believe in God.

Why does God allow evil?

I would encourage anyone having this question to keep seeking God for not only the answer to this question but any other questions you have about God and “the meaning of life.”

It is a legitimate, logical question, especially considering the current state of the world.

In recent history, America saw evil quite clearly on September 11, 2001. The horrific tragedy known as 9/11 began when 9 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners mid-flight while traveling from the northeastern U.S. to California. The horror was captured live by cameras on the scene for the rest of the world to see. I was in New York City with a small group from my church for a week during the first Christmas season after 9/11.

Our church from Murrieta, California was sending out small groups for week-long mission trips to New York nearly every week for several months after the tragedy. 

I’ll never forget my experience in and around Ground Zero. Our group would meet with other members of churches and ministry groups from around the United States every morning for briefings led by members of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. From the ashes of 9/11, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team ministry was developed to share Christ in the midst of crisis and disasters.

There were many Christian tracts being passed around NYC.

However, one tract stands out in my mind to this day. On the cover was a photo image of a plane crashing into one of the Twin Towers with a huge fiery explosion. The title of the tract: Why Does God Allow Evil?

To answer this question, let’s look at the answers from two reliable sources.

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

“When bad things happen in the world, God is often blamed. Understanding why He allows evil and suffering isn’t easy. Even Billy Graham couldn’t fully explain it. But we can find hope in God’s promise that one day, evil will end,” the BGEA states at the beginning of its answer to the question. 

God intended us to live in perfect harmony with Him. That means He created mankind to live without pain, suffering or evil. Not only does BGEA state, but the Bible, our number one fact checking resource confirms: “To maintain this way of life, God instructed the first man (Adam) to avoid doing one thing: eating fruit from a certain tree in the Garden of Eden where he lived.”

God warned Adam saying, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

But Adam and his wife, Eve, decided to disobey God and eat from the tree anyway. It’s this disobedience that caused sin and death to enter the world, and mankind to be separated from God. This is why we have evil today.

For the full answer from BGEA click here: Why Does God Allow Evil?

Jack Hibbs

“A lot of people say that ‘I can’t believe in God because there’s evil,’” Jack Hibbs, lead pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, says in his introduction to the topic in a “Why” message series episode, “Why Is There A Good and Evil?”

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing [good and evil]; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live!” (Deuteronomy 30:19)

“The God of the Bible says He wants you to choose a blessing and not a curse,” Hibbs said. “I can happily proclaim that God is good.”

Hibbs makes the valid argument that God did not encourage Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit, in fact, he told them “don’t touch that tree.” 

“The moment that option is introduced, the human will is tested,” Hibbs said. “Good and evil comes from the understanding that we practice choice. God has built into you and I a great level of sovereignty. It’s evident in the Garden of Eden. God didn’t make them do it. Satan did.”

He asks, “Where does the observance and the ability to criticize evil come from?”

Then, answers, “We have to have a standard by which evil is judged. If there were no ‘good’ then we wouldn’t be able to call out ‘evil.’ If there were no ‘good’ we wouldn’t be able to call out a ‘wrong.’”

Hibbs adds, “Good exists before ‘bad’ can be detected because ‘bad’ is a critique, it is an observance of something unacceptable to us. … It is based on the standard of ‘good.’ The Bible tells us that ‘good’ was in the beginning. God created everything good… Adam and Eve went from knowing ‘good’ to knowing ‘bad.’

“That reality is still true today.”

For the full answer from Jack Hibbs click here: Why is There a Good and Evil?

Alex Murashko is the founder and editor of Media on Mission, which highlights the work of media and journalists, working in all platforms, whose Editor in Chief is above all others. Murashko is blessed to be on the Thinke Writing Team.

Find him on various social media sites (@alexmurashko) including GETTR username @MediaOnMission