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Does God do evil? Today’s Bible study revolves around two related questions from listeners. The first is, “How would I answer an unbelieving neighbor who asked, ‘How does your God get all credit and none of the blame?'” And the second question is:
“Recently, my brother gave up his old life and rededicated his life to Christ. Since then, he has asked me some questions that have been very good but challenging questions. One of his questions was, “does God do evil?”. He brought up stories like the Egyptians dying in the Red Sea. Then I thought of stories like The Great Flood or when God commanded King Saul to kill all of the Amalekites. So I would like y’all’s take or opinion on the question of “does God do evil?”
In response to these questions about God and evil, Wes McAdams and Travis Pauley discuss passages like Isaiah 45:7, which says in the King James Version, “I form the light and create the darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” But rather than “evil,” the ESV translates the same word, “calamity.” Wes and Travis discuss the part God plays in calamity, suffering, and tragedy. Is God to blame for these things? How should we think of God’s role in the world, when these “evil” things happen?
Some of the Bible passages discussed in this conversation are:
- Isaiah 45:7
- James 1:17
- Romans 8:21
- 2 Peter 3:8-13
- James 1:2-4
- Romans 8:28
Links and Resources:
- Video: Watch This Episode on YouTube
- Full Transcript (Special Thanks to Beth Tabor)
