If the Word is God, and God created the world and all that is in it, from whence comes evil? Did the Word / God create the evil we see in this world? No, he did not. Paul says that sin or evil entered into the world through man (Romans 5:12) and through sin came death, which was passed on to all mankind. In the second part of his prologue, John tells us that within the Word was life and this life was man’s light. That is the Word was the Light of the world. Notice the Scripture:
John 1:4-5 KJV In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Man sinned and separated himself from God—his life source—but God did not leave mankind without a witness of himself. From the beginning men knew God (Romans 1:19-20), but we didn’t desire to have the witness of God in our knowledge, so our foolish hearts became darkened (Romans 1:21-22, 28). Yet, even so, the Light shinned in this world through the things the Word / God had made (Romans 1:20). He called out men such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be the witnesses of Light to the world. He gave mankind the light of his spoken word through Moses and later to the prophets (Hebrews 1:1), and the Light of the Word / God shone in the darkness of men’s hearts, but we were no longer able to comprehend the Light of God.
What happened that man could no longer perceive the truth about God? What did we do that left us in a state in which we were no longer able to recognize the true God? Paul said that we changed the truth about God as defined in the image of himself that he gave us in Genesis 1 and 2, and we defined God in the image of a corruptible form of creation—whether of men, beasts or other created matter (Romans 1:23). Although the truth of God is indeed understood in his creation, this does not necessarily mean he is understood in the physical shape his creation manifests. His power is understood in the raw power of nature. His mind is understood in the reasoning power of mankind in that God’s mind is logical. The things he creates have a perceived end and can be understood through reason. That is, the world he has created is governed by laws and not according to irrational happenstance. Yet, it is to this opposing end that man’s thinking brought him, as he sought to understand God and the world without accepting the truth of God as his foundation.
Polytheism is a worldview that is diametrically opposed to the Jewish monotheistic worldview (which was light given to man from Sinai). Polytheism understands our existence as the result of many forces (gods) colliding with each other and the result is the world in which we live. They believed that this world was, in fact, not the real world but the result of emanations from the gods. Man, rather than being apex of God’s creation as revealed in the Law of Moses, was relegated to something no better than animal or vegetable life. According to the polytheistic worldview, man exists solely to provide for food, comforts and desires of the gods. According to polytheism we are not real, but a reflection of what is truly real in an unseen world of invisible matter. Is it any wonder, given this worldview, that we are unable to recognize what is really true?
Within the Word was Life and this Life was man’s Light, i.e. our hope of understanding Truth, but, though the Light shone upon the darkness of men’s understanding, we couldn’t comprehend God rightly. Jesus once told his disciples that, if a man’s eye (i.e. means of understanding) is evil (defective), the whole body would be full of darkness, and if the light that is within man is really darkness (cp. the polytheistic worldview), how great that darkness would be (Matthew 6:23)!
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10 responses to “If One’s Light is Darkness…”
Hi Donald, I hope to respond tomorrow and when I do I will delete this comment of mine. I just wanted to let you know that I read what you said and found your attitude about as refreshing as anything can be. You have an excellent relationship with the Lord and I wouldn’t think of seeking to change that. I do believe God wishes his children to discuss his word and this will cause the iron sharpening iron thing we read in the Scriptures. So, we both will come away changed in some way, but not in our relationship with the Lord. You couldn’t be better in that if you tried. The Spirit of God who is in you is very evident to me. [by the way–thank you for what you said on the other blog this evening, but I intend to just let him rant and rave if that’s what makes him happy (or her, I never thought it might be a her :-). Most folks who do that sort of thing get tired after awhile. I pray the Lord will open his/her eyes to what is happening. In any event, thank you for what you did, but I think it is best if we just let him / her get all the anger out. Maybe then s/he may find something good to say from the heart–now that would be nice, don’t you think?]
Hey you have a good evening. I’m not feeling well so I’m off to bed. It’s already past the time I usually like to retire, but “Tombstone” was on, and that is just about my favorite Wyatt Earp movie. Lord bless. Eddie
Eddie,
“I’m your huckleberry.”
Donald
Good Morning Donald,
I use the term “spiritual evil” to account for immorality or unethical behavior. There is a difference between it and what might be termed “natural evil” such as earthquakes, tornadoes, or even the hunt of a wild animal for its prey. This sort of evil is not immoral. It is indiscriminant and often doesn’t even have a mind or a purpose behind its destructive outcome. On the other hand there is such a thing as “spiritual evil” as testified in Ephesians 6:12, there called “spiritual wickedness in the KJV. Its evil is purposeful, directed specifically at the innocent or at least the general unsuspecting populace, and its end is to profit in some manner on what is not its own.
God allows for chance in the world he created. He does not purposely direct every leaf that falls from a tree or every rain storm that occurs. Things are set in order and governed by the laws he has put in force—natural and spiritual. Oftentimes, things will occur for no apparent reason, an accident, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time etc. The Scriptures point to this in Ecclesiastes 9:11. Although many things occur in the manner in which we would expect—the better team wins, the weather man is correct :-) – sometimes this is not the case. The unforeseen accident occurs—chance, the flip of the coin etc.—and what was not supposed to happen does occur. This is not directed by God, necessarily, but he takes responsibility for it all, because ultimately he is the Creator and the buck stops with him. There is spiritual evil and there is natural evil. Both are not immoral and all is not necessarily directed by God.
Concerning Isaiah 45:7, I don’t believe the context supports God creating moral evil. He begins with two opposites: light and darkness. The next pair should be opposite as well meaning peace and evil (war or unrest). The meaning seems to be that God will give one wisdom or create confusion, give one contentment or create unrest—and the degree of it all depends upon those being judged by God. He contends with those who oppose him in verse-9. If he created the opposition, why would he contend with it? That wouldn’t make sense.
Concerning Lucifer, we have both been told many things which seem to indicated there is a demon behind every tree etc. I don’t like to give credit to spirit beings for my own evil or the evil of others. God takes full responsibility for all that goes on in this world whether on purpose or by accident. I take full responsibility for my own evil, and confess it to God as MY evil. The text says that sin entered our world not through a spirit being but through Adam. He, no one else is the author of sin, and through sin, death entered our race—so says Romans 5. When God created everything, he looked back upon it all and said it was very good. In other words, evil—moral evil—entered later and that by man.
Now this is what I will admit. God could not create within us the ability to love, if he didn’t also create the possibility of hate. He couldn’t create in us the ability to obey, if he didn’t also create the possibility of rebellion. However, just because he created the possible alternatives does not mean that he creates evil men—i.e. creates men to do evil. His Sovereignty doesn’t work that way. When I speak of God’s Sovereignty, I mean that nothing—purposeful or unexpected (chance happening)—could thwart his will. In other words, God doesn’t have to control every act in order to be in full control of the outcome. His plan or will shall be done—no matter what—because he is willing to pay the price to make it happen, viz. Jesus.
Concerning evil in God, I agree that sometimes, as you point out, it may appear to us that God is evil or practices evil, but that this is merely because we don’t have the full picture. This is really evident in the fact that he shows himself to be the judge of mankind. He knows all, but all is not recorded for our personal information. He may bring one nation against another in order to judge the one by the other, and then judge the rod of his anger, because that nation over did it during the process of making war against its enemy. Some things make sense to us, but not all. We need to simply trust that in the end God knows what he is doing.
I agree with you that God has created all—some for grace and some for judgment—just as you conclude in #7. However, by this I do not conclude that God creates men evil. Evil does not fulfill the purpose of God (cp. Romans 8:8). If evil cannot fulfill the will of God, then God, who does everything on purpose, does not create evil in men. Evil is something man has brought into his own world and through it death, as the Scripture says (Romans 5:12). God certainly does whatever he pleases, but he doesn’t desire to do evil (Psalm 115:3).
I try not to label anyone. The fact is: I haven’t investigated what many labels mean—hyper Calvinist and TULIP are among the labels that have no meaning for me. I see you as working out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). You are not afraid to be wrong, because any mistake you make will be an honest one, and you trust you are in the arms of God, who will protect you from going too far. That is a working faith, my friend, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Concerning “arguing”, discussion, debate, argument—I don’t see a whole lot of difference here. I believe the intent is what matters. I see Christians seeking to grow in the word of God as building up a stronghold in Christ that cannot be penetrated by falsehoods or fakery. In order to do this we need to tear down every vain thought that exalts itself above God (cp. 2Corinthians 10:5). I have heard it called: “eating the chicken and spitting out the bones.” Not a bad analogy :-). Gotta run now.
Lord bless.
P.S. I decided to let my other comment remain as it is, because “I’m your huckleberry” would have no meaning without it. lol
Eddie,
How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity.
So. I have digested your latest offering, above, and must confess you make some salient points. I actually have nothing to add or retort with, because I think we have both laid it all out there.
In other words, I think we agree on the relevant stuff, but disagree on the details. This is not a concern to me, and I am betting it is not to you, either. We both acknowledge and submit to the Sovereignty of God, and by golly, that is a great place for us to fellowship! :)
Looking forward to more of your insights. (Mostly so I can comment on them! Is that selfish?)
Donald in Bethel
There is no selfishness in a Christian’s desire to fellowship in the word of God.
Lord Bless,
Eddie