the problem of evil - a comment from yesterday's post

Yesterday, I touched on "the problem of evil." As one of my commenters, ESI pointed out, the heart of the solution is in Jesus. Here are his words, well spoken:

I think theodicy is about the "justification of God"...and the problem of evil is one of the great philosophical challenges. But here's what God has done in the realm of theodicy - He sent His own Son, the only Blameless One, crucified for the sins of those who rebelled against Him. The greatest "injustice" is the cross of Jesus Christ. God's answer to the problem of evil is self sacrificing love.

the problem of evil

One of the issues atheists like to hoist as evidence against God's existence is theodicy, or the problem of evil. If there is a god who is both great and good, than why is there genocide and starvation? Why are there earthquakes and tsunamis which can kill thousands upon thousands of people?

Of course theologians and philosophers have grappled over this, but no one can give a satisfactory answer which pleases all. Even though some good work has been done on it.

Scripture takes the problem of evil quite seriously. Humankind was created to be in fellowship with God. This is not coercive/forced, but free in that God wants love returned freely. Humans are meant to be in a fellowship of love with each other. Of course sin is a power in the world in this existence. And with that comes grave consequences.

In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) we see the story of Job. One gets glimpses of evil at work from those doing evil and from nature itself. Add to that an opposer to God and humankind, Satan, and you have a profound story of human suffering, which though having a happy ending, does not resolve the loss of Job's children.

Fastforward to the New Testament and we find the story of Jesus, God becoming flesh, one of us as a human. Jesus lives a life in our shoes, so that we can live a life in his shoes, so to speak. A life of love in giving one's self for the world. Of course Jesus is unique in this; he is the Savior. But in that salvation is opened up the new way in Jesus, for those in him to help humans in this world physically and spiritually. In Jesus a kingdom comes which is not about "navel gazing", but is meant to be lived out for others. Of course at the heart of this is "the Jesus Creed" of loving God and loving our neighbor.

Scripture does not promise followers of Jesus an easy life. Quite the contrary, starvation may even be a part of our existence, while living in and seeking to live out the love we have in Jesus. It's a love that will not pass the sufferer by in the name of religion. But recognizes that this is what true religion is all about.

Of course there's more to this. Jesus took on himself the full brunt of the world's evil and sin, so that the world could be given the gift of the kingdom of God in him. Christianity should major on mission and not on our own salvation and holiness. The latter is essential, but not complete. We must seek to follow Jesus by the Spirit in mission, starting in our own neighborhoods, or with some needs we see around us. Getting our hands dirty to do what we can, in the name of Jesus. And in that seeking to both live out and proclaim the good news of Jesus and God's kingdom come in him. A gospel that proclaims the forgivness of sins and eternal life, in Jesus.

In the end, God does intervene, righting all wrongs and making all things new. There is coming both judgment and grace. That is the hope we have in Jesus. We can rest assured in that, in God's promise to us through Jesus. But in the meantime we need to keep praying this prayer, and do our part in seeing it being answered here and now.

What would you like to add to these few thoughts?

evil

The more I live and the more I read the more shaken I can become. I'm not sure about the latest a very good brother gave me, but it shakes me to the core. Evil. It is very present with us. This is why Jesus prayed for his disciples (and for us, by implication), that God would keep/protect them from the evil one. And why he taught us to pray, "Deliver us from evil/ the evil one."

What guise does evil take up? Good. It masks itself, and even thinks of itself quite often as good. Though surely we know better. This is in big part why I'm very opposed to putting so much confidence in any political leader, or any leader for that matter. I hear "black and white" (not racial, but used in terms of right and wrong) talk, and how one party is right and the other is wrong. I hear (though try to avoid and cannot stomach) talk radio's diatribe against this person or that person, and thinking their person or party is right, or in line with the truth. But we little know the evil that can pervade us all. And it is even more difficult to tell, and therefore insidious when it is done in the name of what is good and right.

This thinking is in terms of reality, and can help us live in a more helpful way. For example I disagree profoundly with President Obama on the abortion issue, not believing that a woman's right to choose includes aborting her unborn. But I also see Obama as good in other ways, and I see life for humans as concerning womb to tomb (thanks, the Wingnut for that good phrase). So while I won't give my wholehearted support to Obama and the direction he has gone, I do support him in some important ways. And, regardless I am called to pray for him and others (including those leaders who I find less affinity with).

Evil is present with us. If we look long enough into the mirror, we'll see it. Let's not imagine it's about us and them, as we were told as a nation, wrongfully in the past. It can hit and infect all of us. And we're only a moment away from falling prey to it, even if only in our thoughts (which is where it ordinarily starts).

What would you like to add about this? Another difficult, unpleasant, yet painfully real subject.