The BEST Answer to the Problem of Evil 1

The Logical Problem of Evil and the Atheist Challenge

Let's talk some more apologetics, shall we, ladies and gentlemen? I believe just about every argument atheists use against Christianity breaks down into a logical fallacy of some kind at some point. But there's one I do take very seriously, and I think it's worth noting, worth mentioning.

It's very potent, and as Christians we need to be able to respond to it. And that is the argument, if God is so good, why is there evil in the world? God is all good, God is also all powerful, why doesn't he get rid of it?

Well, maybe he's not all good. Okay, maybe there's a God that's not all good, he's in fact an evil God. Okay, that's a possibility. Maybe there's a God that is not all powerful. Okay, that's another possibility.

This doesn't actually prove atheism at all, does it? I could say, my father used to beat me as a child, he didn't, but if he did, therefore he doesn't exist. That's ridiculous, it just means your father is evil.

So let's say God does exist, God is evil. Atheists solve a problem, because that's not an argument for atheism. Really what that is, is a challenge to Christianity. And it's a challenge I take very seriously.

The Moral Law and the Self-Defeating Question

Here's the other underlying problem atheists have. In order to raise the question, they have to assume a number of things. And I'm going to have Ravi Zacharias, a famous Christian apologist, explain why they cannot even ask the question without pointing the cannon back on themselves.

I said, when you say there's such a thing as good, aren't you assuming there's such a thing as evil? That is correct, he said. I said, when you say there's such a thing as evil, aren't you assuming there's such a thing as a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil?

When you say there's such a thing as evil, aren't you assuming there's such a thing as good? He said, yes. I said, when you say there's such a thing as good, aren't you assuming there's such a thing as a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil?

He accepted that. And I said, but if you posit such a thing as a moral law, you must posit a moral law giver, but that's whom you're trying to disprove, sir, and not prove. If there's no moral law giver, there's no moral law.

If there's no moral law, there's no good. If there's no good, there's no evil. What is your question?

You see what I mean?

And the truth is, they smuggle in their assumptions. Because it is unlivable, as I said earlier on. And in the Q &A, he stood there right in front in the Harvard audience. I said, you've just bought into my worldview.

He said, I guess so. You see, Jim, the question self-destructs unless there is a God. So what you have to demonstrate is how with God who exists in this universe can you explain the reality of evil. And that, of course, takes you all the way to the cross.

And how in the message of the cross, evil was dealt with, forgiveness was offered, and the life of Christ comes and now lives within me to counter evil, to live for the good, and stop the force of evil around us.

Outside of God, not only is there no answer, even the question is not valid. With God, the question is valid, and with the cross, the answer is efficacious.

A Morally Sufficient Reason for Evil

Okay, so we've seen that you cannot really raise the question if God does not exist. In order for this problem of evil to even exist, God has to exist. Let's say that someone says, okay, you know what, I don't have an explanation for why good exists.

I don't have a standard. You know what, maybe I'll find one someday, and I'm hopeful that it won't relate back to God. Impossible, but let's say that's what they say. I just want to show you why Christianity is false.

If my ship is going down, so is yours. Well, I think there's actually a way that we can say, no, our ship actually is not going down. Our ship is sailing very strong, and here's the reason why. Here's the way that the argument is displayed.

The first statement is God is completely good. Okay, Christianity believes that. Bible says that. Second statement, God is completely powerful. Okay, again, Christianity believes that.

Third, evil exists.

Well, how can you reconcile these things? Well, let's add a fourth fact in with it. God has a morally sufficient reason for the evil which exists. That actually completely answers the question. There is no longer a logical problem of evil, because if evil can serve a higher good purpose, and God is the author of that purpose, controls it, then you no longer have the problem.

Now, I realize the problem actually does not go away, because this is not a logical problem. This is an emotional-slash-psychological problem. And so what we need to do is also rephrase this question, because this is really the key assumption that atheists are making.

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

Really, the question they're asking is, why do bad things happen to good people? That's another way to phrase this question, this objection to Christianity. And I'd like to let Dr. Bodhi Bakkam answer this question.

And they'll come up and they'll say things to me, and they've thought these things out. And I'm on the campus to talk about these issues and dealing with apologetics, and they want to catch me alone and ask me these questions, and they look at me and they say, I just wanted to ask you that if you believe in a God that is omnipotent and omnibenevolent, then how do you reconcile the issue of theodicy, to which I respond, took a semester of philosophy, right?

Well, yes, how did you know? Because if you hadn't, you'd have just said, listen, God's so powerful and so good. How come bad stuff happens? But I'm not going to answer the question until you ask it correctly.

I worked on that all week. What do you mean, ask it correctly? You're not asking the question properly. What do you mean, ask the question properly? It's my question. You can't tell me how to ask my question.

I will answer your question when you ask it properly. How do I ask it properly? Here's how you ask that question properly. You look me in my eyes and you ask me this. How on earth can a holy and righteous God know what I did and thought and said on yesterday, and not kill me in my sleep last night?

You ask it that way and we can talk. But until you ask the question that way, you don't understand the issue. Until you ask the question that way, you believe the problem is out there. Until you ask the question that way, you believe that there are somehow some individuals who in and of themselves deserve something other than the wrath of almighty God.

Until you ask me the question that way, until you flip the script and ask the question this way, and say, why is it that we are here today? Why has He not consumed and devoured each and every one of us?

Why? Why, oh God, does your judgment and your wrath tarry? When you ask it that way, you understand the issue. When you ask it the other way, you believe in the supremacy of man. How dare God not employ His power on behalf of almighty man?

You flip the question around, you believe in the supremacy of Christ. How dare I steal His heir?