Can God's love coexist with the existence of evil and suffering in the world? THE CHARACTER OF DIVINE LOVE (1 John 4:8) “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” . Scripture grounds love in God’s very essence, not in circumstance. Divine love (Greek agapē) is active, holy, and self-giving. It coexists with justice (Deuteronomy 32:4) and holiness (Isaiah 6:3), never compromising either. CREATION GOOD, FREEDOM REAL (Genesis 1:31; 2:16-17) God declared the original creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Rational, moral creatures were endowed with libertarian freedom—“of every tree…you may freely eat” (Genesis 2:16). Love that is compelled is not love; therefore authentic relationship required the genuine possibility of refusal. Freedom opened the door to evil, but the capacity for love made the risk worthwhile. THE ENTRY OF MORAL AND NATURAL EVIL (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12) When Adam sinned, death entered “through sin” (Romans 5:12). Scripture unifies moral evil (human sin) with natural evil (thorns, pain, decay) by linking both to the curse (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:20-22). Geological evidence of rapid post-Flood catastrophism (e.g., Mount St. Helens strata laid in hours, not ages) aligns with a recent disruption of an originally harmonious earth. DIVINE PATIENCE AND THE STORYLINE OF REDEMPTION (2 Peter 3:9) God “is patient…not wanting anyone to perish.” He permits evil temporarily to maximize the harvest of redeemed people who freely love Him. History is not an endless loop; it is linear, moving from creation to fall to redemption to restoration. SUFFERING AS DISCIPLINE, REFINEMENT, AND WITNESS (Hebrews 12:6-11; James 1:2-4) Scripture portrays suffering as: 1. Fatherly discipline shaping holiness. 2. Refinement of faith “more precious than gold” (1 Peter 1:7). 3. A megaphone drawing the lost (Luke 13:4-5). Behavioral research confirms that individuals who frame pain within transcendent purpose exhibit higher resilience, lower despair, and increased altruism. Biblical Exemplars Of Love Amid Evil • Joseph: “You intended evil…but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). • Job: suffering allowed, God’s character vindicated, Job refined (Job 42:5-6). • Paul: “momentary light affliction” produces “eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). • Israel’s exile: verified by Babylonian Chronicles and the Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls mentioning YHWH’s blessing, demonstrating God’s fidelity through judgment and restoration. THE CROSS: CONVERGENCE OF LOVE AND EVIL (Romans 5:8) At Calvary, the worst moral evil (murder of the sinless Son) achieved the greatest good (atonement). Early creed dated within five years of the event—“Christ died…was raised” (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)—shows eyewitness consensus. Empty-tomb reports from women (embarrassing detail), enemy attestation (Matthew 28:11-15), and post-mortem appearances to friend and foe alike constitute historically critical data. God’s love does not ignore evil; He bears it, defeats it, and offers adoption. The Logical Coherence Of Love And Evil 1. If God is all-powerful and all-loving, He will eliminate evil as swiftly as that can be done while preserving a greater good—free creatures who freely love. 2. A world allowing temporary evil to procure eternal goods (free love, virtue, knowledge of God, redeemed community) is not contradictory to divine love. 3. Because God has scheduled an eschatological eradication (Revelation 21:4), the coexistence is transient, not perpetual. Empirical Corroborations Of A Loving, Active God • Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 150 BC–AD 70) show >95 % textual fidelity of Isaiah, underscoring God’s faithful self-disclosure. • Peer-reviewed medical documentation (Southern Medical Journal, 2010) of instantaneous reversal of infantive paralysis following intercessory prayer exemplifies benevolent intervention. • Global flood traditions on every inhabited continent echo Genesis, suggesting collective memory of judgment mingled with mercy (the ark as refuge). Pastoral Implications: Love Experienced Today Sufferers are invited to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Clinical studies show prayer, Scripture meditation, and congregational support lower PTSD symptoms and suicide risk. The church is commissioned to alleviate suffering tangibly (Matthew 25:34-40), becoming ambassadors of God’s present love. FINAL ERADICATION OF EVIL: THE BLESSED HOPE (Revelation 21:4) Scripture promises a restored cosmos where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” Love’s coexistence with evil is strictly provisional; eternity will display unmingled love. God’s love is therefore consistent, triumphant, and ultimately incompatible with evil—hence He will abolish it, not by negating freedom, but by consummating redemption. |
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