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What is evil, where did it come from and did God Himself created it?
Where did evil come from? What started evil and sin? Evil and sin are such because God Himself labeled them as such. I believe that God decided what was evil by watching all of His creations through ALL of time and the things that caused extinction, destruction and mass destruction within a species was what He labeled evil/sin. This was so that mankind could overcome his animal instincts and live long upon the earth.
In the Bible evil is merely sin. God did not create sin, He created the beings who go against His wisdom and what He knows through His observations. He watched, saw the ways that were killing His children and made the rules of life. FOR US--not for Himself. He can create more beings. The rules came from His love for us.
God Himself does not sin.
James 1:13--Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: 14--but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
I don't know how much of the OT was man's word and how much is actually God speaking. He says that some prophets said that He spoke when He had not.
Ezekiel 22:28--And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN.
Hence a NEW TESTAMENT/COVENANT.
These verses clearly show that evil is merely sin and not something different. All have sinned and all have been evil in the eyes of God.
1 Kings 14:22, 2 Kings 23:37, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and many more
Then some say, why does God allow evil?
If He didn't allow us to ripen and mature by the choices we make we wouldn't be independent individuals/souls/identities----we would be Him. We are to GROW in different ways with unique personalities by the mistakes that have shaped our lives. Once we have ripened, we become like minded with Him in seeing that the rules ARE what destroys not only ourselves but those around us. But, by then we have developed our individuality. Without the lows we cannot recognize the highs. Without trial we wouldn't recognize what it is to be free. We are placed in different circumstances and raised in different ways to become unique but then coming together in the end with the truth.
Your thread/post prompted me to join and make my 1st post. (although I have been reading here for some time).
I am curious as to how Isaiah 45:7 fits into "your take" on evil?
Does it fall under your reference to Ezekiel 22:28 and you think God never said this ? Or that only man did in the OT.
Or, as I have heard many others explain this as a mistranslation. I have found that many christians have trouble/issues with this verse. (I don't but I'm always interested in others interpretation of it).
Thaks in advance and good thread/post !
[editted 1 typo - I had typed Ezekiel 22:29 when it was actually verse 28 in your post - sorry]
Isaiah 45:7--I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all things.
He created us and by His grace and mercy gave us the freedom and right to grow up by making our own mistakes and learning from them. He admits to having created all things wise and wonderful, all things bold and beautiful and even us.
Sheila Renae:
In the Bible evil is merely sin. God did not create sin
I find this contradictory to Isaiah 45:7 however which plainly states the source of evil. (and good)
[not trying to start anything - merely trying to understand various interpretations]
My take ?: God is the source of ALL. (which includes evil/good, dark/light etc) Yet is above or beyond it all.. and similar to what you state... it's on us as to what we do with this knowledge and how we deal with it. (good or evil, light or darkness etc)
There are a lot of things in the Bible that sound like contradictions. God does not sin and cannot sin but He admits that the beings He created are capable of sin. In this He accepts responsibility as our sovereign God in that by creating us He created evil/sinful beings. That's why there is a separation between us and God until all sin/evil is done away with. He alone is pure and Holy. Saying things both ways IS correct because He is sovereign and in us all. He CREATED evil but is not evil, He created it by creating us. But, His disobedient beings are in truth the ones who created the sin/evil by being disobedient. I worded my statement wrong, I should have clarified. It's just that God has accepted responsibility for our actions because out of love for us He has ALLOWED it.
Yeshua Bless You
Scripture from the OT and the Gospels tells mankind the answers to this question. It is best to let God teach through His word.
"The friendship of the Lord is with those who revere Him and He makes His covenant known to them."
"The wicked will not stand in judgment nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous."
"Those who revere the Lord spoke with one another and the Lord listened attentively and a book was opened and a record kept of those who revere the Lord and trust in His name.And the Lord of Host says; they shall be my own special possession on the day I take action. Then you shall again see the distinction between the just and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."
"If I had not come and spoken to them they would have no sin."
What is evil, where did it come from and did God Himself created it?
Where did evil come from? What started evil and sin? Evil and sin are such because God Himself labeled them as such. I believe that God decided what was evil by watching all of His creations through ALL of time and the things that caused extinction, destruction and mass destruction within a species was what He labeled evil/sin. This was so that mankind could overcome his animal instincts and live long upon the earth.
In the Bible evil is merely sin. God did not create sin, He created the beings who go against His wisdom and what He knows through His observations. He watched, saw the ways that were killing His children and made the rules of life. FOR US--not for Himself. He can create more beings. The rules came from His love for us.
God Himself does not sin.
James 1:13--Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: 14--but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
I don't know how much of the OT was man's word and how much is actually God speaking. He says that some prophets said that He spoke when He had not.
Ezekiel 22:28--And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN.
Hence a NEW TESTAMENT/COVENANT.
These verses clearly show that evil is merely sin and not something different. All have sinned and all have been evil in the eyes of God.
1 Kings 14:22, 2 Kings 23:37, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and many more
Then some say, why does God allow evil?
If He didn't allow us to ripen and mature by the choices we make we wouldn't be independent individuals/souls/identities----we would be Him. We are to GROW in different ways with unique personalities by the mistakes that have shaped our lives. Once we have ripened, we become like minded with Him in seeing that the rules ARE what destroys not only ourselves but those around us. But, by then we have developed our individuality. Without the lows we cannot recognize the highs. Without trial we wouldn't recognize what it is to be free. We are placed in different circumstances and raised in different ways to become unique but then coming together in the end with the truth.
At least this is my take on it.
Yeshua Bless You
Beautiful and accurate witness, Sheila. Well said, sister.
What is evil, where did it come from and did God Himself created it?
No.
Quote:
Where did evil come from? What started evil and sin? Evil and sin are such because God Himself labeled them as such. I believe that God decided what was evil by watching all of His creations through ALL of time and the things that caused extinction, destruction and mass destruction within a species was what He labeled evil/sin. This was so that mankind could overcome his animal instincts and live long upon the earth.
The problem with that point of view is that it means that there was once a time when God did not know something and he had to learn. The Bible presents him as omniscient--meaning that he is all-knowing.
Quote:
In the Bible evil is merely sin. God did not create sin, He created the beings who go against His wisdom and what He knows through His observations. He watched, saw the ways that were killing His children and made the rules of life. FOR US--not for Himself. He can create more beings. The rules came from His love for us.
You are correct. God is not the author of evil. But he did not learn what it was by watching people kill each other. Satan sinned by daring to rebel against him. Adam sinned by disobedience.
Quote:
God Himself does not sin.
James 1:13--Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: 14--but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
I don't know how much of the OT was man's word and how much is actually God speaking. He says that some prophets said that He spoke when He had not.
Ezekiel 22:28--And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN.
Hence a NEW TESTAMENT/COVENANT.
These verses clearly show that evil is merely sin and not something different. All have sinned and all have been evil in the eyes of God.
1 Kings 14:22, 2 Kings 23:37, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and many more
You are correct. None of us are righteous on our own. I'm not sure I'd say evil is merely sin.....but sin is evil. I'd have to ponder that a bit...
Quote:
Then some say, why does God allow evil?
If He didn't allow us to ripen and mature by the choices we make we wouldn't be independent individuals/souls/identities----we would be Him. We are to GROW in different ways with unique personalities by the mistakes that have shaped our lives. Once we have ripened, we become like minded with Him in seeing that the rules ARE what destroys not only ourselves but those around us. But, by then we have developed our individuality. Without the lows we cannot recognize the highs. Without trial we wouldn't recognize what it is to be free. We are placed in different circumstances and raised in different ways to become unique but then coming together in the end with the truth.
At least this is my take on it.
Yeshua Bless You
So you think God allows sin to build our character?
No...that's not true. We sin because we are evil at heart. We have chosen to go against God. God redeems some of us because it shows his goodness. Jesus told a parable of the man with weeds in his field sown by an enemy. Instead of pulling up the weeds and destroying his crop, he was waiting to pull up everything in the end--and throw the weeds (evil) in the fire. God will punish evildoers someday....but he's holding back judgment for the sake of his elect.
What is evil, where did it come from and did God Himself created it?
Where did evil come from? What started evil and sin? Evil and sin are such because God Himself labeled them as such. I believe that God decided what was evil by watching all of His creations through ALL of time and the things that caused extinction, destruction and mass destruction within a species was what He labeled evil/sin. This was so that mankind could overcome his animal instincts and live long upon the earth.
In the Bible evil is merely sin. God did not create sin, He created the beings who go against His wisdom and what He knows through His observations. He watched, saw the ways that were killing His children and made the rules of life. FOR US--not for Himself. He can create more beings. The rules came from His love for us.
God Himself does not sin.
James 1:13--Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: 14--but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed
I don't know how much of the OT was man's word and how much is actually God speaking. He says that some prophets said that He spoke when He had not.
Ezekiel 22:28--And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN.
Hence a NEW TESTAMENT/COVENANT.
These verses clearly show that evil is merely sin and not something different. All have sinned and all have been evil in the eyes of God.
1 Kings 14:22, 2 Kings 23:37, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 and many more
Then some say, why does God allow evil?
If He didn't allow us to ripen and mature by the choices we make we wouldn't be independent individuals/souls/identities----we would be Him. We are to GROW in different ways with unique personalities by the mistakes that have shaped our lives. Once we have ripened, we become like minded with Him in seeing that the rules ARE what destroys not only ourselves but those around us. But, by then we have developed our individuality. Without the lows we cannot recognize the highs. Without trial we wouldn't recognize what it is to be free. We are placed in different circumstances and raised in different ways to become unique but then coming together in the end with the truth.
At least this is my take on it.
Yeshua Bless You
Isa 45:4 For My servant Jacob's sake, and for Israel My elect, I entitle you. I name you, but you do not know Me.
Isa 45:5 I am Jehovah, and there is none else; there is no God except Me. I will clothe you, though you do not know Me,
Isa 45:6 that they may know from the rising of the sun, and to its going down, that there is none besides Me; I am Jehovah, and there is none else;
Isa 45:7 forming light, and creating darkness; making peace, and creating evil. I, Jehovah, do all these things.
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Source of evil?
