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Why did God Create a World that He Knew was Going to Go Wrong eventually?

Written By Leslie Koh

After spending a number of years in the media, Leslie finally decided to move from working with bad news to good news. He believes in the power of words (especially when they’re funny). He works as an editor in Our Daily Bread Ministries.

 

This introduction that you’re reading now is really my third. Twice, I wrote a few paragraphs, only to remove them after finding that they were going nowhere.

Despite having spent a couple of hours coming up with the first two versions, it wasn’t really difficult to click on “delete”. I mean, why continue something that is flawed?

Which makes me wonder, why didn’t God do the same thing with creation? When God created the heavens, the earth and everything else, it was all perfect. Seven times, Genesis 1 observes that God saw that “it was good”. Then everything went wrong (thanks, Adam and Eve), and here we are, living in a far-from-perfect world that is pretty much destined for destruction.

Now we know God is omniscient ie. He is all-seeing and all-knowing, of everything as well as of what will happen in the past, present, and future. That means He would surely have known that Adam and Eve would, at some point, decide to disobey Him. He would have known that this sin would condemn not just the duo, but succeeding generations of mankind, along with the earth.

So why didn’t He “delete” the earth and start all over again? After all, another six days’ work wouldn’t have been too difficult, would it? Of course, you could argue that knowing man, Creation 2.0 would probably have gone down the same route, anyway. So the question is, why did God bother at all? Why did God create this world if He knew it was going to go wrong eventually?

First, a disclaimer…

I’m not going to pretend that this is an insightful question of mine; it’s probably one of the most-often asked questions among Christians. And I’m not going to give the impression that it led me to study the Bible carefully and come up with biblically, logically and theologically sound explanations. To be honest, all I did was to read a bit to see what has been discussed about this question, and to try to re-frame it so I could understand it better myself.

I also wasn’t looking for a watertight answer that even the staunchest atheist or strongest cynic couldn’t refute. (So, yes, please feel free to disagree.) No, I was just looking for some possible answers—a new perspective, if you will, on the question. After all, the Bible doesn’t say explicitly why God decided to continue putting up with the flawed humans that were corrupting His creation, or why He created the world even though He knew it would go wrong.

Before going into why God decided to proceed with Creation, however, I figured that it would help to narrow the scope of the discussion by considering (and dismissing) several alternative options to explain what happened. As a believer, I kept to the basic assumption that God is good and that He is perfect.

 

So what happened? Three options

One, God made creation perfect, but somehow it went wrong, and He had to get His Son to do a quick rescue job. On the surface, this might seem plausible. Genesis 1 doesn’t tell us that God anticipated any problems; you can even imagine Him nodding satisfactorily at the end of each of the first six days, saying, “That’s good”, then sighing sadly days later when Adam and Eve take those fatal bites into the forbidden fruit.

But to say that creation didn’t quite turn out as expected suggests that God had lost control of His product. Keeping the assumption that God is sovereign, all-powerful and all-knowing, I felt I had to dismiss this option. If God wasn’t in full control . . . then everything I believe would come apart. Next!

 

Two, God made creation such that this would happen, so He could send His Son to earth to show His glory. This idea might seem to fit in with why God made creation (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands”— Psalm 19:1). It suggests that like a director of a dramatic movie, God somehow arranged it all such that man would sin, and He would send His Son down to show His mercy and love.

Except that . . . this would be tantamount to saying that God created sin; that He made everything good, then deliberately arranged for things to fall apart, just so that He could show His mercy and grace. And that would make God seem a little manipulative. The Bible, however, makes it clear that God is good (Psalm 107:1, 1 Timothy 4:4, James 1:17), so let’s dismiss this option too.

 

Three, God made creation knowing that it would rebel against Him one day—but He made it anyway. This third option keeps to the assumption that God is good and perfect; it’s like having a good parent who raises a child perfectly, only to see this child become a rebel. Of course, this option leads us back to the original question: Since God knew that the world would turn against Him, why did He bother creating it?

 

You could have endless discussions (and arguments) over this, and it would be hard to come to a definitive conclusion that would be acceptable to most. But a little reading threw up the following three points which I felt appealed to my sense of logic and reasonable-ness, and most importantly, were also consistent with what we know about God. They aren’t necessarily answers to the difficult question; I saw them more as perspectives that helped me address the question. You be the judge.

 

  1. Because it shows God’s glory, love, mercy, and grace.

This sounds a bit like option 2 above, but with one difference: God didn’t make the Fall of Man happen (because that would suggest He made man sin), though He knew it would. But He allowed to happen so that we could see His glory and experience His grace and mercy. The Bible tells us that God’s ultimate purpose in everything is to have Christ the Son rule over everything, so that the Father is glorified. “With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ” (Ephesians 1:8-10).

It would be hard to fully define what God’s glory means, but it includes His greatness and all His attributes, such as holiness, justice, love, mercy, and grace—all of which were manifested through the story of Creation. Through the creation of the world, we see God’s greatness and power. Through His judgment of sin, we see His justice and holiness. And through Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, we see the Father’s love, mercy, and grace.

So you could say that allowing mankind to make that choice to obey or rebel against Him served God’s purpose. Of course, that might beg the questions: Could God’s glory have been manifested if He had not allowed the world to rebel against Him? Couldn’t He have been glorified in another way? In other words, did God need the world to fall to show His glory?

Well, I believe this question is too hypothetical to come up with a satisfactory answer. We could become indignant and demand to know why God didn’t show His glory another way. But we’d also have to remember that He didn’t make man sin; it was Adam and Eve who chose to disobey God themselves. And because of it, and what happened later, we got to see and understand God’s holiness and justice, and experience His love and grace.

 

  1. Because He wants a relationship with us.

If you think about it, God really didn’t have to create the world—or us. As a self-sufficient and complete God, He doesn’t need a world to support Him, nor anyone to keep Him in power. He isn’t even lonely; the Holy Trinity is, after all, made up of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Yet God made man because He wanted to have a relationship with us. He could have stopped at creating the universe, the earth, the plants, and the animals (and have a two-day weekend), but He went on to the sixth day to make man. How is man different? We are created “in his own image” (Genesis 1:27) ie. unlike His other creations, we have some of His attributes. That enables us to relate to Him in a way that other creations can’t. God doesn’t need us to keep Him company, but He wants to enjoy our company. In Genesis 1:31, after making man, God noted that “it was very good”—the previous days, it was merely “good”.

Why did God create the world even though He knew it would go south? Because He desired a loving relationship with man, and was ready to be patient, forgiving, and merciful when man failed. Compare that to a couple who have a child. They already have each other for company, but they desire the companionship of an addition to the family. And even though they know that this child will be naughty, flawed, and rebellious, the hope of the joy that this child brings is worth the heartbreak and the pain.

Of course, here’s where we could ask: So why didn’t God create human beings that couldn’t sin? Why did He give them the choice?

 

  1. Because free will is needed for love

Why does a couple choose to have a child and not a robot? Easy—the robot won’t love back. A relationship is meaningful not only when it’s two-way, but also when either party chooses to stay in it. Love cannot be forced or controlled; otherwise it’s no better than slavery or forced loyalty.

Why was the father of the prodigal son in the well-known parable so overjoyed to see his son return (Luke 15:11-24)? Because the son had, of his own accord, chosen to repent and to return to his father. The latter had not forced nor bribed his son to come back; that was what made the young man’s repentance and love even more valuable to the father.

That’s why God calls us His children, and not His servants. If He had made man such that we had no choice but to obey Him, our “love” and “loyalty” would not mean much to Him. No, He wanted us to decide for ourselves if we wanted to love Him back. So He made us with a free will, the ability to choose whether to follow His instructions or not.

That may also explain why God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17) in the Garden of Eden in the first place. That’s one question I always had—why did God have to plant it there? Was He not tempting Adam and Eve? Did He not know they would eat from the very tree they weren’t supposed to? Some Bible teachers have posited that the tree represented the choice that God was giving to the first couple. It was as if He was telling them, “In case you complain that you have no choice but to obey Me, here’s an option you can take. I’m making it clear that you’re not to take it, but the decision is still yours.” The tree of knowledge of good and evil was thus a test.

(If we argue that God was being unfair in putting this temptation in the Garden, consider this thought: There must have been thousands (maybe even more) of fruit trees that Adam and Eve could eat from, but they had to eat from the one forbidden one.)

Christian writer Max Lucado, in his book In the Eye of the Storm, paints a beautiful portrait of the day God made man. He imagines God putting a “seed of choice” into a lump of clay that he will soon bring to life. A watching angel asks if this is wise, and God answers by showing the angel a glimpse of a future in which man will rebel and forget his Maker.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to not plant the seed? Wouldn’t it be easier to not give the choice?” the angel then asks. “It would,” God replies. “But to remove the choice is to remove the love.”

It Comes Down to Trusting in God’s Character

If you’re still not entirely convinced, I don’t blame you. It can be hard to wrap our heads around an issue that packs so many apparent contradictions in logic and invites even more “what-ifs”. Every answer is likely to lead to 10 other questions. After all, we’re talking about an issue that is beyond human comprehension.

Some would quote Deuteronomy 29:29—“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law”—to stress that it’s simply impossible to understand some of God’s actions and decisions. But I believe that these three perspectives do offer some measure of logic to understand why God still proceeded with Creation despite knowing what would happen. They may not link up like a mathematical equation, but they help us to see that what God did was entirely consistent with His purpose and character.

I suppose it’s a bit like trying to get to grips with a decision that a good friend has made, but which you simply don’t understand (say, like him taking an unusual job). You may not be fully convinced—at least for now—that he did the right thing, but what you can do is try to see the situation from his point of view and understand what prompted him to make his choice. And if you know him well, you will trust that the choice he made is consistent with his character, and that he knows what he’s doing.

In the case of Creation, it may come down to simply accepting that God’s action comes from His attributes of being good, loving, and perfect. Those are the assumptions I made in the beginning, and they are the same ones I continue to hold on to, no matter how humanly “illogical” some of His actions seem to be.

In an article on Apologetics Press, Christian apologist Kyle Butt sums up such debates rather nicely. There is no possible way, he notes, for our finite human minds to fully understand why God created humans. He concludes: “God’s attributes of omniscience, impartiality, and love provide the basis to conclude that only He would be in a position to determine which world would be the very best. When understood properly, the Bible presents a completely consistent picture of God’s moral perfection in regard to His choice to create humans.”

106 replies
    • Leslie
      Leslie says:

      Thanks Ashley! It’s an interesting topic and a lot has been written and said on it. Keep reading!

    • N/A
      N/A says:

      The fall doesn’t give much explaination, other than what we would perceive as a simple instruction. I can’t see how letting sin and destruction into the world would be a proposed plan, and maybe that is why things are not divinely explained in detail to those that are below a higher dwelling place. As for my human perspective, I can’t see how God would want to see life experience catastrophic events when it could be avoided. Another opinion and virtuous one, I can not see God wanting to see his son suffer. I also can tell you as a child, I could never get past genesis. There are things that belong to the divine world, and then there are things that are given to the world. There is fortunately an invisible world walking with us, but most can not or granted the opportunity to see it. It is difficult to explain to those who only know eternity, like angels. It is different for us. We are created by earthly beings not divinity, maybe our soul is but as far as everything else goes, eternity sounds much better. I’d rather be able to walk around with lions and stuff, then experience fear and an ending. Life can be difficult, especially when you know there is divinitive power around you and you go through somethings along with others. We are all on the spectrum of something great, unfortunately for some of us that greatness does not come with eternity.

    • su le
      su le says:

      I couldn’t reply to the author so I’m replying via your message. I know all Christians like to repeat Bible verses – God is love, merciful, understanding….. will not test you beyond what you can bear….and lots of other bullshit. In reality, maybe all you who responded are the lucky ones that lives on your parents money and have a protected lives or have an education paid for by your rich parents and so you have a wonderful life, but the rest of us live with tears, fears, pain, agonies, devastation and Yes we did beg God to help us in our hour of need. I don’t know how many times I have beg him to help me out and I was left to suffer endlessly. I have suffered so much that I began thanking him for a good night sleep, for a house to live in, a bed to sleep on which are the neccessities Not wants of human beings. Does he not know we are made of flesh, bone and blood – we suffer physical pain. He give us a brain to suffer mentally as well as a heart which got broken to pieces when a loved one or a child dies. We are humans – does he not know that he place us in a hell without fire right now? The Bible say he even care for the birds in the air – I see dogs rotting with maggots just sitting shivering waiting to die. Does God love birds and not humans and dogs? Nothing can justify anyone putting innocent living things in a place where they will suffer immeasurable pain. I wanted to reconcile with God before I die because I don’t want to end up in hell or be a wandering spirit in this world but when I get over there – I will still ask Him this question – why the hell do you create the human race????Now i guess he will punish me and thats the way he control us although nobody want to say it.

    • jamie thomas
      jamie thomas says:

      HAVING A KID, INSTEAD OF A ROBOT???? THAT DOES NOT ANSWER THIS. IF GOD KNOWS THEN WHY. YES I HAVE A KID, AND TE KID MAKES CHOICES, BUT IF I KNEW AHEAD THAT MY KID WAS GOING TO END THE WORLD, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD HIM. SO PLEASE ANSWER WHY????

    • Tom Murphree
      Tom Murphree says:

      I believe the story of Adam and Eve is not meant to be literal. How many snakes that you know of can talk?
      I also believe that free will doesn’t exist. If we choose to do some “sin”, why would we do that if we were not programed to do it? We do what we do because internally we were made that way. If we were not made to do it we would not do it. If we are weak it is because we are made weak, otherwise we would not be weak. I think believers believe because they

  1. Heather Watkins
    Heather Watkins says:

    If only I had read this a few days ago. Was talking to a non believer & she asked questions along those lines.

    Reply
  2. Krista
    Krista says:

    I have pondered this a lot and have come to the conclusion that the end result must justify everything. The problem arises when we lack faith to really trust that God’s plan is the best through times when it does not appear so. The Lord is good…he will make a complete end of the adversaries…trouble will not rise up a second time. Nahum 1:7-9 Another problem is that we imagine him in our image when he is not and so fail to comprehend and trust him. There is a verse God is not a man that he should lie, also For no word from God will ever fail Luke 1:37. As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. Ecclesiastes 11:5 The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promises as some count slowness, but is patient towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all would reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

    Reply
  3. gayleC
    gayleC says:

    God created us with freewill . And getting rid of the bad ones to start over again will be mean getting rid of you and me. In Romans it said “We all fall short in the glory of God”. We are all sinners. And knowing this open your mind that you need a Saviour.

    But God’s greatest Love is manifested through His Son who died in the cross for us (for our sins). Yet we are not sinners , Jesus died in the cross already for us.

    And when we acknowkedge and believe that Jesus is the only Lamb of God that takes away the sins if the world. He is blameless and sinless. He is the Ultimate sacrifice. God looking is looking down on us with the blood of Jesus covering us. John 10:29 Jesus said ” My sheep hears me and they follow me. No one can snatch them away from my hand. I will give them everlasting life. For I and my Father are ONE”. This verse is the reassurance and promise we can keep with us that we will be given life in heaven once you believe.

    Reply
  4. Patricia Smith
    Patricia Smith says:

    None of these ‘answers’ help to explain why God allows the terrible suffering of the innocents, especially children, babies and animals who have never sinned and do not deserve such pain. Are we meant to take the story of Adam, Eve and the Serpent literally? Why should the innocents suffer just because God wanted human company and glory to praise him? Did God create his beings with the ability to feel pain, if so then this was his plan. The cries of the innocents in torment rise up to God from this earth, millions every day. This is not a Heavenly and loving Father, he should be weeping his heart out to see the results of his work!

    Reply
    • Avian
      Avian says:

      Hi – i just wanted to say that you have a good point and yes this is terrible. But if you have one bad day and 364 good ones you will say you have had a good year. The same will apply with eternity. We are not God and just because we cant comprehend it doesnt mean its not exactly how it is supposed to be. Life may not appear as fair but God will make right all things…”the last will be first”. Pain may be terrible but in the scheme of eternity and no time existing this will be the “vapour” he describes.

    • Faith Maddox
      Faith Maddox says:

      I know this is late, but God doesn’t allow suffering. People hurt others and animals, not God. If God were to prevent suffering, he would have to take away our free will. If he did that, he would no longer be a God, he would be a dictator. He didn’t create us to be a dictator- He created us out of live and kindness. He wants us to choose right, instead of him forcing us.

    • Antonio of the Lion towers
      Antonio of the Lion towers says:

      I’m not religious whatsoever, however, I do feel that I have an explanation to which may or may not satisfy your question. Now I know that the justs don’t satisfy the means but, in my opinion, I feel that this has a relation to the stories of God being in control of everything string and aspect of the universe.

      Let’s say, for example, that God is real ( I will not desclaim his existence. I may be non religious but my goal is not to break faith of those that do believe, after all, faith in something is one of the many, if not, THE most important trait of human characteristic do to the fact that it gives those a reason to exist and live); Now back to the topic. Written in the bible are stories of God’s greatness, not juat greatness but unimaginable power ( Enough so that he could manipulate everything in the universe to the form of existence and non existence, after all he did create the universe and all of its laws, theoretically speaking) So with that being said, death is a physical consept. Something that has meaning to those of the 3 demensional realm. So to us, we see death as sadness, fear, hate, the many things that make humanity what it is. But to an omnipotent being such as God, death wouldn’t mean anything do to the fact that if death exists then so does life.
      God created an entire massive universe from an untouched canvas. Sprouted the roots of life into being and applied the laws of the entire universe that makes the reality we see now, well, a reality. So my point is, if God can create life, he can also create death and thus, there is no sentimental value to either in death do to the fact that he can make death be life once again. This is why I feel that it doesn’t fluster him. Does it sadden him? Of course, but it’s not Death that saddens him, it’s the emotions we bring to light in those moments that do, because God doesn’t care for death, he doesn’t know it exists because to him it doesn’t. God created life, God has taken lives, but death isn’t the end to life itself or a life itself because if he can create it and take it away, he can also bring it back.

    • Paul
      Paul says:

      It’s not easy to understand. My opinion is he created us after the perfect angels that could not appreciate what they had and they rebelled. We are meant to suffer and grow. So when we get to heaven we will help rule because we understand and appreciate life and how precious it is, amen.

    • Zack Munn
      Zack Munn says:

      God does weep over the pain of this fallen world,but if God was to stop it then he would be taking away someones free will to make good and bad decisions there for being forced to obey and follow God which is not a mutual relationship but a robotic one.If man does not repent of his sin in the end God will punish them for it. He does not wish that anyone parishes though,but that all repent and be saved, But he is God of Justice and their will be justice for those who suffered wrongly. People do not get away with their sin.

    • Raj
      Raj says:

      Even if there is free will and love why did god cursed Adam and Eve and sent away from Eden. If he knows that his children are naughty, flaw and going to fail but still he loves then no father in the family throw away their kids. Instead they will try to explain and help the kids to understand. Once they understood they will not be the same old.

    • Donna Richert
      Donna Richert says:

      I’m no theologian but God gave us the gift of free will and he doesn’t take it back when we misuse it. Innocents do suffer when pain comes and/or earthly life is extinguished but they go on to live with God in his kingdom and never suffer again. I believe that He suffers when humanity makes these kind of choices. He patiently waits for humanity to repent and He’s ready with open arms. God is a good parent who loves his children even when they make horrific choices. It’s the will of man that causes suffering on the earth. The will of God resides in Heaven and in those who choose to follow Him.

    • Rendel Saguian
      Rendel Saguian says:

      It’s not God who made the choice for us to suffer nor the children who’s innocent and ignorant. Because of Adam and Eve disobedience and curiosity the Earth that supposed to be perfect became a place of sufferings and pain. It’s their choice. And now since God given us freewill then I might say, it’s up to you to believe Him or not, to follow Him or not, to love Him or Not, to say yes to His calling or not. Your choice. But either way, no matter whats’ your choice still you will experience and see the same torments and weeping everyday. Just a little FAITH TO FALL BACK ON, brother.

    • Guerin
      Guerin says:

      My thoughts exactly! How can a loving God that has the power to step in and alleviate pain and suffering but does not? I understand free will but when someone’s free will creates harm and suffering and God knows it’s going to happen and allows it and then escapes responsibility by saying it is free will even though he is the creator….this I struggle with.

    • Joan
      Joan says:

      Same here.. I couldn’t really find the root of why god create us.. Since the end is predicted.. Anyone can enlighten us with answers?

    • su le
      su le says:

      I m so glad you are one who speak out the reality of God s creation and not the la la la God is merciful and kind, he hears your cries ..blah blah of most christians who wants to spew bible verses and refuses to see reality. Where is God helping innocent babies, helpless animals and most of all humans who are suffering in all ways – physically, mentally, emotionally.

    • Victoria
      Victoria says:

      He does not just allow it , but he authored it. The story is history and we are from this one story; the story of evil. Th author has complete knowledge and is knowledge , that being said in order to bring forth our characters this is the story where such characters come to be. This is the story of evil and that is all there is here. We call things good and bad , but truly this is a story that only has evil in it. Evil masquerading as good, but evil none the less. There is also plain no need to scrutinize it evil the degree of which supersedes the lesser evil that is hard to recognize in comparison to the greater . All humans make their own standard of what constitutes evil and what constitutes good and yet the story is clearly about the evil from which we all came forth. No character here is innocent as they are all brought forth from the outworking of evil. The author says he subjected all to this futility on the basis of hope. What hope? The hope that one day the evil will be erased and in its place there will be only good and righteousness ; the likes of which we have never known. The first couple knew what good was, but only after losing it. If they had known good prior to their eating from the tree then the tree would have been referenced as the tree of the knowledge of evil . The only way to have knowledge of good was to experience the opposite and thus our story begins. Where could you change the story without changing the characters? Where would you stop the story , before your birth? . Yes , Job did say it would be better for him not to have been born; of course he was saying it from the perspective of his current situation. Job never was moved to say that while things were going well for him. From this vantage point the author is clearly not loving toward all. He definitely has his favorites and clearly he is partial. The fact of the matter is that even if the story was to take a turn toward utopia the past can never be made to go away and thus just as death is unfair so also ever lasting life would be. I never have really cared much for the author of this world….I don’t like the story or the characters here including my own.

    • Karen Littwin
      Karen Littwin says:

      I agree, and can’t bear to live in this world of the suffering of innocent people and animals.
      .
      “ALL LOVING” – “ALL JUST” = that just does not compute with what is going on.
      .
      Even though I am greatly blessed, I can’t conceive of an all-powerful creator who could watch his helpless innocent beings suffer.
      .
      My deepest hope & wish is that this is all really a bad dream.

    • belle
      belle says:

      This is the result of adam and eve failure. Sin entered the world! God created us perfectly but since it was corrupted. Sin and sufferings entered the world. The bible says “1 John 2:17″”And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”. The pain, sickness and all other things is just the result of all fadings.. But the good news is Jesus Christ, gave us hope when He died in the cross and rose again! To those who believe and follow Christ, He gave us the right to become children of God. We can pray directly to God now. Jesus Christ gave us the access. But it doesnt mean, life will become a bed of roses! We may still experience difficulty in life but we will have joy knowing that this is just temporary, because where Jesus Christ is, we will be with Him! Where no sufferings exist and we will have glorified body as Jesus Christ have..Jesus Christ will come for the second time. And this time, He will end all sufferings. Thanks be to God! Amen!!!

    • Susana Roberts
      Susana Roberts says:

      Ms. Smith: I’m so sorry for your sorrow. Our parents are instructed to bring us up in the Holy Scriptures, you don’t say if this is how you grew up. I know that too many of us were not brought up in the Bible. If we do grow up without the instruction of the Bible, then we deviate from the ways of our Creator and Savior. We live our lives in our comfort zones, (our conveniences), and expect that everything will work out just fine. We end up setting up our own rules of what we feel is right and wrong. This rules we have set up, take roots in ourselves. As time goes by, this roots of self-righteousness become very strong and take room and space in our minds, hearts and souls. This self-righteousness becomes a god within us and will get passed down onto our children. Our children can be born disfigured or with other different problems because of our conveniences. Animals are also affected because of our behavior and also suffer because of this. We cannot turn our backs on what our Creator and Savior teach us in the Holy Scriptures and expect that there won’t be any consequences. A great part of the human suffering that we see in the world is from disobedience to our Creator and Savior and we turn around and blame them for our woes and our sorrows. We develop tunnel vision and we don’t allow ourselves to get past what we like or don’t like, because this fills our needs. What we are taught in the Bible goes beyond our everyday living, it takes us up to a much higher realm. It tells us to live in a life that we are not used to living in. The Bible shows us a much bigger picture than what we’re used to seeing.
      Many of us refuse to let go of our ways in order to walk in the ways of our Lord. The ways of our Creator and Savior are very straight. It takes effort and sacrificing our way of thinking, feeling and living oir lives. Too many of us don’t want to do this. In order to receive a new life, we let go of the old one and our Creator and Savior will hear us and give to us what we ask them for. I hope this helped.

  5. R
    R says:

    It seems like there are templates for responding to answers that no matter what, point to God being great and perfect and to have done nothing wrong. BUT, for God to be the creator and to know everything then He knew that He made lucifer too crafty for Adam and Eve. Or He didn’t make Adam and Eve smart enough or strong enough for the situation. Or both. Who can deny this question? God also knew that when He cursed mankind with the old sin nature that THIS WOULD NOT BE A GOOD THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But He did it anyways. Also, when He made men logical and women emotional He had to have known that this would not be a good thing also. I’m a guy and I cannot for the life of me figure out how women think and have given up trying to teach them any logical thought. And my last comment. Free will. WHAT A LIE! How can anyone call anyone’s life here on earth free will is beyond me. Oh they sugar coat it and they all use the word robots at some point so that you can’t even read someone talking about free will without the word robot. What did they write before robots? Anyways, you can live for God or you can burn in hell for eternity where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! This is basically saying that this will be by far the greatest form of punishment ever created! This punishment makes evil look not so bad. Satan can lie and deceive but he can’t hurt us. The bible carefully words it almost in a way to hide what’s really going on. Matt 25:41 says that hell was created for satan and his Angels. Matt7:13 tells us that few find the way to heaven and that majority find distruction! Hell!!! So someone please tell me where I am wrong? I went to church and have studied the bible for decades and my statement is that I wish I was never born. I didn’t ask to be born or here on earth. If I did I’m sorry. Please forgive me and unmake me ASAP. I hate this earth and I hate how confusing God is. The one who says that He is not the author of confusion is very confusing to me. He loves us so much and like a father but He will send you to hell if you are not as perfect as He is. Matt 5:48. I’m not perfect I am a sinner.

    Reply
    • su le
      su le says:

      I agree. I wish he never made the human race. I understand his reason is for the human race to glorify him – just. one .simple .reason. and he made us live through hell and then promise a worser hell if we don’t. How can he expect people to glorify him when they are dealing with hardship, pain in their daily life just to make a living and pay the bills?

      I also wish I was never born. The whole meaning in life as a human who can feel is for happiness. And to achieve happiness, hell just to be able to live in society – we need to chase money to pay rent, necessities and maybe maybe a vacation. Along the way, there is much crap to deal with – injustices, hatred, jealousy, murders, infidelity, job loss, loss of loved ones, – all humans do to each other to cause indescribable pain and then added to that – natural disasters, pandemic, disease. I can’t imagine a “loving God” much less a Father would place their children in a place where they are open to all kinds of danger and vulnerabilities and no protection. Ya ya ya christians says – “you have to ask, cry out to him” Done that – i think we are on our own. I just wish he would make it end earlier rather than later.

  6. kizzy
    kizzy says:

    After reading this I was thinking he had to make us imperfect to make us perfect in the end….but what baffles me is the fact that we were given a free will but still could get sent to hell if our choice displeases God, that I don’t not understand cause that’s like giving someone the ability to make choices and in the end they still pay for it so still it’s either we serve him or don’t and go to hell…..we are still restricted with or without a free will….please reply let me know your views on this.

    Reply
    • Isaiah
      Isaiah says:

      The problem with most people’s perceptions is the idea that we have free will. Once you throw that out the picture becomes a little more clear. When Jesus says you did not choose Me but I chose you does not state free will or free choice. I challenge you with this, did Judas have a choice to not betray Jesus? Remember it was prophesied over 1000 years in advance.
      As scary as it may seem this is why it’s important to have and build a strong relationship with Him. The writer’s option 2 is spot on. Where the writer fails is the idea that God did not create sin, He created all things and everything He created is good. We can not see the end picture but all the twist and turns in life are truly perfect and good. He will be glorified in a tremendous way. People see suffering and sadness as being bad but we dont know where it leads next. We say its unfair but do not know His blueprints. God can not sin and nothing He does or creates is less than perfect. Who gave God His law and commands that if He breaks it, He has done evil. Our failure as people is our perception of creating Him in our image instead of the correct way which is in His inage.

    • Not Mark Driscoll
      Not Mark Driscoll says:

      You don’t get sent to hell because you’ve displeased God, you end up in Hell (separated from God) because you didn’t trust in Jesus Christ to save you.

    • Anne gerner
      Anne gerner says:

      Thank you so much for your thoughts. You have come the. Closest in helping me understand !!!!

    • Rendel Saguian
      Rendel Saguian says:

      Since free-will means you are unbound to do everything you want, live the way you want, and decide the way it pleases you the question is this, “is that free-will of yours pleases God your Heavenly Father or for thy solely pleasure only? You need to ponder such question. Ecclesiastes 9:1-2, “o I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. 2 All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad,[a] the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.
      As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. I hope it helps.

    • George
      George says:

      The bible teaches that hell is nothing more than the grave a place of non existence. God told Adam, from dust you came and to dust you will return. The term Hell or fire when used in the Bible denotes a state of total destruction it is used as a metaphor. Thus when we choose not to listen or obey God he is JUST in taking back the life that he freely gave us. We in turn received from him an opportunity for everlasting life, at no cost to us, that we chose to not accept but to live our lives our own way thus the Bible states ” the wages sin pays is death but gift God gives is everlasting life”. Our free will allows us to choose what we do with the gift of life that we have been given and not that we have a given right to. imho
      I feel we as humans try to understand God from our perspective rather than taking the time and effort to allow him to teach us.

    • Mim
      Mim says:

      We are not “sent” to hell. Jesus died to save us from sin, past, present and future. By believing He did that we “choose” to go to heaven. By refusing to believe He did that we “choose” to go to hell. When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell with/in us as our comforter and guide to keep us on the right path. We are not alone. God is with us. Read a good translation of the Bible. Study and research. Get to know Jesus. He lives.

  7. Charles Zhang
    Charles Zhang says:

    Here’s my understanding of this age-old question, which differs from the “free will” explanation:
    First, it is more likely that only through the falling experience, man will be able to tell good from evil, thus gaining knowledge and wisdom, and fulfilling God’s commandment to Adam “…the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Imagine that Adam and Eve had never disobeyed God’s commandment, we as humankind would have been lived without knowledge of good and evil, thus without knowing evil, pain, suffering and death, nor thankfulness to God the Creator. So man’s falling in God’s plan is first to give him knowledge and wisdom, just as God has said ( so we understand what is meant by God in saying “My word will not return to me void”) .
    Second, through the falling experience, we have come to know that while God is being the all-loving and compassionate, He also sets rules that cannot be ignored or disobeyed, and man as created beings must honor the rules and commandments set by his creator or otherwise it will lead to infinite sufferings and death—-“for the LORD Most High is to be feared, A great King over all the earth”, and God is a “great and awesome God”.
    Third, God is loving and compassionate to his creation in the sense that while He allowed all this to happen, He has also prepared a salvation plan for the fallen man at the beginning—-through the atonement of sins by Jesus Christ, when this world as we know it has come to an end, everything will be restored and all sorrows will be turned to joy, and of course, those who reject God’s salvation and continue to disobey him will be forever lost.
    In taking this perspective, what we ought to remember is that, as God is not bound by space and time, the entire history of mankind since Adam’s fall may only be a few days, or just a few seconds.

    Reply
  8. Erik
    Erik says:

    First of all, two choices: obedience or rebellion, does not equal free will. Secondly, the angels have free will, and the Bible clearly tells us how that turned out. Finally, it takes a ton of faith, faith I don’t have, to believe a good and perfect God brings glory to his name by creating on 2 occasions sentient beings that would rebell against him and thereby incur his eternal wrath. If he is truly willing that none should parish, then he could have done it: heaven or ceasing to exist. Yet in his “goodness” he made the choice between eternal glory or eternal agony. This is not a god of love.

    Reply
    • Roanna G
      Roanna G says:

      God didn’t choose agony. We do when we reject Him.
      He is the God of love.
      He doesn’t want any of us to perish so he gave us a command. He commanded us to accept and trust Him and abide by His word. If we do these things, we won’t perish.

    • Roanna
      Roanna says:

      God didn’t choose agony…we do when we reject Him.
      God is the God of love. He doesn’t want any of us to perish and that’s why he gave us His word. If we accept and trust Him, abide by His word and truly believe in Him, surely, we won’t perish.

  9. Patricia Smith
    Patricia Smith says:

    I wrote a post above about the suffering of the innocents, including Jesus who was a human sacrifice for our sins. As I approach my 71st year on this planet I have thought a great deal about the pain and suffering we see every day and try as hard as I can, I cannot reconcile this with a loving Father, no matter how many glorious, eternal, futures we may imagine God has promised us. I still have my faith and that is the hardest part, if I stopped believing it would be so much easier to bear. No one said it would be easy, I know, faith is a long and difficult road to travel. But every time I think I have it sorted in my mind, I see another picture of a crying, stick thin starving child and it all comes flooding back. It’s all so sad…….

    Reply
    • Mary Casey
      Mary Casey says:

      Likewise, I’m 68. Don’t give up. The assumption that God knows all is false. God knows “all possibilities”, but not which one man will choose. God “repented” that he ever made man, so I don’t think he knew beforehand what choices man would make. And remember, so much of God’s statements begin with “if you will…..then I will….” implying God doesn’t know what will be chosen. Again, God knows all possibilities, but not the possibility man will choose. So, so much “religious lingo” just doesn’t hold up. p.s. And free will is not needed to “prove” love. Love is not a choice; like the children you mentioned, when you have the Spirit of Love (God is a Spirit and God is Love), then you love simply because you love; not because you chose to love. The Tree was NOT there as a “test”. In the author’s example, he implies parents “choose’ to love their child….no a parent just loves. There is so much wrong with this article, especially #3. The best comment is the one which stated he should just say he doesn’t know.

    • Miss Debra
      Miss Debra says:

      I think that if we as Christians were really listening to the Lord and doing his will, there would be a lot less suffering of the innocents in the world.

  10. Brandon
    Brandon says:

    The author of this article has done a wonderful job at providing helpful insight to those, unbeliever or believer, who may struggle with this question. I do not want to pretend that I can even scratch the surface in answering this question. I do want to give my insight though as Satan can use this very question as a means to cause doubt about Gods goodness and the necessity of a Savior. Here’s my thoughts. I was created by a perfect God who cannot lie. I must hold to that truth. He also is love. He is perfect. The question that is posed, why did God do this or that? is the same question that Satan posed to Adam and Eve in the garden. God told them what the outcome would be if they chose not to obey. Love and obedience go hand in hand. They knew the outcome before they disobeyed as do we. Instead of destroying Adam and Eve, God had mercy on them. Sure, life was a little harder. Sin, imperfection, leads to death. God would not be God if He didn’t punish sin. He could have destroyed Adam and Eve on the spot. God didn’t want to do that because He loves them. All God ever wanted us to do is trust and obey Him. That’s what I want my children to do. Why? Because through the grace of God, His goodness, His Love, because I was created in His image, I want what’s best for my kids. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve discovered evil, against Gods desire for them. Did he have the foreknowledge that this would happen. Of course. He didn’t go into creating the world blindly. He has made every provision for us to know Him. Adam and Eves sin separates them from God, but God gave them coverings for that. He does the same for us through the blood of Jesus Christ. Mans problem, due to knowing right and wrong, the effects of sin, his sinful nature, is that He does not want accountability for His actions. We have to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb of God, to have our sins washed away and Christ puts His desire in our hearts. The question is, do you want to know your Creator, are you willing to trust the One who does not lie? Will you let pride get in the way of saying you aren’t perfect and need a Savior. Jesus is the answer for a broken world. God does not and did not want us separated from Him. It is His will that none should perish. Jesus is the answer. Submitting to Him is submitting to God, for Christ is God. Christ died for our mistakes. Satan knew what He was doing when He revolted against God. He knew the consequence. I will never understand why He thought He could dethrone God. I do not believe that God created sin. God is the total opposite of sin. He knows not sin. Angels obviously have the choice to be obedient. Pride entered Satans heart and he plotted against God. We don’t know all the details, but God wants us to trust Him, Satan wants us to doubt and give up. Trust Christ. For the questions about suffering. God does not want suffering. It is an effect of sin. People aren’t always sick because they sin. For example. My mom has breast cancer. God did not give it to her. She didn’t do anything sinful directly to cause this to happen. However, we have harmful things in our food and environment that alters our cells. Why do we have harmful things in our environment? Well, we put harmful things in our food and products to make things less expensive, to preserve things longer, which leads to more profit for manufacturers. Just a thought. Money is the root of all evil, right? The Bible says that it rains on the just and the unjust. We live in a fallen world and Christians and non-Christians both feel the effects. God has mercy on all of us, but the Christian can claim the promiseChrist gave us that He would never put more on us then we can beat, if they have a relationship with Him. Remember, to the believer, we have hope that this is not our final resting place. Keep your eyes on Christ. He is your source. If you haven’t asked Him to be your Savior, please do so. If the devil is trying to get you to doubt God with this very question, trust God, resist the devil and he will flee. Do not let Satan’s lies deceive you.

    Reply
    • John
      John says:

      Brandon,
      Opinions like yours make me sometimes loose hope in the future of our species. The kind of sheepish submission to the whims of a tyrannical deity (as showcased in the Bible) is the straw that breaks the camel’s back for me. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to argue with your beliefs or your motives to desperately stick to them. You have all the rights in the world to hold and profess such beliefs, and I respect everyone’s right to freely express their beliefs (yours included). Moreover, I don’t want to shake your faith in any way (actually, I would encourage you to be truthful to yourself by holding onto your faith as long as you need it to keep your moral compass in the right direction). What I want to shake, though, is the attitude that comes hand in hand with your religious beliefs, because it stems from a pernicious slave mentality which, instead of being thrown in the garbage bin of history where it belongs, is being elevated as a virtue even today. And this kind of degrading attitude is the problem with many staunch believers like you. A problem that you might ignore (or intentionally sweep under the rug), but which does such an immense disservice to you as a moral agent and to your faith as a moral compass when you come into the public arena and try to proselytize unsuspecting bystanders.
      Let me explain using you own statements. To start with, you introduce Satan as an evil trickster who lives only to deceive all human beings and separate them from God (by casting doubts and inciting them to rebel against him), as if he were a totally independent entity (not subject to God’s rule) who can do whatever he wants with impunity (because, according to your beliefs, your “omnipotent” God cannot or will not restrain him in any way). This is demonstrably false, since the Bible is very clear (read the book of Job if you want biblical proof) that Satan is a servant of God and does God’s bidding, not his own. Therefore, Satan is not the bully in your neighborhood enticing everyone to join his gang and strong-arming the otherwise good citizens into rebellion against an absentee lord (“the Lord”), as you suggest. Then, you have the colossal arrogance to tell everyone that you “know God” better than the back of your hand. You “know”, not just “assume”, that he is perfect, he is love, he cannot lie (you ignore 1 Kings 22:22 where God says “I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of their prophets”), he cannot do evil (again, you ignore Isaiah 45:7, which states plainly that God does do evil), he is merciful, and so on. May I ask you how you came to know all these things about a God who, supposedly, is incomprehensible to our puny human minds? Don’t tell me that “the Bible tells me so”, because the Bible is just a book. Yes, just a book. Same as Quran, same as Torah, same as Mahabharata or any religious book out there. Do you believe what’s written in the Quran as well, just because it’s being touted as a holy book? Why not? What makes you reject the Quran, but accept the Bible as holy? If you are honest, you should admit that everything you know about God is from men (either from the books they have written, such as the Bible, or from listening to them). You have never heard God saying what the Bible would make you believe he said. So, unless you have a direct line to God and hear from him directly what the truth is, how can you claim any knowledge of TRUTH? What makes you so special in the eyes of God that he tells you the secrets of the spiritual world, while we, the unbiased seekers of the same knowledge, are left empty handed by the same loving, merciful, impartial God? You talk about Adam and Eve with such damning condescendence, as if they were some imbeciles who fell for the cheapest trick of Satan to disobey God, revolted against him and condemned all humanity to a life of misery in this “fallen” world. Of course, if YOU were there in the garden of Eden and Satan would have tried to trick you, you would have been so much smarter and braver, you would have defended God heroically against his insinuations and you would have made him cry and apologize for his impudence to even think that he could trick you. You would have been the epitome of wisdom, unlike the idiot Adam, am I right? You cannot avoid this dilemma: either you would have been a much better (smarter, wiser, braver) Adam and the world today would have been a Paradise (and your arrogance would be sky high for implying such a thing), or you would have fallen as miserably as him. And if you would have fallen too, like everyone else in that situation, you have to admit that the “fall” of Adam and Eve (or anyone in their shoes) was inevitable and had to happen sooner or later. Therefore, the disobedience was written as a latent condition in the human nature by the very one who gave humans their nature (guess who?). But, because you are so afraid to admit that God could have set up the first humans for failure (yeah, I hear you protesting “come on, how could God do such a horrible thing? This is not possible, we should not even consider such possibility, perish the thought!”), you are hopelessly stuck in an insoluble dilemma and, to get out of it, you have to do the most repugnant act that all “believers” do: blame the victim. That’s precisely what you do when you accuse Adam and Eve for disobeying and rebelling against their creator (actually the “rebellion” part is not even biblical, it’s just an apologetic made up stunt to make them look even more guilty and God even more justified in kicking them out of the garden). Let me ask you (since you seem to know the mind of God so well): what was a deceiving serpent doing in God’s “perfect” garden? What was God doing when the evil serpent approached the two innocent and unsuspecting victims to do his cunning deception? Was he watching with crossed arms and doing nothing to protect his beloved but naive progenies from the scheming viper? Why did he show up only after the two “idiots” were already past the point of no return? More importantly, what exactly were Adam and Eve to God? Were they children (whom he loved dearly), were they property (slaves), were they pets or toys made for his own pleasure? You have to choose one, and any choice you make must be justified based on what you have arguments for (biblical or otherwise). If they were slaves, pets or mere toys, then yes, they had no choice but to obey blindly, as you say they should have. And if you think they did wrong by disobeying (committed evil, although they were still innocent and didn’t have knowledge of good and evil yet), then you must admit that you share this frightening belief with all your fellow believers: God made Adam and Eve (and the rest of humankind that would ensue) to be his slaves or toys. But I don’t think you would ever dare to admit that, so if you believe, on the contrary, that they were treated by God as children (and were loved as such), then you have to put yourself (and God, for that matter) in the shoes of a parent, and not of a slave master, when you judge the deeds of God’s children. You said bluntly (and I cringe at the thought) that God “could have destroyed Adam and Eve on the spot”. Really? One could do that with his slaves (as the Bible shows God condoning), but is that what a parent is supposed to do when his beloved children disobey? Would you do that to even the most rebellious of your children? Kill them on the spot? I’m not talking about being merciful if you didn’t, what I’m asking is: do you have the right to kill them? I will assume that your answer is “of course not!” (otherwise you should check into a mental clinic as soon as possible). And no, don’t give me the lame excuse “I’m an imperfect human, but God is perfect, that’s why he can kill anyone who rebels against him, after all he gave them life to begin with”. Just assume for the sake of argument that you were perfect. If you were perfect, would you still kill your disobeying child, or you would be repulsed by the idea of killing someone for mere disobedience? Would you not shout from the rooftops that such act is cruel and indefensible? So why should God be any different? Why would God be in his own right to take a life, any life, for any reason, if he is a loving parent? You should understand a concept that is never taught in Church (for obvious reasons): any sentient being has rights acquired by birth (such as the right to live freely, among many others) and any progenitor should observe these rights and fulfill their duty to care for their offspring until they are able to care for themselves. Look around you and you will see this everywhere in the animal world (God’s lower creation). Wouldn’t we, the epitome of God’s creation, be much better than the lower creation, and care for our children out of this inescapable duty? You should be aware that there is (or should be) an “ethics of creation”, under which any parent “owes” their children the best they can do for their wellbeing. Yes, parents have duties. And so does God, as a parent (and you acknowledge him to be our parent). Yes, you heard me well: GOD HAS DUTIES TOWARDS US, HUMAN BEINGS, IF HE IS OUR FATHER. Shocked? I hope you are, and I also hope you will ponder this carefully. If you, an imperfect parent, have duties toward your children and strive to fulfill them to the best of your abilities (you are a good parent, aren’t you?), why do you think God is exempt from his duties and he should do any less, especially when he is omnipotent and can do anything for us? I’m not saying that he should spoil us and do things we can do ourselves, but he should do for us what we need but can’t do ourselves (because he gave us limited abilities, for some reason). At the very least, he should do for us what any loving parent would do. Such as not killing us at the first mistake we make, not kicking us out of the house (read “garden of Eden”) when we disobey, giving us accurate information about the reality we are living in (not bronze-age fantasies), protecting us from natural evil (cataclysms, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, cancer) against which we are powerless, teaching us moral lessons the way a parent teaches his children (face to face, not by sending them “letters” written by ill-informed people in ancient languages, as your “holy scriptures” seem to be), loving us like parents do (when was the last time God gave you a hug and told you that he loves you?), rebuking us fairly and with good measure (some limited punishment, not an eternity in hell) when we do something nasty, but also praising us when we do good, and so on. He can do all these things, can’t he? Then why doesn’t he do them? What excuse can you concoct to rationalize his absence in our earthly lives, and why? Why do you always seek to remain in good terms with him by ignoring the obvious thorny issues in your religion? Are you afraid you will upset his majesty by asking legitimate questions? Don’t you realize that you behave like a slave (who dreads incurring his master’s wrath) and not like a child? Don’t you understand that by advocating blind obedience toward God it would be impossible for you to love him? No, friend, obedience and love do not go hand in hand (as you stated gratuitously), quite the opposite. You would obey a slave master, if you are his slave, because you are his property and he can do with you as he pleases, but you will love your parent because he shows you his love first, face to face, day in and day out, and you learn from him how to love. And your parent cannot be your master at the same time. It’s one or the other, never both. If you can’t see that, I feel sorry for you, really.
      So, what are you, a slave or a child of God? If you think you are his captive slave, then go ahead and obey him all you want, but don’t ask others to do the same and, also, don’t pretend you love him – this weird love for your master/captor is a known psychological condition and has a name: the “Stockholm syndrome”. It’s a coping mechanism, not genuine and deserved love. But if you really believe you are God’s child, then forget about obedience and focus on love, assuming you have enough reasons to love God (whom you have never seen, heard, felt or otherwise sensed). Moreover, take note that children have this annoying habit of growing up (I’m being sarcastic, but I hope you agree with me). Yes, you may be a child now, but do you expect to remain a child forever? Do you expect God to be your cuddling parent also forever? Children tend to think like that when they are very young, but you won’t take advice from a child in spiritual matters, would you? No, God expects you to grow up and behave like a grown up. You are quite right when you say that, as God’s child, you submit to the authority of Jesus Christ (or of God, for that matter) as long as you are a little child who needs to follow rules to stay out of harm’s way. But you will grow up, and eventually you will be able to fend for yourself more and more. You are expected to learn many things, you will ask many questions and hopefully find answers. You will make many mistakes and you will eventually learn from them. You will question authority and learn that authority and power go hand in hand with duties and responsibilities. You will let go of your training wheels and go boldly your way to do great things (and some bad things also, since you are not perfect). You will understand why you had to follow rules when you were an inexperienced child and why you don’t have to follow them anymore because now you are capable of understanding God’s rules, not just blindly submitting to them. And you will continue this way until you will become spiritually mature and will be as capable as your parent (God) to handle your own life and, perhaps, to have children of your own. You are not expected to remain a naive child forever, as you imply when you say that Christians should always obey God and submit to his authority no matter what. Do you really think God wants us to remain perpetual children, incapable of doing anything on our own, always dependent on him as is if we were hopelessly handicapped? That’s your regard for God’s creation? Don’t you think he can do much better than just filling a kindergarten with perpetual toddlers? Wouldn’t he want us to go to a higher grade, like college or university (metaphorically speaking)? I doubt that you have such a dim and naive view of God and his grandeur. I think you are capable of glancing into a much richer future for humanity if you let go of this childish attitude of fearful obedience toward a wrathful God. If you honestly see yourself as a child of God, then behave like a genuine child and stop cowering in a dark corner like a frightened puppy. Dare to emulate your parent, as children do, and try doing some great things as he did. Read carefully your Bible and see that Jesus told you as much (“you will do greater things than what you’ve seen me do, only if you would have faith”). That’s the kind of faith I’m trying to advocate here, the faith in the mind-boggling possibilities of what we could achieve with great knowledge and love, not gullibility and reverence for fairy tales that are appropriate only for little children. How would you do greater things than Jesus if you will never graduate your kindergarten? Do you expect God to do your learning for you? Do you want him to just wield his magic wand and “transform” you into a great wizard so you can do those great things, while you are lazily sitting head down in a kneeling position begging to be “saved”? Saved from what? Your sins? Come on, man, children do not “sin”, they make mistakes. And mistakes are always forgiven. The only sin you can do as God’s child is to do what your conscience tells you not to do (such as doing intentionally bad things, knowingly doing harm to others, doing the same mistakes over and over and not learning from them, and the like). Disobedience toward God? That’s not a sin. Really, it’s not, for the simple reason that God never gave you a direct order which you have disobeyed. Arrogant people, pretending to speak for God, might tell you that you have already disobeyed God and are destined for hell, but that’s just a ruse. Don’t fall for it, you are much better than what they think you are. There is goodness in you, because you are the child of someone good. And you know it, deep down in your bones. Am I right? You be the judge…

    • Leslie
      Leslie says:

      This reply comes a bit late, and I apologise! Thank you Brandon and indeed all the others, for your thoughts. This is never an easy issue, and I think we will never find answers that is satisfyingly convincing to all. It is true that it would be much easier to say, “I don’t know”, and i would readily confess that anytime. However, based on my own feeble understanding of God and His Word, I was just trying to think it through, and more often than not, this process is for my own sake than for the purpose of convincing others. In our journey with God there will always be many difficult questions and issues that we are unable to understand or even accept – for example, why does God allow people to suffer. (That would be a good next article to think about, perhaps!).

      I am encouraged that we are ready to ask God, even question Him, and to think about these issues, I’d like to believe He values the process of conversation with Him.

    • Ruth Chipperfield
      Ruth Chipperfield says:

      A devil’s advocate’s reply: “a fallen world” includes the murder and torture by created people of created people, including the deliberate degradation of children, women and the unborn. It’s easy to philosophise about Sin in the abstract, as an unfortunate part of the created world. People who are the objects of sinful actions (such an infinite variety!) cry out for relief, not theological treatises. I follow Jesus, sometimes blindly. The long replies above repeat ad nauseam vague taught theories and doctrines. There is a better way. Weep, and ask the Creator what he would have me to do, as His agent in this glorious (creation) and revolting (sinners) earth.

  11. Christina
    Christina says:

    I have been suffering lately, wondering why God created creatures who He knew would sin, some of whom would not accept Jesus as their savior, and thus, some of whom would suffer eternal torment in Hell. I have also been asking, what is it about God that I am supposed to trust? Your article here provided insights that have left my heart at peace today, and I want to thank you. Possibly like you, the three “reasons” you cited felt like parts of pieces to the puzzle, and not the whole thing. But then, in your conclusion about trusting God’s character, you killed all my troubled birds with one stone. I can now come to grips with my faith by returning to the basics: God is good. Combining that with 2 Corinthians 4:17, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; means that you have given me a truly immeasurable gift this morning, and I can’t thank you enough.

    Reply
    • Leslie
      Leslie says:

      Hi Christine, thank you for your encouraging words, and I am truly heartened to know about how God’s Word has helped in your journey. As you put it so well, we try to understand parts of the puzzle, but it is impossible to understand the whole, and ultimately we have to trust in the unfailing goodness and character of God. There will always be challenging questions, and as much as we debate, we will probably never find a satisfying or convincing answer. Thank God, that He comforts and assures us in the way we need most! May God continue to help, comfort and strengthen you in your journey with Him!

    • John Sims
      John Sims says:

      Your point:
      “how can evil be eradicated unless first it is allowed to be established?
      Cancer in children, what’s that about?
      Children born so severely disabled, abuse, slavery etc
      Earthquakes killing thousands, including animals – really?
      The seemingly random senseless suffering in this world is just overwhelming for many people and other non-human creatures

  12. Carmel
    Carmel says:

    https://ymi.today/2016/11/why-did-god-create-a-world/#comment-788787

    God’s sovereignty was definitely over good in the beginning. Angels were in full harmony with God for a probation period, so creation was perfect in the beginning. But Lucifer, the light bringer, in his selfish love went mad about God’s work in creation through him as the beginning, ATTRIBUTED TO LIGHT/WISDOM, he loved himself and what he created more than God, the source, and simply concluded that unless God justifies His sovereignty over the source of evil, as much as He is over good, he, once establishes himself the direct enemy of God, automatically is justified the sovereign god over evil, hence not subject to God, AT ALL. ATONOMOUS! Thus in the position to encounter God on this planet ex Lucifer’s for the ownership of manhood in which he demanded the role of the woman, whom Lucifer/Satan through Eve sin, the first woman, deliberately established himself the female god of the world, until God through Our Most Blessed Ever Virgin Mary confirms otherwise on this PLANET WHEN SHE CRUSHES his head. Till then Eve, THE FLESH, on her sin was Satan’s entity, whom Adam, THE SOUL, became subject to, sinned and became ENSLAVED in the FLESH, Satan’s substance.
    God through “THE WORD” Jesus, the Son of Man, through filthy Eve created His immaculate mother in her HEART/SOUL in HIMSELF, all by him….. hence annulled the Satanic flesh and blood genealogy! The first shock for Satan, Then “THE WORD” Jesus the Son of Man/Son of God was born of Mary, whom he also believed somehow had part in Jesus’ conception attributed to the Son of Man. Of which Jesus clearly denied in

    John14:30 I will not now speak many things with you. For the prince of this world comes, and IN ME HE HAS NOT ANYTHING.

    Hence the second shock for Satan, despite Jesus was born in all things like His brethren except sin , despite Satan was in HIS SOUL! Removed only BY FORCE on Jesus baptism by John the Baptist. Depicted in

    Matthew 11:11 Amen I say to you, there has not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12And from the days of John the Baptist until NOW, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away.

    From the above God justified Himself the sovereign over the entire Satanic evil process of the world through sin and by sin the eventual DEATH.
    Then on the cross God in “THE WORD” Jesus, the Son of man through His death JUSTIFIED HIMSELF THE TRUTH, AND SOVEREIGN OVER DEATH! But not before Jesus, the Son of Man RESURRECTED, or more appropriate:
    BORN AGAIN IN THE GENUINE HUMAN FLESH AND BLOOD BODY lost in Adam, hence
    IN ALL THINGS LIKE HIS BRETHREN IN THE TRUTH;

    PURIFIED BY HIS OWN BLOOD given as a ransom in EXCHANGE FOR OURS!
    Plus THE THIRD SHOCK FOR SATAN:

    While Jesus divine body was dead on the cross, “THE WORD” Jesus, as a spirit, was justified, glorified and fully active in all SOULS, and in the entire PROCESS of the world. SOVEREIGN OVER ALL EVIL! Thus the world was not only saved but it was the NEW PARADISE, and the entire human race was MORE HOLY THEN ADAM AND EVE WERE BEFORE SIN, SIMPLY the embodiment of Jesus Christ, purified by Jesus’ own blood. Despite I repeat entirely IN ITS SATANIC PROCESS, and from human side point of view in total blindness of what IN THE TRUTH occurred in their souls. Depicted by Jesus on the cross in His own words in

    Luke 23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do……

    Hence, Jesus Christ judged the entire world, by His unique LAW of

    REDEMPTION IN FULL MERCY. predicted by

    Isaiah 1:18 And then come, and accuse me, says the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow: and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool

    That was the cake, NOW FOR THE ICING!

    Throughout the days from the cross, and till Pentecost, JESUS CHRIST WAS THE TRUE KING ON EARTH and He ruled earth as the sole sovereign overall no matter what, and who! Thus, Jesus Christ implanted the seed of His first fruits in every conception occurred on earth, and SOULS were born of God, in the human flesh and blood body as SONS OF GOD in every birth occurred on earth. The entire human race from that moment on ALL had ONE SAME BLOOD, and ONE SAME FATHER

    JUSTIFIED SOVEREIGN OVER GOOD AND EVIL!

    LORD JESUS CHRIST

    Reply
    • Scott
      Scott says:

      How do perfect angel’s created by a perfect God, turn completely evil and decide
      to overthrow the God they knew for certain they couldn’t defeat,…its as if he did’nt
      see it coming…and what made them so desperate to try…did they know something about God that we don’t?
      And why did God cast them earth to live with the helpless and defenseless humans that he was so anxious to love and have a relationship with,…that seems a little odd, especially after making it
      clear to the angels/demons what their fate would be in the end!
      And what happened to the Jesus who during his brief time on earth did so many miracles
      that not enough books could be written to contain them all{?)
      Jesus while on earth didn’t deny help to anyone it seems, but now that he’s in Heaven and maybe much more powerful, it seems his hands are tied so to speak, by God, and is no longer able
      to help “everyone” he knows who need his help, like the 100 million children kidnapped from their loving parents so that countless strangers can rape and beat them regularly until many of them
      just disappear one day, likely because they were brutally murdered, im sure he help them like he would if he were still on earth, but God, i guess has changed his mind and doesn’t want Jesus to help as much as he would like to.
      They seem to be handling it lottery style these days….sorry you poor frightened and traumatized
      children, your lottery numbers did not pop up, but many of my church friends did, so i have been busy answering their prayers, which are actually quite silly compared to yours, sorry again, keep buying those tickets and don’t forget to keep worshipping me and loving me with all your heart

    • Scott
      Scott says:

      Strange that God wants us to know, that the angels he creates can suddenly turn evil
      and turn against him even tho they know he’s undefeatable, and makes no guarantee
      that they wont do it again in Heaven, where he makes a better attempt at what he was
      trying to do in the garden of Eden when he could not “foresee” what lucifer was going to do,
      which i have trouble believing, but thats what we are taught by puny brained humans struggling to figure out what the creator of the universe is really up to.

  13. VOLScouser
    VOLScouser says:

    The free will / robot answer has never made much sense to me. Ultimately, it is the Christian’s belief from Scripture that, in the end, with the new heavens and earth, sin, suffering, and death are done, and our sanctification is complete in Christ – we sin no more. So, we will be creatures who do not sin, after His work in us is complete (not our will to complete His work). Could not God could have made creation like this from the get go?

    Reply
  14. Joe
    Joe says:

    Thanks Leslie for your views on this topic and thanks to all that responded. Very interesting comments. Out of the 3 choices that you offer, I personally believe that option 1 is the mostly likely to be accurate. I believe God made creation perfect (which includes mankind). I do not think God lost control of his creation because he allowed for free will which resulted in the fall of man. God then had his son come down to earth to save it.

    Reply
  15. Denis Mouttet
    Denis Mouttet says:

    This is a lot of gibberish. Predestination simply means that if God is omnipotent, omniscient and unimaginably benevolent then:
    (1) Obviously He knows beforehand the eventual fate of each and everyone of us, his creations.
    (2) Why was it necessary for Him to impregnate one of his creatures to produce His son?
    (3) God, in his omnipotence, controls nature and what physically happens on earth yet he turns a blind eye to the
    millions that are decimated by tsunamis, earthquakes, flood, etc., etc.
    (4) Presuming that there is other life in the universe, are the people of earth so satanical that he had to send His
    ONLY SON to sacrifice His life to save our souls?
    (5) In fact, God did not LOSE His ONLY SON if, as we are taught, Jesus is the son of God. After his crucifixion,
    Jesus went to heaven where God reigns supreme. Compare this to the mothers and fathers who are
    perennially deprived of the presence of their children through death from wars, crime, sickness et al.
    Benevolence? Where is it?
    6) Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, quelled the raging sea and raised the dead. Is He more powerful and
    benevolent than the father?
    (7) Man does not have free will. The only will is the will of God. In the prayer “Our Father” there are the words
    “…..Thy will be done” and during his passion in the Garden of Eden, Jesus said to the Father “…..let not my will but thine be done”. And there is more.
    (8) Prayer is an exercise in futility. If God is everything He is professed to be,regardless of what we pray for, good or indifferent, it is already destined and we cannot change it.
    (9) How can a benevolent God create Adam and Eve who He would have known were imperfect and subject to sin then impose their punishment on all their descendants?
    None of this makes any sense and is all illogical. If there is a God, as I believe, then He cannot be termed as a “just God”.

    Reply
  16. Matthew
    Matthew says:

    Firstly, I am a Christian and a believer. However, this very topic is a sticking point for me, not sure any answer will ever fully suffice. Here’s my thoughts…

    Ultimately, God did not need us; He is “I AM”. He was not lonely and had the “relational” need fulfilled within Himself, as He is a Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).

    While certainly part of moving forward with a fallen Creation is the expression of His glory, love, and grace, it does not answer why He moved forward knowing that many would choose “darkness” and thus condemn themselves (possibly suffering for eternity), either through their own weaknesses/bad choices.

    If there was an absolute need for expression of His glory, love, and grace, then it’s basically saying God wasn’t complete without our creation, which is absurd.

    Of course, free will is necessary for love. Yet, why does there need to be Creation at all, who has free will to express? Why was it necessary for there to be another “party” to express (or not) choice? Sometimes it seems so pointless.

    The only way I’ve been able to rationalize it is either 1) suffering is not for eternity or the condemned are eventually snuffed out after judgment, 2) more people will in fact be saved rather than condemned (perhaps Jesus’ statement only applied pre-Cross).

    Will leave it there, could easily go on. Anyway, thought a lot about this.

    Reply
  17. Anita
    Anita says:

    I am so glad I found this post! It felt so good that after years of pondering this question I see my beliefs nailed on the head here. God showed just HOW MUCH he loves us by the sacrifice of his Son, and gave us free will to make the decision to have a relationship with him or not. He just wants to be our father & have us be his children.
    Glory to God!

    Reply
  18. Dard
    Dard says:

    Come on guys these are simple questions, that only appear illogical to someone who has NOT completely read the entire bible. Its like asking an eagle where are its thumbs? if I were to answer it, it would only be followed up with more questions needing answers, which would end up being me explaining the entire bible when you should have read it entirely yourself in the first place. Reading the bible is the most important thing you can do in your christian life. Before you sign on to a faith you need to know what you are agreeing to. First read what you claim to believe completely than comeback and ask questions. Its like when Christ was asked which brother marries the resurrected widow and Christ says “you error for not knowing the scriptures” and stop talking about free will, thats NOT even in the bible anywhere. Thats television fast food Christianity, free will doesn’t even exist, only ones nature and presented opportunity. If you put a bowl of fruit in front of a lion, it has the opportunity to eat it, but he never will because its against his nature to do so. No man can even come to Christ unless the Father makes him go. so before I have to type out the entire bible in this discussion, please read it completely a least once.

    Reply
  19. Norbert
    Norbert says:

    Thank you friend for such a great insight.
    Definitely I don’t have an answer for the topics, just to express my point of view, please don’t get me wrong.
    In elaborate on this issues, God knew what will happen to the creations He make and God knew it is not wrong or mistake. Because if it is a mistake, we won’t be here by now.
    From Christian perspective:
    Out of Love He created the Angel and Men with free will. Sadly to say both failed to do God’s will. The difference is mens’ sin are forgiveable due to our weaknesses as a human but the angel don’t because they are spiritual being and far mightier in anyway. They have full aware of the consequences.
    God knew all this things to happen, as men with limited knowledge need God.
    God is Love and Love is God.
    Amen.

    Reply
  20. Joshua
    Joshua says:

    None of these answers….Answer the questions of why to my satisfaction. The worst explanations to me is free will or he wants to see if we will be obedient .As a human parent if I knew my child would suffer because I brought them to this world based on choices they made , born with a handicap, someone hurting them etc. I could not bear to see that happen. I personally would not have that child. I think the would be irresponsible as a parent . So I see 4 possibilities in my limited mind.
    1. The Bible is man made.
    2. The Bible is God made and the translations are incorrect.
    3. God is limited in knowing what happens after he creates .
    4. God knows exactly whats going to happen and dosent care. Ultimately no one knows. The Bible is an awesome book to live by. The principles is what I try to follow. Please feel free what your thoughts are.

    Reply
    • Roanna
      Roanna says:

      Personally, I agree with what this author has written. In relation to your comment, not having the child is just your opinion/something you would do.
      We just have to trust God because after all, the Bible never really gave an answer to this question.

  21. Ferdinand
    Ferdinand says:

    You nailed it! God is love! God wants to share to us that once upon a time, there was a loving God who created man, to show His love and forgiveness. After everything passes away, the Bible and all of creations, would be a story of once upon a time, there was God, who loved His creation, that despite all the evils it would commit, He continued to create them. What a loving Father. All for the glory of God.

    Reply
  22. Ferdinand
    Ferdinand says:

    That was question I have long time ago as I began to read the bible.God is love! God wants to share to us that once upon a time, there was a loving God who created man, to show His love and forgiveness. After everything passes away, the Bible and all of creations, would be a story of once upon a time, there was God, who loved His creation, that despite all the evils it would commit, He continued to create them. What a loving Father. All for the glory of God.

    Reply
  23. Manu
    Manu says:

    Even now i think, if all was planned, then y we r paid for our sins, which is planed by god. Does he want to show everytime that he is great full, by allowing us to sin, and we paying for sins, as his anger we see, and we asking mercy and then he gives mercy. Does this all doesn’t he doing to make that he is powerful?? And greatfull on us??

    Reply
  24. jd
    jd says:

    Rajsays:
    Oct 15, 2020 at 8:07 pm
    “Even if there is free will and love why did god cursed Adam and Eve and sent away from Eden. If he knows that his children are naughty, flaw and going to fail but still he loves then no father in the family throw away their kids. Instead they will try to explain and help the kids to understand. Once they understood they will not be the same old.”

    God told adam and and eve to not eat of the tree lest you surely die. Now as a parent if i tell my my child to not do something and i warn him that he will be punished (spanked, grounded etc) and he does it anyway and i refuse to do as i said as far a punishment, i have lied and the child knows this and will continue to do things beyond my instruction because he knows he can and will suffer no consequence. Therefore the bible tells us God cannot lie, he told them what they should not do and they did it. And im sure with a broken heart and sadness at their choice, but it was a freewill choice they made.So as any good father (parent) he follows thru with his punishment as he stated, they disobeyed and they suffered the consequences of their actions.

    Reply
  25. Ken Gray
    Ken Gray says:

    Hello,
    I just read your article about why God created flawed humans in the first place.
    In your 2nd theory God created man because He wanted a relationship with us. It might be my finite mind but, how could God want a relationship with what didn’t even exist yet. To me you can’t want a relationship with someone you don’t know exists already. Basically put, God would have had to already create humans before He could want a relationship with them. Thanks and May God Bless You, in Jesus name, Amen.

    Reply
    • Roanna
      Roanna says:

      I think it would be in the same way that we as humans want relationships with each other (whether it be romantic, platonic, etc). It’s kinda like He longed for a relationship (similar to the one we have with Him now) so He made it.

  26. Jim
    Jim says:

    I lost all faith today. It’s just one big game upstairs. too much suffering, this isn’t the way I would have created a world if I had the power God has

    Reply
    • Roanna G
      Roanna G says:

      God didn’t choose agony. We do when we reject Him.
      He is the God of love.
      He doesn’t want any of us to perish so he gave us a command. He commanded us to accept and trust Him and abide by His word. If we do these things, we won’t perish.

  27. Roanna G
    Roanna G says:

    God didn’t choose agony. We do when we reject Him.
    He is the God of love.
    He doesn’t want any of us to perish so he gave us a command. He commanded us to accept and trust Him and abide by His word. If we do these things, we won’t perish.

    Reply
  28. Peter
    Peter says:

    If he wanted us to decide for ourselves ,he would have consulted us before, so that freedom starts from there….

    Reply
  29. Abby
    Abby says:

    As I read through some of the comments, those who agreed with God will try their best to prove God is right, those who doubt will try their best to question the truth. If my daughter read my post in this comment, I want her to know that I am willing to give her the space and time to explore. I am not here to convince her to come back, but to learn from the father of the prodigal son. The patient, the grace, the mercy, the love, the anticipating hope for his love to return…yes, I have experienced that kind of waiting for me to return many years ago. And now I am going to do the same to my daughter…and yes I am anticipating the day when she runs back to my arm again, I will embrace her and tell her I hardly recall any of our disagreement on the topic of Faith…Love, mum

    Reply
  30. Amanda Romer
    Amanda Romer says:

    Thanks Leslie Koh for taking the time to try and answer such a question. Though I also wanted to point out that the land animals were also created on day six as well.

    Reply
  31. Martin C Houde
    Martin C Houde says:

    nice help full article. I can only speak for myself, that i have asked that same WHY US?, a thousand times, especially when i read and hear that GOD does not need humans to feel complete. then again i ask why, what’s the point. It’s gonna take some time to try to figure all this out in my head and heart. GOD WILLING…

    Reply
  32. George Manzuk
    George Manzuk says:

    After reading the article and trying to read all the comments nothing has changed in my thinking. God exists, and I so believe. Both the Father and the Son, (I want to avoid the Holy Spirit for my point) have absolute power. We are given to understand they exist outside/inside of time and space. They can then do whatever they choose.
    The author leaves out the rebellion of Lucifer and his Angels who very likely, I am speculating but within inductive reason, were the first of God’s created beings.
    But there are many more beings that God has created. Job clearly states that “There was a day, when the sons of God came to meet.” Adam was a son of God and he didn’t show up. He was dead, dust. Lucifer showed up claiming to be Prince of this world. The universe is full of God’s created beings and it appears our earth, and 1/3 of heaven’s angels, are the only entities in the universe in rebellion. That is a common biblical theme.
    As God said in Genesis, “Dust to dust.” Lucifer is a liar and told Eve, “You shall not surely die.” The point then is that God knew before creation ex nihilo, that there would be sin. It forever will be a mystery, that given God’s free choice universe, He still chose to create, what he knew a fore that as Paul states, “All creation groans.”
    From beginning to end, Jesus came to save the entire universe from sin, not just man. He died an eternal death on the cross to make the universe safe forever from sin. God clearly states, “Sin will not rise up a second time.”
    It’s quite simple then. There are 2 resurrections in the bible. First to eternal life, the second eternal death. Revelation plainly states that the fire (the second death where all the wicked cease to exist) takes place as the wicked try to storm the NJ on the surface of the earth. Then John sees a new heaven and a new earth, where no sin will ever exist again. Jesus has made the universe sin safe forever. That is most spectacular ending possible. Sin is eradicated forever from the universe. Given this fact, God says in Revelation, ‘As I live every knee shall bow showing the my creative power is fair, just, and beyond question’.
    But I still don’t like it, I didn’t ask to be born but “it is what it is.”

    Reply
  33. Melvin Ho
    Melvin Ho says:

    The answer to all our doubts is answered by God to Job in the last few chapters (38-42) of the book. There is no answer. God doesn’t give an answer to Job and does not need to – in spite of all that Job has suffered and lost, despite his innocence. God’s presence alone answers it all. No answer we offer today can satisfy all the doubts and question marks we have, but when we see God and hear him speak to us face to face, we need no more answers, we will have no more questions, no more doubts. The question of “why God?” is no longer even significant anymore and not even worth asking, and the question of “where are you, God” is silenced by His glorious, majesty presence. The fact that Christ suffered much more grievously and deeply for us despite his innocence should be satisfactory for us now, and we should not be asking for more – because that would be utterly outrageous. Suffering and injustice is not the end all and be all; if we know God, we would know He alone is. And if we don’t, we just need to read Scripture, or just refer to the Book of Job.

    Reply
  34. James Kisner
    James Kisner says:

    I like your assumptions…well thought out! But I think there is another reason why God created mankind when He knew he would rebel. And here it is…”God created mankind as an answer to sin.” God had another three choices when Lucifer sinned (as we read in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28). First, he could kill Lucifer but that would prove what Lucifer probably accused God of…that “He was a tyrant and wanted all the glory for Himself, thus, God was prideful.” Quite convincing since eventually Lucifer convinced a third of all the angels he was right. Therefore, Killing Lucifer was not a good option since God wants his creation to love him through faith, not fear! Second, God could just let Lucifer’s rebellion to continue and do nothing. That was not an option because God is a god of order and will not have His dominion in chaos. No, God had a third option…All heaven was looking on and wondering where this would go and who was right (I Cor 4:9). Two thirds of the angels did not side with Lucifer because the evidence was not sufficient that God was a tyrant. God had to implement His plan He developed in eternity past since He knew created beings would sin. He created mankind as the answer to sin. It is through mankind that He would work His plan and the second person of the Godhead came to this world as a man and paid the ultimate sacrifice to redeem us. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, all heaven and mankind could see the truth. God is just, loving, and faithful to His creation. He is not a tyrant and proved Lucifer would kill God if he could…and God proved He would die for His creation. The contrast between the character of God and that of Satan is revealed and the truth has been shown. There are no excuses for those who choose the way of sin.

    Reply
  35. Kathy King
    Kathy King says:

    I just found your answer to something I’ve been wondering about. I can’t get around the fact that God did himself create the tree of good and evil. God says he created all things, all. If so, that to me would be the things the Bible warns against.

    But I like your answer a lot. I had asked for help from God to see this more clearly with my finite mind and this site had the only answer to my question. I was thinking along these lines but couldn’t quite understand how I wanted to answer my question or how to study to answer it. Your site offered the only option to my question. Personally I think God sent me here. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

    Reply
  36. Perpetually Disappointed in Faith
    Perpetually Disappointed in Faith says:

    Reading this has left me quite down. I have been trying to ignore this question for a long time, but it’s on my mind all the time. I clicked on this article hoping to get a new insight that might help my mind rest, and I really appreciate your effort in coming up with a response, but now I feel more frustrated and deflated than before.

    I just don’t understand. When humans do something wrong out of a need for something, like steal food because they are poor and hungry, we are displeased with their actions but sympathetic to the person. When they do something wrong out of a mere desire (like dating someone that is abusive toward their child and not putting a stop to it), we condemn them and are disgusted and unable to understand them. When we look at the situation of God creating people (and angels) whom He knows will sin and hurt each other severely (rape, murder, slavery, genocide) or be hurt by the natural causes of living in a sin-broken world (cancer, etc.), we cannot say it was out of a need, because He does not have need of anything, so then it is purely out of His desire. This makes it so hard to understand. Did He really allow physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish for millenia just because He wanted to love someone and He wanted that someone to love Him back, even though He does not need that love to go on existing? And He knew that a human that loves Him will feel the guilt of sinning, and the weight of knowing that they will continue to sin until they die, no matter how hard they try to live the way He wants them to. He allowed that just to show someone who He is?

    Why won’t God just give us the peace of mind of explaining this, so that we can understand Him?

    It drives me crazy when people compare human parents to God. We create offspring because of the desire and imperatives He created us with, and we have no idea how they will turn out; you just try your imperfect best. God has no one designing Him or telling Him how to live, and He knows exactly how everyone will turn out. There are millions of people on this Earth that God created knowing that they will burn in Hell, suffering for eternity. He created that child, knowing that they won’t love him. Would you honestly create your son and daughter knowing for certain that their destiny is to be sold into sex slavery, or have cancer, or burn continuously without end? And should that child be grateful that you did, and feel that you love them?

    I just don’t understand and I wish that God would erase these tjoughts from my mind so that I can go on loving Him more fully and have peace, but I am tormented by these questions.

    Reply
  37. Dennis McClain
    Dennis McClain says:

    I’m not sure why Mankind, always wants to blame God, for what Mankind does here on earth. Satan is here to destroy us and have us turn from God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God created us in his image to be able to think, act and make choices on our own ability. It’s call Free Will only to make CHOICES, in our everyday life. We are to Glorify God and praise him, we are only here for a short amount of time, before we will spend eternity with with God in Paradise. So, the question is why did God chose this way. The reason, I believe is God is All perfect in every since of the word, in Holiness, Righteousness, in his Love, Mercy and Grace. God Attributes is all Perfect. To do anything else in creating Mankind, God would have had to create us Like God Himself. God is not going to share His God Likeness with anyone, Angels included. Since we do not have God’s ability to be Perfect like God, Mankind was going to sin somewhere in time and that was Adam & Eve. However, God gave us a way out of our sinful nature. Only a Perfect creation could save us, and that was Jesus Christ, God Himself to come to earth and shed his Blood on the Cross, so whoever Believes and Trust in Jesus Christ will have Eternal Life in Paradise with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

    Reply
  38. Kristen
    Kristen says:

    I knew when I read your “disclaimer” at the beginning of this article, that I would love this and that we could be friends in real life. This question is what I ask EVER SINGLE DAY. I just do. And I completely agree with you. This is just an aspect of faith. We, as finite creatures, cannot understand God. But we have to love Him and trust Him and really, He is worthy of the benefit of the doubt. Easier said than done with my nature, which seems to be ever questioning. But I do try to just raise the white flag to God, so to speak, and say You win. I love and trust You. Thanks for this article.

    Reply
  39. Timbo
    Timbo says:

    Glib pat answers will not cut it anymore. Nor will sitting in a pew on Sunday thinking you’re better than everyone else. I’m a Christian, I believe absolutely and am part of a Bible believing church.

    I’ve suffered for many years. So many awful things that I often am just going through the motions. Something has just happened that has knocked the stuffing out of me. Yet I doggedly persist in clinging to Jesus Christ! Why? Because no one makes it through this life without awful things happening now and then. I grew up on the cusps of real poverty in a big city in England. Struggled with depression, unemployment, dreadful ill health and financial struggles. But compared to many countries, we in the West enjoy better life chances than the majority of the rest of the world. Poor in some countries means destitution, hunger, persecution, ruthless exploitation and an early death.

    I now cling on to Christ because He has filled me with hope. I am glad He created me because I have loved and been loved, and I still love and am loved. Life is bigger than all the shadows, and God’s love was and is too big not to create the world and us. Reach out even if you suffer, even if none of it makes any sense, even if you just seem to exist.

    Reply
  40. BrianR
    BrianR says:

    Very well written article Leslie! My only discrepancy is your statement that we are God’s children and not his servants. Actually, we are both, as mentioned several times in Paul’s epistles. And then there is the well known scripture that declares that the greatest in God’s kingdom are the servants. Anyway, I hope that I have been helpful.

    Reply
  41. Elizabeth Bamford
    Elizabeth Bamford says:

    Thank you for attempting a tough topic. I wrestled with this question. But even deeper…. if Satan chose to rebel in heaven and became the tempter via the serpent on earth, clearly the option to sin has been available to heavens occupants as well as earth. Clearly God gave heavenly beings such as Lucifer choice as well. Which takes us back to the origin of choice for good or evil, BOTH originate with God himself! This is confronting for many christians. There actually is NO answer to any of these questions. When we say its all to give Glory to God is like saying God is narcistic. Creating to have more people worshiping and bowing down to Him but not regarding those left to suffer on earth. The millions who never have had opportunity to know Christ and are raped. Abused. Brutalized. Murdered. Tortured. The bible is written to explain Gods plan of redemption. There may be nuggests of revelation on this topic but still no real answers. We ask too much from the Bible. Just as an evolutionist needs a lot of faith to believe we evolved and a big bang happened and he now must live with human consequences, somehow being reasonably moral and focusing on helping humanity while others abandon that approach and say “lets live as comfortably as possible because at the end of the day its survival of the fittest”, the Christian also chooses, by faith, that God, one day, will reveal all. He has given us sufficient in scripture to trust, by faith, in His eternal power, love, grace, mercy and eternal kingdom. Cruelty on earth is a result of what humans do to humans. I have chosen Christ. Do I doubt at times? Yes? Do I suffer? Yes. Do I have answers to the above questions? No. But I do know that when Im in Gods presence, its supernatural. Its beyond human words or expression. Its beyond a feeling. Its a peace. An assurance. Just as science waits for more evidence, more knowledge, Ive chosen to wait for understanding. Right now I choose to love God and love others. Most readers would recognise the love others and care for one another part, but without God. Yet I know that God is love. So that is what comes first for me. Some may say naive. Foolish. But Ive checked out lots of options. For me, the just, in Christ, live by faith. Only by personally experiencing God does love make sense. Its my choice. Its our choice. So if you dont believe in God how do you explain love and hate? How do you then choose to live? Why blame God if He doesnt exist. Why be offended the the teachings of Christianity? Why bother trying to environmentally try and save the planet? For what? More greed and cruelty and suffering? If you do believe in God there needs to be no condemnation for those who dont because if you are free in Christ, if you have hope in etetnity, you will understand the pain, suffering and questioning of the non Christian and have grace and love towards them.
    Thanks again for taking a crack at this subject.

    Reply
  42. Michelle
    Michelle says:

    If God is all knowing , all being, all sufficient. He does not need to create something that he Needs to have a relationship with. Because then he would not have a desire to build a relationship with anything or one outside of the Trinity? If God created man for His enjoyment, would it not be sadistic if God to watch all the suffering, we did not ask to be here. Why would God need, or want us to choose to love him, when He does not need outside Love to feel complete. If we are created in Gods image, why do we as Humans feel the need to build relationships and build a relationship with God, as we have a void in us that can only be filled by a relationship with God.

    Reply
  43. Jonah
    Jonah says:

    Once again more people over thinking everything.
    For starters do we know how this planet works forsure? Nope we don’t know the outcome of anything, its all theory. The earth will be fine, its got all sorts of checks and balances. God created it so its beyond our understanding.
    As far and people go. Of course there are people that choose to walk with god, and people that don’t choose to.
    The reason for free will is god wants to know people chose to love him.
    Without choice that love would mean nothing.
    God knows that in order for him to truly love us it has to be because we choose to love him. Its mutual! Its as simple as having to creatures one has to love you, and the other went through a lots of difficult choices that would make things easier if it turned its back on you. Yet it still chose you. Of those two creatures would you love them equally? Would you respect them equally? No you wouldn’t So everytime a hurdle comes your way thank God for the honor of being able to choose his love!

    Reply
  44. Provien
    Provien says:

    Actually there should not be any question why God created us. We all human knows that AI is dangerous but still we are developing the same right? He created us so that we can live and taste the life…off course in a good way..so that we can do some meaningful.
    Only pesimestic can think in a negative way that why God has created us.
    Also we are the small creatures from the small tiny dust particle so called earth. We don’t even know 1% of universe and thinking about this question.

    Reply
  45. Faye Ann Witt
    Faye Ann Witt says:

    I think it all went wrong when Adam and Eve were created if humanity had never existed, nothing would’ve gone wrong cause you tell me, how are animals going to screw up this world the way we have? Nothing’s no possible way they could screw up this world the way we have and continue to do. Humanity aren’t nothing but a bunch of screw ups and that’s where God went wrong by creating humanity.

    Reply
  46. The Sad Fact
    The Sad Fact says:

    This definitely would have been a much better world if God didn’t punish many of us good innocent people.

    Reply
    • Jeanette
      Jeanette says:

      You have missed the point of this question and the simple uncomplicated reasoning that gives way to understanding, and without fault.
      We are not singled-out individually, we all suffer and sometimes as a nation of people.
      In the end the measure of what is a good person is not measured by you. So live your life, give love and find truth in the promise of time.

  47. Jeanette
    Jeanette says:

    Today I asked the question that you addressed in this well written and current addition to my anthology. Love, to be loved, and all by one’s own choice, without coercion, manipulation, or fear of consequence, is for me, acceptable and made understood.

    Reply
  48. Terri
    Terri says:

    I have to wonder what conversation God had with Adam and Eve- if he talked with Eve at all- about the forbidden food from the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. Obviously there was no extensive conversation. They knew what they couldn’t do but they didn’t know why. I wonder if God was the first one who said”Because I said so!” – otherwise known as parental invitation to open rebellion. This life, if you believe this story, is just a huge rabbit hole that we were forced to go down and there is no logical or rational explanation for it. Religions have taken the Bible and made it a list of rules and regulations all the while maintaining the benevolence of God in creating us to have the “free will” to love Him; then enumerating the many curses that will come upon you if you don’t. Religions have put God in a box, tied with a bow and commanded to remain in the box or be doomed to everlasting torment by the God who loves us unconditionally. Hmmm- I Know there is Creator and I know He is Pure Love. But that Religious Box is a killer…

    Reply
  49. Cecilio Sanders
    Cecilio Sanders says:

    Food for thought! Could it be a language issue or barrier? The wind blows, however, we cannot understand its language. The dog barks, however, we cannot understand their language. Humans speak and we can understand our language, even if it has to be interpreted or translated. Now, on to a different and higher language….God speaks and perhaps we cannot understand His language. Get to know your Creator and learn His language! Isaiah 55:8-9

    Reply
  50. JBZ
    JBZ says:

    I just want to know, how a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, above all the angels in the heavens, a creator, perfect in every way, and I assume smart, right? Anyway, how did this smart God devise a plan to create a beautiful garden with godly people with whom he could be in relationship, and screw up so mightily on his very first two humans? And then later on, when the world disappointed him, he attempted to start over with a flood and a family he judged fit to repopulate the earth, and got it totally wrong again! Why tempt Adam and Eve to begin with? Why set them up for failure? He’s smart – brilliant, I would think. Surely he could have found another way that they might use their free will without setting up the entire rest of the world for failure. I don’t know. I just don’t think this plan was well thought out. And Cecillio, if God loves us so much and wants us all to be saved and live with him in eternity, why speak a language we do not understand? Why put up barriers? It’s tough enough as it is.

    Reply

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