God Ordained It

One question I have written about in the past is one that most, if not all people have thought about even if they haven't asked it for themselves.  "Did God create evil?"

That's an honest question, considering the fact that evil is present with us in the world.  Even more so when we read in scripture that ... "by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him."  (Colossians 1:16)

I don't know if evil can be considered a thing, or a power.  I know it has power.  Evil is invisible when it is hidden in the heart of man.  We only see the visible results of evil when released upon the earth.

We talk about an evil heart, an evil thought or an evil deed.  So, what is evil?  Without question it is the opposite of good.  It is something harmful or undesirable ... like immorality, wickedness, and depravity.  Spiritually it relates to sin and evil deeds done because of man's fallen nature.

Does God "do" evil?  The answer must always be the same ... no.  God is incapable of performing evil.

But what about the Westminster Confession of Faith which states ... "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass."

If God ordains everything that comes to pass, including things that are evil ... are we saying that God ordains evil?  The biblical answer must be ... yes.  If God did not ordain evil, there would be no evil, because God is sovereign.

Part of the problem we have believing God ordains evil is because we don't understand the word ordain.  We need to understand it before we can believe it.

The normal everyday meaning of "ordain" for us today, is that someone in authority can: "order or decree something, determine, prescribe a path, or put in order ... the arrangement or disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method."

As far as how "ordain" relates to God, man has a misconception ... an opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding.  I found this statement by R.C. Sproul, (my favorite Bible teacher) which helps explain our faulty thinking.  He says ...

"We trip and stumble over the word ordain.  We think that affirming divine ordination of all things must mean that God either does evil or imposes it on righteous creatures, forcing innocent people to do sinful deeds.  No.  He ordained that His creatures should have the capacity for evil.  He did not force them to exercise that capacity, but He knew that they would exercise it."

I suppose one could say that because God gave man ... "a free will" ... that means God ordained sin.  And I suppose that's a fair analysis, because if God would have stopped Adam's original sin, there would have been no sin. 

R.C. Sproul covers Adam's original sin as well ... "But God, for reasons known only to Himself, made the decision to let it happen.  God did not sanction it, but He did not stop it.  In choosing not to stop it, He ordained it."

We just don't know why God allowed evil in the world.  But we do know that when God ordains anything, His purpose is always for good.  Am I saying that evil is good?  No.

But I am saying that evil exists, only because in His sovereignty, God had a purpose in ... ordaining it.  Evidently, God has esteemed it good that evil should be allowed to happen in this world. 

When God ordains all things, including evil, He works through all things to bring about His end purpose.  The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28 ... "And we know that all things work together for good ..."  Not some things, all things.  Including evil?  Why not?

This scripture does not say that all things are good.  They're not. 

Paul is saying that a sovereign, loving God has appointed all things ... including evil ... that work together for good.  Therefore I can walk in His ordained will for me, and the end result will be just as David said in Psalms 23:6 ...

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

That's another thing God ordained.