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CHIC2K3 Speaker Tackles 'Good vs. Evil' Dilemma
KNOXVILLE, TN (August 4, 2003) - Given the precarious political situation
throughout the world and wars in the Middle East and Africa, the problem of
evil in the world has been a popular discussion topic in the secular media.
The topic is also important to high school students, as evidenced by a
crowded seminar room at CHIC2K3. Covenant Bible College (CBC) President
Neil Josephson presented one of the Focus seminars on Friday morning,
examining the problem of evil in a world ruled by a powerful God.
Josephson noted four key considerations in discussing the problem of evil:
- God exists
- God is all-powerful
- God is "all good"
- Evil exists
Many people cannot imagine that all four of these statements are true,
Josephson said. "God is the best explanation for the universe and the way
the universe is," the CBC president said in response. "We have to make some
faith judgments either way (regarding the problem of evil). "But I think
God makes a lot of sense."
In addressing the question of whether or not God actually exists, Josephson
observed, "I think evil and suffering is ONLY a problem if there's a God.
If this world is blunt, spiritless . . . with no destination, why should we
be surprised at the existence of random evil? And I believe that if you
leave God out you have another problem - the problem of good. Why is there
good at all? The existence of God raises the question (of evil) and also
answers the question."
In discussing the "God is all-powerful" statement, Josephson brought up the
plots of some recent movies and used the analogy of creation and the birth
process to explain his point. His point? Once something (a world, a child)
is born, there is the possibility that something can either go well or
poorly. "We can either live in harmony with God or in disharmony," he said.
"You can't have it both ways . . . that's not a limit on God, that's
intrinsic about creation."
As he talked about whether an 'all good' God was overseeing the world,
Josephson said, "Perhaps the issue is not God's goodness but our
understanding of good. What is good? Who defines 'good?' Can something be
good for all people? Is there any good in suffering? Sometimes a narrow
view of good says that if it hurts it must not be good. Sometimes good
requires some character building and endurance and pain.
"Sometimes we think this world is all there is and that everything that is
good entails what is being done in this life," Josephson continued. "The
Bible teaches that for followers of Jesus, this is not all there is. For
example, not every prayer we pray for healing can be answered - we're too
trapped in our earthly thinking. And since we're all evil, if God did away
with all evil, who would be here? Perhaps the issue is not good, but our
understanding of it."
In pursuing the premise that evil exists, Josephson proposed that "evil is
not a thing, but the absence of good, or as St. Augustine said, 'disordered
good.'" Before finishing the seminar, Josephson suggested five ways that
Christians can deal with the problem/reality of evil, including:
- Strive not to add to the evil of the world; rather, get involved with
issues that matter
- Seek to incarnate Jesus' compassion because there are people everywhere
who are hurting
- Pray that God will bring good out of stuff (Romans 8:28)
- Understand that this world is in motion . . . and if tragedy happens,
ask how can this extend the grace of Jesus
- Beyond explanations, we can offer Jesus, the source of all truth and
healing and grace
"God has created us and God has created a world that is perfect," Josephson
said. "But the universe has been tainted by evil. The amazing thing is the
message in the Bible. God became flesh and dwelt among us. He entered our
world and experienced our pain to give us hope, both in this world and
outside of it."
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