Why God Allows Evil

The Twin Towers come down on 9/11/2001

The favorite question that atheists love to ask those who believe in God is this one: "If a loving God truly exists, then why does he allow the existence of evil?"

Indeed, why does God allow evil to exist? That sounds like a reasonable question, doesn't it? 

According to this logic, a loving God isn't supposed to allow bad things to happen. Therefore, if the world is contaminated with evil, then there is no God because he would never permit it if he existed.

For the sake of atheists and their argument, let's assume that no God exists. Then who gets blamed for all the misery and evil that plagues the world?

Human beings. Atheists are then faced with two problems: (1) Why are some human beings evil? And (2) where does evil come from?

Atheists attempt to answer the first question by relying on Darwinian evolution. They claim that some folks are evil because they are born that way. Evolution has programmed evil into their genes.

However, if that's true then the theory of evolution contradicts itself because Darwin's theory of Natural Selection (Survival of the Fittest) teaches that evolution (random, unintelligent forces) is supposed to eliminate the unfit. 

Those who are evil and commit destructive acts against others shouldn't exist if Darwin's theory is true. But evil people do exist as they've existed since the dawn of history. Evolution then--if it's true--provides no explanation for the presence of evil in the world.

Then where does evil come from? The Bible reveals that it comes from the free will that God has given to mankind. Evil comes from sin which entered the human race at the beginning of time when the first couple Adam and Eve defied God by eating fruit they were commanded not to. (Genesis 3)  

Since that time, the sinful nature has infected every human being that has ever lived. That sinful nature is firmly planted in every human heart (Jeremiah 17:9) and has been the cause of all the bloodshed, violence, murders and wars throughout history. In fact, in his epistle to the early Roman Church, the apostle Paul revealed what human beings are truly like in their sinful, fallen state. (Romans 1:18-32)

Still, the question that begs to be answered: Why does God allow evil to exist in the world? Because we are all sinners who "fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) As such, in our sinful state, we live on this earth under God's wrath and unprotected from evil and its consequences.

Nevertheless, God has offered us the ultimate path of escape and protection from evil through His Son Jesus Christ who came into this world in the form of a human being to take away our sins by His death on the cross: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Not only does Christ remove the eternal death penalty for sin when we truly confess Him as Lord and devote our lives to Him, but He also protects us from evil. (Psalm 91)

And so, evil isn't God's choice--it's man's choice. If human beings weren't given a free will by God, then atheists would have a legitimate beef against Him. But they don't. And they never will.