Why doesn’t God stop the evil in this world?

So many have asked the question; Why doesn’t God stop the evil in this world? But the question reveals how little those that ask this question know of the God of the Bible. The very question begs for another question. What is love? The God abundantly described in scripture is an omnipotent (all powerful) God who will not violate the tenants and boundaries that He Himself has established. We all know that God is love (1John 4:16) but do we know that His love does not demand the object of His love to reciprocate, to be forced to love Him back? This would be impossible (to force us to love Him) because it would violate the boundaries He has set for Himself and in this we find our answers to many of life’s troubling questions. Why will God not interdict in this world’s evils speaks directly to those that have chosen not to love Him.

Some scoff at this idea because they choose to ignore what is plainly revealed before their very eyes. They insist that God intervene when evil is present but they also say that they don’t want God to intervene in their choices, even though they also may be evil and destructive. This idea of freewill is easily understood if the roles were reversed. If the one asking the question; Why doesn’t God force Himself on this world was omnipotent as God is would that individual force people to love him and thereby stop the evil perpetrated in this world? Would those people then freely love that individual in return and not do the evil we all see and experience? I think not.

The scriptures tell us that fear is the beginning of knowledge. But after we begin to understand Him we must continue to pursue Him. God has offered us knowledge of Him which is abundantly available and easily retrieved but even more than this He has given us His Holy Spirit which allows us to experience His love and have access to His mind and heart. We have to move beyond rudimentary questions and go deeper if we are to understand why we are here on this planet and have answers to those that are asking; Why doesn’t God stop the evil in this world?

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