Answering the Problem of Evil
Background
Introduction
This is one of the most common objections to Christianity. It comes in many forms, but most commonly you may hear, “Why would a good God allow evil?”, or “Why do innocent people suffer?” Most people have had a thought similar to this in their lifetime whether, Christian or not. It can be difficult to answer because it seems so apparent that there is evil in this world, and naturally who would want evil and suffering?
However as Christians we can be confident that we have an answer, multiple at that, and our worldview actually better explains and addresses the concern than any other.
One important thought that should always be in your mind when addressing this question is empathy. Many people may be raising this question as an intellectual one, thinking there is a paradox, however many more, if not all, will also come from an experiential angle, where they themselves have experienced evil or suffering in some form or another. It is very important that we acknowledge the emotions that may come with this question and therefore answer it with empathy in every one of our words.
Before we address how to answer, lets briefly take a look at what The Bible has to say about this.
What The Bible Says
What does The Bible have to say about Why evil and suffering is in the world?
Genesis 3:17 — [After Adam and Eve eat of the fruit, and God curses the serpent]… cursed is the ground because of you.
Romans 5:12 — Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.
Genesis 50:20a — As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.
John 9:1-3 — As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
What does The Bible have to say about God’s understanding of evil/suffering?
John 1:14 — The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
John 9:1-3 — As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Hebrews 2:18 — For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted
Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
John 11:35 — Jesus wept. [For the passing of his friend Lazarus]
Psalms 34:18 — The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
2 Corinthians 8:9a — For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor…
What does The Bible have to say about God’s response to evil/suffering?
Acts 17:31a - He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness.
Romans 8:21 - that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Revelation 21:5 - And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 22:3a - No longer will there be anything accursed
Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
How to Answer
Attitude
As previously mentioned, this objection should be treated with care, we don’t want to “word vomit” out an explanation, preaching at them “all the right answers.” We want to be slow and considerate, acknowledge there is suffering and evil, acknowledge it sucks, acknowledge that everyone goes through it. This goes a long way.
Next, stay humble, we cannot know for certain why God would choose to do anything, but we can provide a thoughtful explanation for the ways things are, and acknowledge what Christianity teaches about it. Knowing we come from a place of humility helps our message land on sincere ears.
Content
Once you have set the stage, the most powerful fact you can state is thus:
If Christianity is true, then the God of The Bible understands suffering very personally; becoming a man, walking among us, experiencing an array of human emotions, and ultimately choosing to voluntarily suffer and lay down His life.
You can use any of the verses above under the “God’s Understanding” section
Feel free to add or expand on any points here. Just be aware over expanding may result in follow-up questions, if this happens, make sure you confirm whether or not you helped answer their doubts regarding this before moving on.
This is an excellent way to start and plays off well with the humility you have hopefully shown initially, as Jesus humbles himself when he takes on human flesh (Philippians 2:6-11).
Next, you can hopefully wrap up with either or both of the following ideas based on how long you have, or what seems to be resonating.
Reiterate that we cannot know for certain why God might allow evil and suffering, but we can acknowledge that without evil in this world, some even greater things could never exist. For example without suffering, compassion couldn’t exist, without fear, bravery couldn’t exist, without loss, there would be no sacrifices (Soul Building Argument).
Here you can reference John 15:13 (No greater love than laying down ones life for friends) or Genesis 50:20 (see above)
If Christianity is true, God will restore all those who trust in him, those people will have eternal life, and all their tears shall be wiped away. Any and all pain and suffering lived in this life will be microscopic compared to eternal life.
Additional Content and Comments/Notes
“If Christianity is true” can be a helpful tool to use when discussing Christian Theology particularly with non-believers. Using it puts less pressure on the discussion to turn into an debate by turning your statement into something contextual to Christianity, instead of something competing their worldview and hence something they may not agree with. Additionally, Christianity’s strength lies in having amazing explanatory power, so by using “If Christianity is true” also helps again to show that Christianity is giving an explanation, not you as a person.
Referencing Genesis 3’s “fallen world” can be tremendously helpful when discussing this with other Christians, or even Jews and Muslims, however many non-believers may not be as accepting of this idea as it can come off as “cliche” or “convenient” and relies on narratives from Genesis which cannot necessarily be supported extra biblically. Compare Genesis’ narrative to something like Jesus’ Crucifixion which is attested even by Roman and Jewish historians. Consider this and use the argument when appropriate.
Free Will is also a great explanation, as it appeals to our sinful human natures and how we as humans genuinely contribute to much of the suffering in the lives of others. The limitations with this argument while very appealing are that it does not address “Natural Evils” such as natural disasters, diseases, or animal suffering. Additionally some worldviews don’t even agree we have Free Will and as such this argument falls flat unless you want to go deep into a philosophical discussion on why Free Will has good explanatory power. Again just take this consideration and use this argument when appropriate as it is great in general and casual discussions.
Additional Resources
Worksheets
Feel free to use any and all worksheets below for yourself or in an apologetics group setting
Videos
Some good video resources created by others that may benefit you. If you come across a video reacting to someone, pause it after the objection is made, and try out answering the question yourself before the reactor responds.
Wes Huff on The Problem of Evil (8 minutes)
Cliffe Knechtle Responds to “Why does God allow evil and suffering?” (1 minute)
John Lennox on How do we deal with The Problem of Evil? (5 minutes)
Inspiring Philosophy on The Problem of Evil: A Christian Response (55 minutes)
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