Why is there evil in the world?

I have no problem whatsoever with the idea that Adam had a free will before the fall.

I think that what is commonly thought of as free will probably never existed but that Adam was not forced to do one or the other is perfectly true.

But, dear brethren and sisters, it is the contention of some of you that God designed Adam with a free will so that God could be loved. Was God lonely? Was the love within the trinity that he experienced in eternity past deficient in some way?

And you still have this problem that God is planning for the existence of evil. He knows what Adam is going to do with that free will, doesn't he. But he gives it to him any way.

So all of the pain and suffering, all of the rape and murder and hell, you still have God designing the world that it might come to pass.

But I implore you to consider that your motive in God for so doing is infinitely less glorious. It is not that Christ might be magnified for grace forever by countless multitudes- Your motive in God is because God wanted to be loved by the free will of man.

 

According to the theopedia http://www.theopedia.com/Hyper-Calvinism historic Calvinism is contrasted with hyper Calvinism as follows:

Jonathan Edwards was a historic Calvinist as am I.

 

Exactly!

How could he have demonstrated that kind of love for sinners without- sin?

God is not the source of sin- that is not what any Calvinist contends. But he planned it to come into being, he orchestrated the universe such that it might exist for the very reason that you yourself site.

 

Not his primary motive- not so. His primary motive is glory.

But let's assume for a moment that you are right.

How could God have displayed such love, exercised such love as was needed to save sinners- without evil?

There is no infinite display of love at Calvary, there is no lavishing saved sinners with infinite love forever- without the existence of evil.

We will experience a love forever that angels will never know- because of evil and our having been saved from it.

 

I don't have a problem with that. I don't necessarily agree but I will grant you that.

But please try to consider that God COULD have designed a world so that Adam would never have chosen to sin.

God could have designed Lucifer such that he would never have become covetous.

But he didn't.

When he designed Heaven and all her creatures and when he designed the universe he KNEW EXACTLY EVERY SINGLE OUTCOME OF HIS DESIGN. If there was any particular outcome that God did not want he could have tweaked his creation so that that unwanted aspect not come to pass.

But he designed it all exactly like it was knowing exactly what would come of it. That means of logical NECESSITY that he planned for all things to happen just as they happened.

This does not mean that he likes everything that has happened in and of itself- but that he planned it for the greater good.

 

Tell me which ones of the following statements you agree with, disagree with or are not sure, please.
_______________________________
God knew what would be every single outcome of the creation he designed before he designed it.

God could have designed it in such a way as to avoid evil and suffering ever coming into being.

God has a purpose for everything he does.

Grace could not be displayed without evil.

Mercy could not be displayed without sinners who need it; sin was necessary for sinners to exist.

The cross is the central focus of the Bible and the most important event in the history of the universe.

Sin was necessary for Christ to die on the cross for sins.

The cross was God's plan before he built the universe.

_______________________

Please identify whether you agree, disagree or do not know beside each of these statements.

 

Tell me which ones of the following statements you agree with, disagree with or are not sure, please.
----------------------
God knew what would be every single outcome of the creation he designed before he designed it.

God could have designed it in such a way as to avoid evil and suffering ever coming into being.

God has a purpose for everything he does.

Grace could not be displayed without evil.

Mercy could not be displayed without sinners who need it; sin was necessary for sinners to exist.

The cross is the central focus of the Bible and the most important event in the history of the universe.

Sin was necessary for Christ to die on the cross for sins.

The cross was God's plan before he built the universe.
-----------------

Please identify whether you agree, disagree or do not know beside each of these statements.

 

Should we sin that grace may abound? God forbid.


I noticed you didn't answer any of the questions. Would you rather Christ never be fully glorified for his grace and mercy so that people never experience evil???

Tell me which ones of the following statements you agree with, disagree with or are not sure, please.
_______________________________
God knew what would be every single outcome of the creation he designed before he designed it.

God could have designed it in such a way as to avoid evil and suffering ever coming into being.

God has a purpose for everything he does.

Grace could not be displayed without evil.

Mercy could not be displayed without sinners who need it; sin was necessary for sinners to exist.

The cross is the central focus of the Bible and the most important event in the history of the universe.

Sin was necessary for Christ to die on the cross for sins.

The cross was God's plan before he built the universe.

_______________________

Please identify whether you agree, disagree or do not know beside each of these statements.

 

Then are you just going to drive by post? Are you not going to address arguments?

Are you just going to post banging head posts and snippy comments from now on?

Because that is not debate.

You are not being manipulated. These are extraordinarily simple questions to answer.