The Problem of Evil
Understanding the Problem of Evil: Epicurus Answered
"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" - Epicurus
The solution to Epicurus’ problem of evil has to do with the character of God. Epicurus failed to consider all of the many attributes of God. He only considered two of them - the omnipotence and the goodness of God. Epicurus did not consider the sovereignty, glory, perfection, omniscience, wisdom, holiness, justice, love, mercy, grace, and many other attributes of God. Learn more on the Attributes of God page.
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Pertinent Scripture Text
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“The LORD has made everything for His purpose—even the wicked for the day of disaster.” Proverbs 16:4
Note: The "day of disaster" here is referring to Judgment Day, the day of reckoning when all of us must stand before God to be held accountable for what we have done with the lives He has given us.
“So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 13:49-50
“Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15
“Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand, not by works but by Him who calls, she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ So it is written: ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not! For He says to Moses: ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. One of you will say to me, ‘Then why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?’ But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did You make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use? What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—” Romans 9:11-23
Read these passages in other languages: Proverbs 16:4 • Matthew 13:49-50 • Revelation 20:11-15 • Romans 9:11-23