For the past several years I have grown as an academic seeking to eventually become a philosopher and theologian. In all of my studies there is one subject that has particularly captured my attention. This subject captures my attention not only as an academic, but as a person who has fallen victim many times to the never-ending onslaught of corruption, pain, and suffering that pierces through all mental and emotional barriers I may try to hide behind. The problem I am referring to is the problem of evil. Christian philosophers call it the “problem” of evil because evil is perhaps the hardest thing to truly reconcile with a biblical worldview of God. This has been the case for centuries. But the reason I am writing this blog post is not to discuss any logical or philosophical issue; I am writing this post because of the personal “problem” of evil that we all face.

 

Although I have only been trying to figure out this thing called “life” now for 26 years, I look back and marvel at how evil has wreaked havoc in my short life. I have learned much about evil through my vast exposure to historical readings, current events, etc. But nothing has taught me more about evil than evil itself. Evil impacts us in a variety of ways. From a biblical worldview we learn that evil is the reason for everything from discomfort to pain and suffering to death. The power and cunning nature of evil in this world is something that is so hard for me to fathom. In one moment, I find myself the victim of evil as I experience excruciating pain whether it be spiritual pain, emotional pain, physical pain, mental pain, or all of the above; however, while I find myself doing battle with evil’s unending onslaught of torture, I then find myself acting as evil’s agent. Perhaps, even being the cause of pain and suffering in the life of another. Evil uses me to do its bidding and then punishes me with guilt and suffering of my own. This conundrum I sometimes find myself in is overwhelming. The more I seek to control the evil in my life the more I find it is more cunning than I. The more I run from its pain and suffering the more I realize that it is rooted deep within my own heart and mind. The more I try and ignore it the more evil uses other people or the circumstances surrounding me to attack me. Evil in this world is relentless.

 

The Bible teaches us that there are three kinds of evil in the world: natural evil, moral evil, and supernatural evil. I want to look at each of these independently:

 

 

This is when evil causes pain and suffering in our lives by utilizing natural processes that are usually out of our control. There is great pain that comes through natural evil. I have been acquainted with people who have either personally suffered, died, or had loved ones who died because of the natural evil in this life. There have been people killed or permanently disabled because of the injuries they sustained in violent storms or earthquakes. Many people have suffered with debilitating diseases. Others have been robbed of their sanity because of extreme mental illness. One consistent thing about evil, is that it plays no favorites and has no compassion. I think of small children who will never know the beauties and joys of life because they will eventually die of cancer at the age of 6 in St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The continual incursion of natural evil into our personal lives brings pain and suffering of all kinds. Natural evil is usually blunt, confrontational, and straightforward. But its attacks can bring a lifetime of turmoil and fear.

 

 

This form of evil is very personal, and it is the form of evil that we are all most familiar with. Moral evil is evil that is carried out by another “moral” agent. You and I are moral agents and, unfortunately, evil has corrupted our minds, our hearts, and our wills. Moral evil brings a new level of pain to our lives. This is because it is carried out by another person, often times a person that we know and have a relationship with. Of course, there are more impersonal forms of moral evil that we regularly hear about. Turn on the television and you will hear of mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Hitler and Stalin murdered millions without remorse. The September 11^th terrorists carried out the murder of thousands all in name of a false god named Allah, who supposedly sees humanity as his slaves. These examples may upset us and sadden us, but they are not always as personal. But more times than not, moral evil comes from those people we know, and even those we love. The sinful choices of free moral persons have caused the destruction of marriages and families, caused strife and divisions, caused murders and suicides, broken hearts, split churches and have in many cases instilled a spirit of distrust, pain, and cynicism within a person’s heart for the rest of his or her life. I can look back in my own life and still feel the pain caused by those who betrayed my trust or injured me in some way. This type of pain hurts worse than most because it comes from other people. People make conscious choices that seem to be designed to satisfy their own ego, lust, or selfishness; but all of this is gained at the expense of other people’s emotions, heart, and love.

 

But this is not all. There are times in my life when I have wanted to cease my fight against evil. There have been times when I was left in total despair and wanted to just give up. Oh, not because of the pain and suffering that evil caused me through the lives of others, but because of the frightful realization that the very evil I grew to hate in the lives of others is in my own heart and soul. You see, I realized long ago that when I would be hurt by a person, a lust for revenge and an attitude of disdain would rise up within my heart. My mind, being driven by these emotions would only think in a narrow way. I would only think of that person in an evil light. I would define the person by their crime against me. My pride and selfishness were intensified because of the pain I experienced. Often times moral evil will hurt us and then use us to hurt another. But even then, evil is not done with us. The guilt that sets in after we realize how we have been used of evil brings a sense of worthlessness and depression to our emotions. The Bible tells us that guilt is woven into the nature of human beings because of sin. All people experience guilt. The two primary existential consequences of sin are death and guilt. This guilt is powerful, because even though evil is grounded into the depths of my soul and heart I cannot escape the fact that it cannot make me do anything. Every time I am used by evil to do its bidding, it is because I have chosen to allow it.

 

Moral evil is insidious, pervasive, invasive, and relentless. At times the pain and/or guilt that comes from its attacks seem unbearable. They leave us with little recourse, wisdom, or knowledge about how to respond. Either we don’t know how to respond to the pain when we are the victim, or we don’t know how to deal with the guilt when we find we are the problem. There are times I feel like the Psalmist in Psalm 88:3-6 who cries out “For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Hell. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand. You have put me in the depths of the pit, in the regions dark and deep.”

 

 

This is the final form of evil. It is also the one that is darker than any other and one that is the most difficult for us to comprehend. Supernatural evil refers to that evil that is perpetrated by Satan and his demonic forces. Many passages of Scripture reference this type of evil as the evil that governs over the other two. Paul states in Ephesians 6:11-12 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” The Apostle Peter describes Satan as “a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour.” In Revelation 12, Satan is described as the great red dragon who makes war against the saints of God. Spiritual warfare is real. Satan is going to attack you if you serve Christ. Every time you try and live for Christ, obey him more, love him more, live peaceably with others, serve his church, live a sanctified life, or trust in the blessings and Word of God, I promise he will attack you. Even after preaching about such things with confidence I find myself his target.

 

Satan will attack us in a variety of ways. Like in the Garden of Eden Satan may, with subtleness, tempt you with moral evil. He may appeal to you in a way that pleases your flesh. He wants you to sin against your God, and then he himself will torment you with guilt and accusations stronger than your conscience ever could. At other times, Satan will bring a direct confrontation. He stirs up strife and trouble either in your life or in lives of those you love. He will bring the fiery darts of emotional pain, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, despair, anger, vengeance, pride, selfishness, and unbelief. He will try and attack the very faith you have in God. His goal is to destroy you and any confidence you have in God, his goodness, and his trustworthiness. Satan and his forces of darkness are real actors who are the enemies of God. As Satan’s time grows shorter, he will only intensify his attacks upon God’s people. He seeks to cripple the church by attacking its leaders and those who walk closely with God.

 

This form of evil is so painful because Satan has the ability to put thoughts into our minds which will torment us. He will use the elements of the earth to entice us so he might get a chance to destroy us. He attacks us on so many different levels and from so many different approaches. Perhaps the reason why this form of evil is so personal is because Satan studies us. He knows who we are, and he knows what we fear. He uses this knowledge to customize his attacks. He will try to blind you from reality by continuing to distract you with the problems you face. He wants you to focus upon him and his trouble so much that the problem makes God seem like a distant echo. His goal is not merely the destruction of your peace, but of your soul.

 

 

The solution to our “problem” of evil is found in Christ alone. This may sound cliché, and unfortunately, it is treated as such at times. Sometimes I find myself so overcome by guilt, sorrow, mental distraction, emotional confusion, and spiritual torment that I fail to put my trust in Christ. The great irony of my spiritual life is this: I trust Christ with the salvation of my soul and life after death but fail so often to trust him with the minor problems of this life. I believe he’ll take me to Heaven when I cross the chilling waters of death yet fail to trust him with the evil inclinations of my mind and the guilt of my heart. There are times I would swear I am a spiritual schizophrenic!

 

Christ is the solution to all the evil of my life. Now, what I am about to say may make you stop and think for a minute. But consider the following logic: evil can only exist because “good” exists. We know something is evil because we know that its opposite is good. Evil is understood by comparison. Consider light and darkness. We understand what darkness is because we know what light is. Evil and good work the same way. This means that for all the dark depths of evil, there is a “good.” In fact, there is a greater goodness because God is good, and he is infinite in his attributes, including goodness. Why is this important? Because it reminds me that no matter my sin, my pain and suffering, my mental frailties, emotional turmoil, and spiritual waywardness, my God’s infinite goodness, love, mercy, and grace surpass them all. The New Testament teaches us that if we trust in Jesus, then we are identified with him. God the Father does not see my wickedness when he looks at me. All he sees is the righteousness of Christ the Son which I am now identified with. As we are reminded in Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” This brings joy for me because I know that my own wickedness has been paid for. But also, because even the moral evil in other’s lives is redeemable. No amount of moral evil can stand against the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

 

But it is not just moral evil that is doomed for defeat. Natural evil is temporary. All the pain and suffering that exists in this world will one day be gone! The Bible teaches us that there is a cosmic redemption that God is working to accomplish. He will one day consummate his kingdom and redeem all creation from the corruption of sin. The very end of the biblical narrative reveals the glories of this coming day (Revelation 21-22).

 

But finally, and most importantly, the devil has lost the war. He is defeated and his time is short. Revelation 12 and Revelation 20 emphasize the promise that Satan has been defeated and he will one day pay for all his crimes. He may torment you and I now, but the Lord will see to it that he will pay for every bit of evil that he dishes out toward us now. For all eternity, Satan will experience the wrath of Almighty God. The suffering and pain you and I currently experience will be handed back to Satan while we are standing, with no more tears, before the Lamb of Glory.

 

Evil is a part of my life, but I can sing the song of the redeemed. I don’t know what the readers of this blog post may be currently encountering. Perhaps you find yourself feeling crippled against the onslaught of attacks that evil has brought you. But take a step back and remember something: this is God’s world and his reality. You are a part of his good creation and he made you in his image for the purpose of bringing him glory through an intimate relationship with him. The evil of this world is bigger and more powerful than you will ever be. In fact, the evil of this world may be stronger than your faith. But it is not anywhere close to power of the infinite God. God has promised us grace for the battle. God has provided us with the ordinary means of grace: The Bible, prayer, the church, etc. He gave us these because he uses them as the means by-which he exercises grace. We are not alone and helpless in this world. Through this post I have made myself vulnerable by exposing my own battle with evil. But it is my hope that perhaps this exposure will demonstrate to someone else that they are not alone.

 

God bless you all!