Understanding God's Sovereignty Amidst the Problem of Evil

Devotional

Day 1: The Reality of Evil

Evil is a pervasive reality that manifests in various forms—natural, moral, supernatural, and eternal. It affects every aspect of human existence, revealing the depth of human depravity and the need for divine intervention. Understanding the nature of evil helps us recognize its impact on our lives and the world around us. Despite its presence, evil is not outside God's sovereign control. This understanding challenges us to see beyond the immediate effects of evil and to trust in God's ultimate plan for redemption and restoration. [13:07]

"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way." (2 Thessalonians 2:7, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a recent event in your life where you encountered evil or suffering. How can you seek God's perspective and trust in His sovereignty in that situation today?

Day 2: God's Sovereignty

God's sovereignty extends over all creation, including evil. He is neither surprised nor thwarted by evil; rather, He uses it to fulfill His divine purposes. This sovereignty is a source of comfort, assuring us that God is in control and that evil will ultimately serve His glory. Recognizing God's sovereignty invites us to rest in His wisdom and to find peace in the knowledge that nothing happens outside His will. [22:45]

"The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble." (Proverbs 16:4, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you struggle to see God's control. How can you actively surrender this area to His sovereignty and trust in His plan?

Day 3: The Purpose of Evil

God wills evil to exist for His glory, using it to demonstrate His righteousness, love, wrath, and grace. This understanding shifts our perspective from questioning God's goodness to marveling at His wisdom and purpose. Through evil, God reveals aspects of His character that would otherwise remain hidden, inviting us to deepen our understanding of His divine nature. [46:20]

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." (Genesis 50:20, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced something difficult that later revealed God's purpose. How can you apply this understanding to current challenges you face?

Day 4: The Display of God's Attributes

The presence of evil allows for the full display of God's attributes. Without evil, we would not fully comprehend God's righteousness, love, or wrath. This demonstration of His character is for His glory and our understanding, inviting us to worship and trust in His divine plan. By recognizing the role of evil in revealing God's attributes, we are encouraged to deepen our relationship with Him and to grow in our faith. [51:16]

"For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all." (Romans 11:32, ESV)

Reflection: Think about an attribute of God that has become more evident to you through a difficult experience. How can you praise God for this revelation today?

Day 5: Our Response to God's Sovereignty

Recognizing God's sovereignty over evil should lead us to worship and trust. We are called to glorify God for His wisdom and grace, knowing that He has chosen us for His purposes. Our lives should reflect gratitude and awe for His redemptive plan, as we participate in His grand design to glorify Himself through His creation. This response invites us to live with intentionality, seeking to align our lives with God's will and to reflect His glory in all we do. [57:45]

"Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." (1 Peter 4:19, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you intentionally glorify God in your daily life, especially in the face of challenges? How can you encourage others to see God's sovereignty in their lives?

Sermon Summary

In addressing the profound issue of the Problem of Evil, I explored the tension between the existence of a good, holy, and sovereign God and the pervasive presence of evil in the world. This dilemma often serves as a stumbling block for skeptics and theological liberals who struggle to reconcile the God of the Bible with the reality of evil. The question is often framed as a logical contradiction: if God is all-loving, all-knowing, and all-powerful, how can evil exist? The conclusion some draw is that the God of the Bible does not exist. However, I argue that this is a misunderstanding of both the nature of God and the purpose of evil.

Evil, in its various forms—natural, moral, supernatural, and eternal—is an undeniable reality. Yet, God exists as the sovereign Creator who is in control of all things, including evil. Theodicy, the defense of God's righteousness in the face of evil, is not about rescuing God from a caricature but understanding His divine purpose. God wills evil to exist, not as its author, but as part of His sovereign plan to display His glory. Through evil, God demonstrates His righteousness, love, wrath, and grace. The presence of evil allows for the full display of God's attributes, which would otherwise remain hidden.

The ultimate purpose of evil is to bring about the greatest good: the everlasting glory of God. This is seen most clearly in the crucifixion of Christ, the greatest evil that resulted in the greatest good—our redemption. God’s sovereignty over evil assures us that nothing is outside His control, and everything serves His divine purpose. Our response should be one of worship and awe, recognizing that we are part of God's grand design to glorify Himself through His creation.

Key Takeaways

1. The Reality of Evil: Evil exists in various forms—natural, moral, supernatural, and eternal. It is a dominant reality in human life, affecting every aspect of existence. Yet, this pervasive evil is not outside God's sovereign control. Understanding the nature of evil helps us see the depth of human depravity and the need for divine intervention. [13:07]
2. God's Sovereignty: God is sovereign over all creation, including evil. He is not surprised or thwarted by evil; rather, He uses it to fulfill His purposes. This sovereignty is a source of comfort, knowing that God is in control and that evil will ultimately serve His glory. [22:45]
3. The Purpose of Evil: God wills evil to exist for His glory. Through evil, God demonstrates His righteousness, love, wrath, and grace. This understanding shifts our perspective from questioning God's goodness to marveling at His wisdom and purpose. [46:20]
4. The Display of God's Attributes: The presence of evil allows for the full display of God's attributes. Without evil, we would not fully comprehend God's righteousness, love, or wrath. This demonstration of His character is for His glory and our understanding. [51:16]
5. Our Response to God's Sovereignty: Recognizing God's sovereignty over evil should lead us to worship and trust. We are called to glorify God for His wisdom and grace, knowing that He has chosen us for His purposes. Our lives should reflect gratitude and awe for His redemptive plan. [57:45]
** [57:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - The Problem of Evil
[01:36] - Logical Dilemma
[03:40] - The Divine Playbook
[04:33] - Inadequate Answers
[06:23] - Theodicy Explained
[07:19] - The Reality of Evil
[09:01] - Moral and Natural Evil
[10:20] - Supernatural Evil
[12:11] - Eternal Evil
[13:23] - God Exists
[14:27] - God's Sovereignty
[22:45] - God Wills Evil
[46:20] - God's Glory Through Evil
[57:45] - Our Response to God's Sovereignty

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Problem of Evil

Bible Reading:

Romans 9:22-23
Isaiah 45:5-7
Job 38-42

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Observation Questions:

According to the sermon, what are the different forms of evil mentioned, and how do they manifest in the world? [07:19]
How does the sermon describe God's sovereignty in relation to evil? What biblical evidence is provided to support this view? [14:27]
What is the ultimate purpose of evil as discussed in the sermon, and how is this purpose demonstrated through the crucifixion of Christ? [46:20]
How does the sermon explain the concept of theodicy, and what is its significance in understanding the problem of evil? [06:23]

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Interpretation Questions:

In Romans 9:22-23, how does Paul describe God's purpose in demonstrating His wrath and mercy? How does this relate to the sermon’s explanation of God’s sovereignty over evil?
Isaiah 45:5-7 speaks of God creating both light and darkness, well-being and calamity. How does this passage challenge or support the common perceptions of God’s role in the existence of evil? [23:38]
The sermon suggests that evil allows for the full display of God's attributes. How does this perspective influence the understanding of God’s character and His relationship with creation? [51:16]
How does the story of Job (Job 38-42) illustrate the themes of divine sovereignty and human suffering discussed in the sermon? What lessons can be drawn from Job’s experience?

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you struggled with the presence of evil in the world. How did this affect your faith, and how might the sermon’s perspective on God’s sovereignty provide comfort or challenge your understanding? [22:45]
The sermon emphasizes worship and awe in response to God’s sovereignty over evil. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a heart of worship, even in the face of suffering or evil? [57:45]
Consider the idea that God uses evil to demonstrate His attributes. How can this understanding change the way you view personal trials or global events that seem overwhelmingly negative? [51:16]
The sermon discusses theodicy as a defense of God's righteousness. How can you engage in conversations with skeptics or those struggling with faith about the problem of evil, using insights from the sermon? [06:23]
How does the crucifixion of Christ, as the greatest evil resulting in the greatest good, inspire you to see God’s purpose in your own life’s challenges? What specific situation in your life can you view through this lens? [46:20]
The sermon suggests that our response to God’s sovereignty should be one of gratitude and awe. Identify one area of your life where you can intentionally practice gratitude this week, despite any challenges you may face. [57:45]
How can the understanding of God’s ultimate purpose for evil, as discussed in the sermon, influence your daily interactions and decisions? What is one specific change you can make in your life to align with this perspective? [46:20]

Sermon Clips

Evil exists. Evil exists. Patently obvious, axiomatic, self-evident unless you are one of those grape-nuts Christian Science people who follows the teaching of Mary Baker Eddy Glover Patterson Fry. Who said "all evil is an illusion." Apparently including infidelity and divorce. Most people would affirm that evil is an incontrovertible fact. Playing metaphysical games is pretty silly since evil dominates our world and our culture. [00:07:19]

First of all there is natural evil. It is impersonal, external, physical, temporal, diseases, disaster, catastrophes from tiny bacteria to tsunamis and everything in between. It is everything from viruses to volcanoes. The whole natural world is blighted incessantly by bad things. We live at the mercy of a fallen creation. We live at the mercy of physical corruption which is evident to us in the very aging process. [00:09:01]

God exists; that is to say that the God of the Bible. He is the true and only living God. There is no other God, but the God of the Bible. We demonstrated one way to see that when we said in the earlier session that whoever created the universe will know how it operates. And we know the creator is the God of the Bible because the Bible understands reality perfectly. [00:13:23]

He is all powerful. He is all knowing. He is good. He is loving. He is holy. He is sovereign and controls absolutely everything. There is nothing that exists or occurs or ever will that is not in His control. Let me give testimony to that from scripture. I Chronicles 29:11-12 "Thine O Lord is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine. [00:14:27]

God created everything that He created of His own free choice, and He designed them the way He designed them because that is the way He wanted them, knowing full well that angels would rebel and so would men. God created angels and people and planets and stars and sky and earth and mountains and seas and desserts and plains and lakes and streams and sun, and you go on and on and on. [00:20:08]

God wills evil to exist. There is no other possible conclusion. In Isaiah 45, let me read a section starting in verse five. "I am the Lord, there is no other. Beside me there is no God. I will gird you thou you have not known me, that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no-one besides me. I am the Lord; there is no other, the one forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity. [00:23:20]

God wills evil to exist without being evil. He is light and in Him is no what - darkness at all. God wills evil to exist. Now, at this point panic strikes the heart of an Armenian. He becomes short of breath. His eyes roll back. There are accelerated heart rates and palpitations. His palms become sweaty because like the theological liberals he has got to rescue God from this horrible caricature. [00:25:11]

God willed it for His own glory. Listen to the Westminster Confession. "God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy council of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass. Yet, so as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second hand causes taken away. [00:46:20]

Romans 3:5 "If our unrighteousness demonstrates (mark that word) the righteousness of God, what shall we say?" Our unrighteousness, “sunistemi”, demonstrates, manifests, discloses the righteousness of God. What is Paul after? He has been showing that God is faithful to His promises to Israel and their sin and their unbelief can't alter that faithfulness. And God is righteous and Israel's unrighteousness does not cancel God's righteousness. [00:47:51]

The presence of sin allows God to demonstrate His righteousness. The presence of sin allows God to demonstrate His love. How else could He show the character of love that loves enemies and sinners if they were none? Turn to Romans 9:22 "What if God" - here comes the same word in the NAS translating verbs that are synonyms in the Greek. "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath “endeiknumi." To demonstrate His wrath. [00:49:33]

God determined to demonstrate His wrath; to put it on display, a demonstration of His wrath. Another interesting note - the word demonstrate here is "aorist middle." It would be intended in the Greek grammar to be understood this way "God determined to demonstrate for himself." It is reflexive. To demonstrate for Himself, for His own glory, for His own satisfaction, His wrath. [00:51:16]

The greatest good is God's everlasting glory. And what is our response? Back up in Romans 9:14. What's our response? "What shall we say then?" There is no injustice with God is there? “May genoita,” no, no never. God is God. God has a right to do whatever He wills. He defines justice by what He does. In case you were wondering about that He says to Moses "I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy, and I'll have compassion on whom I will have compassion." [00:57:45]

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Understanding God's Sovereignty Amidst the Problem of Evil

Devotional

Day 1: The Reality of Evil

Day 2: God's Sovereignty

Day 3: The Purpose of Evil

Day 4: The Display of God's Attributes

Day 5: Our Response to God's Sovereignty

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Understanding God's Sovereignty Amidst the Problem of Evil

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