Did God Create Evil Persons?
Recently a friend stated that God created everything, including evil persons, and that He did so for purposes known only to Him. Because there were those present who are young in their faith, we believe it needful to address that statement. First however, please understand that what follows is not meant as an attack on our friend, he is a brother in Christ, deserving of love and respect.
To begin with, we question the thought that God has or does create every person. Certainly He created Adam and Eve for Genesis 1:26-28 clearly states; “26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 2:7 explains that God “formed man (Adam) of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
“Concerning Eve Genesis 2:21-22 we read: Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”
So yes, God created Adam and Eve, but we must return to Genesis “1:28a where we read > “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.’”
Moving ahead to Genesis 4:1-2a we read: 1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord. “2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.”
From Genesis 8: 16-17 we read this command of God to Noah, and his sons and their wives “16 Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” In this proclamation God wasn’t just talking about animal, fowl and other forms of life but also about mankind for we read From Genesis 9:1 “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth”.
No mention of God starting over again, creating a new line of humanity. Every person who has ever come into the world, other than Adam and Eve comes via the birth process, the union of the egg (produced by the female) and seed (produced in the male). From God’s command of Genesis 9:1 to present, Scripture qualifies that all persons have been begotten (created, brought about, produced) by the union of their father and mother, their predecessors). The only exception of this of course was Jesus Christ, the offspring of Mary and the Holy Spirit as He miraculously caused her to be with child (the humanity of Jesus).
These all are important points because according to Romans 5:12a sin came into the world through one man through Adam – (man’s representative head). That charge could not be applicable if in fact God had created a line other than Adam’s line. It was by Adam’s disobedience that sin entered the world. In fact, by God’s own declaration everything that He had created was good. (Genesis 1:31).
Evil and evil man is a fact of life; it cannot be denied. But God did not create evil man. James1:13b-17 tells us “13b Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
God does not change, He was good (righteous) from eternity past, He is presently good (righteous) and will forever be good (righteous). His goodness (His righteousness) is an ever-present condition. So then, why are there evil men (persons) in the world. Romans 5:12a (quoted above) answered that question for us. By one man, sin and all its evil exercise, entered into the world. So, what caused Eve to listen to the tempter and what caused Adam to follow her in their disobedience to God’s one prohibition, “do not take and eat of the forbidden fruit? (Genesis 2:15-17). God allowed them to fall, for His glory. His full glory could not be manifested if it were not contrasted with something of lessor value. In this case, His goodness against the evilness of a fallen creation. All intelligent created beings (glorified and fallen man—and all unfallen and fallen angels) will know God fully, and His profound glory.
Steve