The Problem of Evil in Theological Debate
The problem of evil addresses why a good, omnipotent God permits suffering and moral wickedness in creation. Scripture identifies sin as "the transgression of the law" [4], originating not from God but from the devil, who "sinned against God" and was "cast out of heaven" [6]. James 1:13 explicitly states that God "cannot be the subject of" temptation and "does not come from God" [2], establishing that evil's source lies outside the divine nature. The theological challenge arises in reconciling God's sovereignty with the presence of evil, a tension that has shaped centuries of Christian reflection.
Biblical Framework
The Genesis account traces evil's entry into human experience through the serpent's deception, where Adam's "ambition and perverse appetite for illicit knowledge" led to his fall [10]. Calvin observes that this narrative reveals the "cause of so great misery," namely humanity's refusal to remain "content with his condition" [10]. The New Testament identifies the devil as "the author of the fall" [6] and describes demons as "spiritual beings, at enmity with God, and having power to afflict man not only with disease, but... with spiritual pollution" [3]. These beings "recognized the Lord as the Son of God" and "looked forward in terror" to judgment [3], establishing a cosmic dimension to evil's operation.
Scripture describes sin's character in multiple registers: it is "rebellion against God," "works of darkness," and "the fruit of lust" [4]. The text emphasizes that "all the imaginations of the unrenewed heart" participate in this corruption [4], pointing to evil's pervasive influence on human nature. Ecclesiastes observes that "there is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and in great weight it lies upon man" [9], acknowledging the existential burden of living in a fallen world.
Theodicy and Divine Permission
The question of why God permits evil has generated diverse theological responses. One approach emphasizes human freedom: God grants creatures genuine agency, and evil results from the misuse of that freedom rather than divine causation. The devil's rebellion and humanity's fall both illustrate this pattern—beings created good who chose wickedness. Another strand of thought focuses on evil's instrumental role in divine purposes, though this raises further questions about God's character and the nature of goodness.
Keil and Delitzsch note that Ecclesiastes presents evil as something the author "has seen under the sun," describing it as "vanity and an evil disease" [9]. This observational stance reflects Scripture's willingness to acknowledge evil's reality without always providing systematic explanations. The Psalms declare that "evil shall kill the wicked" and "those who hate the righteous shall be condemned" [7], pointing to eschatological resolution rather than immediate theodicy.
The Devil's Agency
Christian tradition has consistently affirmed demonic agency in the propagation of evil. The devil "perverts the Scripture," "opposes God's work," and "hinders the gospel" [6]. He "works lying wonders" and "assumes the form of an angel of light" [6], demonstrating sophisticated opposition to divine purposes. The wicked "are the children of" the devil, "do the lusts of" him, and are "possessed by" him [6], establishing a spiritual genealogy of evil that extends beyond individual moral failure.
This framework distinguishes between God's sovereignty and evil's origin. While God permits evil's existence within his providential governance, Scripture insists that temptation and wickedness do not originate in the divine will [2]. The tension between these affirmations—God's ultimate control and evil's real opposition—remains a central feature of biblical theology.
Moral and Spiritual Dimensions
Evil manifests not only in cosmic rebellion but in everyday human behavior. "Malice springs from an evil heart" and is "incompatible with the worship of God" [5]. Evil-speaking is "expressly forbidden" and "foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of Christ" [1]. Calvin notes that when "virtue is esteemed, vices are immediately exposed," and that Christ's work specially involves exposing "hidden vices" and removing "those vails and coverings by which the appearance of" virtue conceals wickedness [8]. The problem of evil thus encompasses both metaphysical questions about suffering and practical questions about human depravity and moral formation.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Evil-speaking — Is expressly forbidden (Titus 3:2; James 4:11), and severe punishments are denounced against it (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10). It is spoken of also with abhorrence (Ps. 15:3; Prov. 18:6, 7), and is foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of Christ.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Temptation — God cannot be the subject of -- Jas 1:13. Does not come from God -- Jas 1:13. Comes from Lusts. -- Jas 1:14. Covetousness. -- Pr 28:20; 1Ti 6:9,10. The devil is the author of -- 1Ch 21:1; Mt 4:1; Joh 13:2; 1Th 3:5. Evil associates, the instruments of -- Pr 1:10; 7:6; 16:29. Often arises through Poverty. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:2,3. Prosperity. -- Pr 30:9; Mt 4:8. Worldly glory. -- Nu 22:17; Da 4:30; 5:2; Mt 4:8. To distrust of God's providence -- Mt 4:3. To presumption -- Mt 4:6. To worshipping the god of this world -- Mt 4:9. Often strengthened by the perversi”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Demon — In the Gospels generally, in (James 2:19) and in Reve 16:14 The demons are spoken of as spiritual beings, at enmity with God, and having power to afflict man not only with disease, but, as is marked by the frequent epithet "un-clean," with spiritual pollution also. They "believe" the power of God "and tremble," (James 2:19) they recognized the Lord as the Son of God, (Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41) and acknowledged the power of his name, used in exorcism. In the place of the name of Jehovah, by his appointed messengers, (Acts 19:15) and looked forward in terror to t”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Sin — Is the transgression of the law -- 1Jo 3:4. Is of the devil -- 1Jo 3:8; Joh 8:44. All unrighteousness is -- 1Jo 5:17. Omission of what we know to be good is -- Jas 4:17. Whatever is not of faith is -- Ro 14:23. The thought of foolishness is -- Pr 24:9. All the imaginations of the unrenewed heart are -- Ge 6:5; 8:21. Described as Coming from the heart. -- Mt 15:19. The fruit of lust. -- Jas 1:15. The sting of death. -- 1Co 15:56. Rebellion against God. -- De 9:7; Jos 1:18. Works of darkness. -- Eph 5:11. Dead works. -- Heb 6:1; 9:14. The abominable thing that Go”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Malice — Springs from an evil heart -- Mt 15:19,20; Ga 5:19. Forbidden -- 1Co 14:20; Col 3:8; Eph 4:26,27. A hindrance to growth in grace -- 1Pe 2:1,2. Incompatible with the worship of God -- 1Co 5:7,8. Christian liberty not to be a cloak for -- 1Pe 2:16. Saints avoid -- Job 31:29,30; Ps 35:12-14. The wicked Speak with. -- 3Jo 1:10. Live in. -- Tit 3:3. Conceive. -- Ps 7:14. Filled with. -- Ro 1:29. Visit saints with. -- Ps 83:3; Mt 22:6. Pray for those who injure you through -- Mt 5:44. Brings its own punishment -- Ps 7:15,16. God requites -- Ps 10:14; Eze 36:5. Pun”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Devil, The — Sinned against God -- 2Pe 2:4; 1Jo 3:8. Cast out of heaven -- Lu 10:18. Cast down to hell -- 2Pe 2:4; Jude 1:6. The author of the fall -- Ge 3:1,6,14,24. Tempted Christ -- Mt 4:3-10. Perverts the Scripture -- Mt 4:6; Ps 91:11,12. Opposes God's work -- Zec 3:1; 1Th 2:18. Hinders the gospel -- Mt 13:19; 2Co 4:4. Works lying wonders -- 2Th 2:9; Re 16:14. Assumes the form of an angel of light -- 2Co 11:14. The wicked Are the children of. -- Mt 13:38; Ac 13:10; 1Jo 3:10. Turn aside after. -- 1Ti 5:15. Do the lusts of. -- Joh 8:44. Possessed by. -- Lu 22:3; Ac”
- Psalms “Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. -- Psalms 34:21”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 20.9: where virtue is esteemed, vices are immediately exposed. Good men also have greater freedom allowed them in restraining the wantonness of those who formerly trod under their feet all that is just and lawful. When the Prophet speaks here about the condition and reformation of the Church, which is a spiritual government, we ought to raise our minds somewhat higher, so as to view all this as relating to Christ, to whom it specially and peculiarly belongs to expose hidden vices, and to remove those vails and coverings by which the appearance of v”
- Ecclesiastes (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Ecclesiastes 6 (introduction): "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and in great weight it lies upon man: a man to whom God giveth riches, and treasures, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he may wish, but God giveth him not power to have enjoyment of it, for a strange man hath the enjoyment: that is vanity and an evil disease." The author presents the result of personal observation; but inasmuch as he relates it in the second tense, he generalizes the matter, and places it scenically before the eyes of the reader. A similar introducti”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 7.49: disgrace, and that there should be more comeliness in a dead animal than in a living man! The clause which is immediately added, “To know good and evil,” describes the cause of so great misery, namely, that Adam, not content with his condition, had tried to ascend higher than was lawful; as if it had been said, ‘See now whither thy ambition and thy perverse appetite for illicit knowledge have precipitated thee.’ Yet the Lord does not even deign to hold converse with him, but contemptuously draws him forth, for the sake of exposing”