The question of “What is the origin of evil?” expands upon the question posed, “Did God create evil?” That question arose from a serious misunderstanding of Genesis 2:17 and Isaiah 45:7. This article goes beyond misrepresentations of Genesis 2:17 and Isaiah 45:7 to address the origin of evil initially and the ongoing presence of evil (i.e., sinfulness).
The three persons of the Godhead (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9) are eternal (Genesis 21:13; Psalm 90:2; Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 1:17) as well as eternally and completely holy (Leviticus 19:2).
The Godhead subsequently created everything that was created (Genesis 1-2; Colossians 1:16; John 1:1-3). This included the creation of angels (Nehemiah 9:6). As He did with mankind (Deuteronomy 30:15-16, 19; Joshua 24:15; 2 Samuel 24:12), God created angels with freewill, the ability to make decisions for themselves. Unfortunately, some of those angels chose to rebel against Almighty God (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). The ringleader of the angelic rebellion is called the Devil or Satan (Revelation 12:9); he and his fellow rebellious angels were consigned to hell (Matthew 25:41).
Satan himself introduced evil and sin into the world among humanity by successfully tempting Eve, as well as Adam, to disobey God (Genesis 3) – to sin (1 John 3:4). Mankind amply demonstrated afterward his tendency to commit sin – from the murder of Abel by his brother Cain, to the rampant evil leading up to the universal flood of Noah’s day and to present times. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15 NKJV). There are three ways in which temptation to sin appeals to people (1 John 2:16). Furthermore, sometimes sin offers pleasures (Hebrews 11:25). Regrettably, the majority of the people who have ever lived are or will be lost in sin eternally, whereas comparatively speaking, few will be saved (Matthew 7:13-14). Happily, though, still the number of saved persons in heaven will be more numerous than humans can count (Revelation 7:9).
In conclusion, God did not create evil or sinfulness. However, He did create angels and humans with the ability to make choices for themselves – what we call freewill. Some angels exercised their freewill by rebelling against God. Likewise, humans, with the encouragement of Satan, have likewise rebelled against God. Consequently, all humans who are mature enough to make decisions for themselves have committed sins (Romans 3:10, 23).
The good news is that the Gospel informs us that Jesus Christ through His sacrificial death on Calvary’s cross, His resurrection and His Ascension to heaven has provided the remedy for mankind’s sins. Our Lord summarized the solution to man’s sin problem in Mark 16:16, which reads, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
