I’m sure you’ve probably heard the arguments against the existence of the God of the Bible which go something like this: “How could a good God exist when there is so much evil and suffering in this world?” And with all the wars, crime, earthquakes, tsunamis, disease, starvation and death in our world, the challenge may appear to have validity.

Though the question, which is put forth in varying forms, may appear to be a genuine philosophicalchallenge to the existence of God and the truthfulness of the Biblical witness about Him, it does not stand when one considers it in a right Biblical light.

The Biblical perspective and truth is that the sin and evil in this world was not brought about by God, but by man’s disobedience to God and man’s yielding to the temptation put forth by the devil, an angel who fell away from his position and estate as a servant of the most-high God. What God created was good. Evilcame about and brought a curse upon God’s creation when man turned from God, doubted God’s Word and broke the commandment which God had issued for man’s good (cf. Genesis 1-3). Thus the evil in this world, the disasters and the calamities are not the fault of a good God but of sinful mankind.

Some, however, still ask why a good God would allow such a sin-filled world to continue. The answer, of course, is that He won’t. Judgment Day is coming, as the Bible testifies throughout. The sin and the evil in this world, as well as the resulting curse upon all of God’s creation, will be done away with and removed.

And for those who would still challenge the goodness of God or His very existencebecause He has not put an immediate end to all the sin and evil in this world, where would we all be if God did immediately root out and destroy all that is evil and sinful in this world? Not one of us could stand (Psalm 130:3). His judgment would be the condemnation and everlasting punishment of all who are less than perfectly good and righteous. To do less would leave this world a place of evil and sin.

Perhaps the best answer I can offer to this whole issue is recorded in 2 Peter 3:9-10: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord willcome as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

The good God of the Bible who created this world - the one true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - indeed will put an end to all sin and evil, and that day is soon coming. The reason He still tolerates the sin and evil in this world is that He is merciful toward us and patient. He does not desire to cast us all into hell to spend eternity away from Him and all that is good when He carries out His judgment against sin and evil. Rather, He lets this world go on a little longer in spite of the evil here and in our own lives togive us time and opportunity to come to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus, the Son. Jesus lived a truly good and sinless life in the stead of all mankind, He suffered and died upon the cross to pay in full the just penalty for the sins of the world, and He rose again.

Because of what Christ Jesus has done, God is patient and long-suffering toward us - indeed, He puts up with a lot - that we might not be condemned along with this world but be saved out of it and have forgiveness and life eternal in a new heavens and earth in which no evil dwells.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at rmoll@ nwaonline .com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 03/30/2011