The philosophical objection dealing with the omni-attributes
Note: it has been several years (originally written in 2018) since I wrote this Article, and in that time I have to a position where I no longer think or speak in terms of systematic theological propositions. this means that while I still see much in this article that is good and right-- and must be accepted on biblical grounds. however, I now do not see the point in responding to such objections as important as it is not a worthy endeavour.
But I will still posit it for for other to consider:
The philosophical objection dealing with the omni-attributes
Introduction
When Christian truth comes into a different cultural context; it faces many different responses: both positive and negative. In the case of the negative response or objections; it has sufficiently good answers to. There is one objection that has been raised for many years and that is the “problem of evil” or as it is commonly proclaimed. But in reality it is no problem when we have the solution to evil.
Let us pose this in terms of a syllogism:
God is all powerful and all loving.
There is insurmountable evil in the world.
Therefore, either God is all powerful; but not all loving or all loving but not all powerful.
It ultimately comes down to the same conclusion: God does not exist because he would have done something about the evil in the world by now. However, let us at the outset make it clear that this objection is not one that we should push aside; yet we must show sympathy for we understand and know what evil is to some degree. But the problem in this objection stems from a heart that is set towards rebellion. And therefore, may likewise participate in evil acts.
Let us note two things about this objection.
I. The objectors worldview gives no valid justification for this claim.
(the atheistic conundrum)
What do I mean by making this claim? Often when one digs deeper beneath the objection; in order to find out where the person is coming from. The answer is one of the following: they are an atheist; they are a naturalist or materialist; or they may hold to an evolutionary position. Now in each of these we find that the objector is living in inconsistency as these positions hold no justifiable ground to say an act is good or bad; right or wrong; pure or evil in any fashion. Let us consider just one of them: evolution. In this philosophy it is taught that everything happens does so as part of a cycle: the survival of the fittest. Darwin who championed one view; therefore, could claim his work by two titles: (1) origin of the species. (2) preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life. If ever there was a piece of prejudiced propaganda that 2nd title would be it. But it only gets worse in light of his later work: descent of man. Do you see the problem? It is my sincerest hope that you do see this way of thinking.
For one to object against Christianity because of the perceived problem of evil; and yet to never see how their own world view contradicts itself. On the one hand, it instils evils such as racism. But yet at the same time denies its existence by saying that such acts of brutality is just a part of this process for the survival of the fittest. Since all that is happening is a weeding out the weak in favour for the strong. It is simply a sinking ship sinking even further in its own falsehood.
Let us consider one act of evil in light of this:
Murder
Rape
Adultery
Stealing
Lying
How is it wrong to take a life in light of this philosophy when all murder is is a mechanism for this “survival of the fittest” to take place? It is as one evolutionist stated in one of his works; “The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.” (River out of Eden). This is the logical outcome of such a worldview and philosophy; there is no way to determine something being pure or evil, as i said before. It is simply all too subjective and a tad bit pragmatic. In the end: it is whether it works for you; but not necessarily for others. And that is why Hitler believed what he did was right because he took the idea behind evolution to its logical consequence. It is beyond all reason why this evil philosophy is accepted.
Now let us recognise that what lies behind it is simply the naturalist materialist atheistic assumption that all we see is all there is. To this conclusion Jonathan Sarfati has rightly concluded:
Evolution is a deduction from this assumption, and is essentially the idea that things made themselves, it includes these unproven ideas: nothing gave rise to something at an alleged “big bang.” Non living matter gave rise to life, single celled organisms gave rise to many celled organisms, invertebrates gave rise to vertebrates, apelike creatures gave rise to man, non intelligence and amoral matter gave rise to intelligence and morality, man’s yearning gave rise to religion.
To establish this point that evolution never took place; and that it is simply a fiction in one's thinking all one has to do is disprove its central claim. But that is not that there is evidence from the past. We are dealing with the fact that two men (a creationist and an evolutionist) make a simple claim that the facts align with their position. The real problem is one is not dealing with the evidence fairly but simply making a claim that has never been substantiated; and therefore, his presupposition and interpretation is not being checked for truthfulness. And that is the evolutionist. There is a glaring inconsistency in the philosophy and that is this: evolution is the ascent of something; information with each generation it is building up. And yet natural selection is the descent of something; it is the removal of information. In other words, these two things conflict with each other. But that can be overlooked by these people.
Note the deceptive switch and bait tactic: “evolution is doing the same with the riddle of how the living world took shape.” In the statement this was taken from it spoke of what science has achieved over the last few centuries. What one must note is that “science” and “evolution” is being used interchangeably; and therefore, leads to some confusion as to what prior discoveries had to do with evolution which is not true science but a deceptive philosophical stance. But one can note each discovery that has been made was done so by a creationist science. There is something else in this statement that needs to be noted. The distinction between operational science: that which can be discovered by experimenting. And creational science: that which can not be discovered by experimenting. And the manner in which the planet earth and everything in the universe can not be tested; otherwise you have only proven an intelligent mind behind such a feat: your own. There is simply no justification for such a point.
And that brings us back to the objection: in order for one to make this objection they have to borrow from a worldview that isn ot their own. Evil and pure are theological in nature. And therefore, cannot be understood apart from that lens.
II. The christian worldview gives valid justification to answer the objection
(the reformed answer)
Now let us turn to the positive Christian case in dealing with this objection: “if God is all good and all powerful, why is there evil in the world?” And any and all other manners in which this objection is phrased. It should be worthy to note that there is no problem to begin with: we are simply dealing with another reason for someone to remain in ignorance to the truth and rebellion towards God. At the heart of it we are dealing with a contradiction between a person's base belief that they know there is a just and holy God (Rom. 1); and their secondary belief that they do not know this God; and therefore, they either reject him or they replace him. Let us note that the real question is this: because man loves his sin and continually wants to commit it; then why shouldn’t God judge that person either directly or indirectly?
Why is there evil in this world? Let us start by putting forth two important foundations in order that we can understand this matter: the first, God’s decree. And the second, God's purpose. Take note of the following scriptures:
Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless.What will you do in the day of punishment, And in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners. And they shall fall among the slain.” For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. (Isaiah 10: 1-4)
Now in these words we see one reason for the existence of evil: to be used in judgement of a sinful people; no matter who they are: the Israelite or non israelites. But notice the result of this judgement is a negative one. The people of Israel are condemned to death. But what happens when the instrument of God’s method of punishment gets the idea that they alone with no external influence did this activity? Well those people (in this case: Assyria) are likewise judged for their attitude (Isaiah 10: 5-11). So as we see not only is there decree involved in this; but there is a purpose being worked out. In the first place, with the nation of Israel. And in the second place, the people of Assyria. And God is right in both of these actions.
What about the positive aspect of this act?
For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:28-30)
In this section, it must be noted that we have two acts taking place: the involvement of the jews; and the involvement of the Gentiles. Both had their purposes behind what took place: one was religiously motivated; and the other was politically motivated. And these elements can be seen in the four gospel accounts: by one he is accused of blaspheme (a religious motive) and the other he paraded in front of people and was asked if he should be let off (political motive). But what we do not see in all of this is there is a third party involved in this. And his involvement is silent; and still the more important. It is God himself. How is He involved?
Take note of the key phrase: “your hand and your purpose determined before to be done.” (vs. 27c) Or as the 2nd chapter of Acts tells us: “Him (Jesus), being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” (vs. 23) In this, we learn that God is the mastermind behind all that took place: He used the sinful men to bring about his ultimate act; in just the same way that he used the men individual motives to bring judgement upon themselves. And here is where the reason comes in: evil is used for a good purpose to cause men to recognise their own sin and flee to Christ.
There is, of course, one text that stands above all others; and that is this one:
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9: 14-24)
Coming back to the original question, we can rephrase it in the following manner: “if God is all just then how can he punish the innocent along with the guilty?” And in doing this, we come immediately to the real problem. Such a question is primarily subjective and often is in error. That is to say: there simply is no truly innocent person in this world because we have been judged already before being born and that judgement is clear: we are all by nature sinners in God's sight because we are born into this world as fallen sons and daughters of Adam. And that is why we are without excuse. Man does not and cannot have any valid reason to complain about what God does. God alone is in control and deems how sinful man should be dealt with.
It is the Lord Jesus who makes the point with clarity in this way about how God upholds everything and its course is a part the purpose of God (Matthew 6: 25-29). And the writer of the Hebrews applies this same truth to the Lord Jesus Himself when he states that the Son upholds every by the power of his word (1:3) . And the old testament state the Spirit upholds everything on behalf of God (Genesis 1:3). Now how does this apply to the matter of evil? Well, in the following manner: since there is a purpose for God not doing away with evil here and now; then God will do away with it later on in accordance to His plan but not before He uses its existence to bring himself glory. While it is true that we may never fully understand this matter; we can at least be thankful since a part of it is to be seen in the work of Christ upon the cross.
Conclusion
How is it that God has chosen to deal with sin?
As we have already seen above, there are a few ways to which it is dealt with. One is temporal punishment. This we have dealt with in much detail above; so therefore, there is no need to cover it again. But only to say there are many cases of this taking place as God has decreed it throughout history.
But there are two other methods which God has decreed: (1) In Christ upon the cross which we have touched on in passing; however, that will not be the end of it. We will cover it in more depth. (2) By Christ when he returns to deal with the rebellious creature. Let us concern ourselves.
Evil is dealt with upon the cross in terms of a particular people.
Look at the following passages which will provide without comment just so we can see the fullness of the passages:
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will ]by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:35-40)
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (Romans 6:5-10)
And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 1011-14)
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:21-25)
There it is: sin, first of all, has been dealt with in Christ upon the cross for his own people. Christ gave his life for the elect.
Evil is fully eradicated when Christ comes in judgement.
Look at the following passages which will provide without comment just so we can see the fullness of the passages:
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:27-31)
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17: 27-31)
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
Now this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3: 3-8)
And here we have it: sin will be dealt with by Christ who mediates judgement on behalf of God. .