Why does God allow evil to exist in the world? Some people have been victimised by so many horrible crimes and incidents that their faith in God gets shaken, while others stop believing in God altogether.
Blogger Matt Moore wrote for The Christian Post that an atheist friend told him that his adamant disbelief in God is due to the abundance of evil in this world. After his friend shared some of the "hellish" experiences he had, Moore stood in disbelief.
"Talking with any unbeliever about the gospel can be challenging, but I find it especially difficult to engage people like this man — people who have suffered deeply at the hands of others people's devilry," he said.
Moore said no one gets through this world without getting beaten down by the wickedness within it, so it would beg the question: "Why has the God who claims to love us permitted evil to inflict its pain and suffering upon us?"
Understanding the answer is the key to strengthening one's faith, said Moore. If God did not tolerate evil, then he believes people would all be hopelessly damned.
Moore explained that evil lives within each and every one. It's true some people commit more atrocities compared to others, but Moore said even the vilest of deeds "has its roots in a seemingly harmless attitude of the heart." Murder often stems from hatred, theft is created because of greed, and adultery is committed because of lust.
"My point is this: If evil is to be vanquished, it must be vanquished in its most elementary manifestation — at the heart level. And this would be bad news for all of us because, in our natural condition, the thoughts of all of our hearts are continually evil," he said. "If God did not currently tolerate evil, he would not tolerate you and me."
Moore added that he cannot know all the reasons why God decided to create a world in which He knows evil and suffering would thrive. What he does know is that God is wholly good and merciful.
"Every evil committed since the beginning of time will receive a just retribution. The question we are each faced with is: Will we persist in unbelief and receive our punishment personally, or will we seek forgiveness and refuge under the Cross of Christ?" he asked.
