God and Evil: Parable of the Weeds
One of the most challenging realities a Christian must wrestle with is the existence of evil. The scenario presented in the Problem of Evil suggests that the existence of evil is not compatible with the God of Christianity. In summary, if God has the power to stop evil, knowledge of evil and a desire to stop evil then evil should not exist. A general outline would look like this:
A quick summary of the parable begins with a man sowing seeds in his field. While he is sleeping another man comes and sows weeds in the field. When the two begin to grow it is obvious to the servants that something is wrong. The man is quick to conclude that an enemy has sown the weeds since he had used good seed. The servants ask if they should remove the weeds and the man says no. He explains that removing the weeds would endanger the wheat. Unwilling to cause harm to the wheat, the two are allowed to grow until they are separated at harvest time.
Weeds are normally removed from gardens for a simple reason. Weeds tend to cause problems for the plants intended to be grown in the garden. If a weed is not removed it can overtake or injure the crop. Naturally you don't want them around. However, these weeds pose a more complicated problem. If the weeds are pulled it will risk damage to the crops. The weeds are allowed to grow while the crops are, presumably, nurtured and cared for so that they can grow as best as possible while limiting the influence of the weeds. How does this relate to the Problem of Evil? The land owner represents God, the crops are the elect and the weeds are sons of the Evil one. God allows those who are evil and do evil to remain in the world for the sake of the Elect. At the "end of the age" both weed and crop are collected, since the crop no longer needs to remain in the ground. In other words, evil is allowed to persist for the sake of the elect, but God is still in control and will right all evil in the end of days.
So, while evil is painful to endure in the present, it is for our benefit in the long-term that God allows it to exist. However, God is not idle in the process. Sometimes He allows it, sometimes He prevents it, and sometimes He limits the influence of it. All the while God remains sovereign while using the evil deeds of men to accomplish His grand design. In this way, we have resolved the third criterion for the Problem of Evil. God can still be omnipotent and omniscience while allowing evil to exist because, although evil actions are not what He desires, they are used to accomplish his will.
There is no better example than the crucifixion of Christ. The greatest evil in history was the suffering and shame inflicted upon Jesus Christ, the innocent Son of God, Lord incarnate. But through His suffering and death the greatest work of God was accomplished: the salvation of the world. Death could not hold Christ in that tomb, so we can rest assured that no evil deed is outside of God's control. We are in the hands of a good and holy God, whose love we are never far from and whose sovereignty never fails.
- A god who has knowledge of evil, power to stop evil, and an aversion to evil would not allow evil to exist.
- Evil exists.
- Since evil exists, any god that is real must lack either omniscience, omnipotence or goodness.
- Since these qualities describe the Christian God, then the Christian God must not exist.
A quick summary of the parable begins with a man sowing seeds in his field. While he is sleeping another man comes and sows weeds in the field. When the two begin to grow it is obvious to the servants that something is wrong. The man is quick to conclude that an enemy has sown the weeds since he had used good seed. The servants ask if they should remove the weeds and the man says no. He explains that removing the weeds would endanger the wheat. Unwilling to cause harm to the wheat, the two are allowed to grow until they are separated at harvest time.
Weeds are normally removed from gardens for a simple reason. Weeds tend to cause problems for the plants intended to be grown in the garden. If a weed is not removed it can overtake or injure the crop. Naturally you don't want them around. However, these weeds pose a more complicated problem. If the weeds are pulled it will risk damage to the crops. The weeds are allowed to grow while the crops are, presumably, nurtured and cared for so that they can grow as best as possible while limiting the influence of the weeds. How does this relate to the Problem of Evil? The land owner represents God, the crops are the elect and the weeds are sons of the Evil one. God allows those who are evil and do evil to remain in the world for the sake of the Elect. At the "end of the age" both weed and crop are collected, since the crop no longer needs to remain in the ground. In other words, evil is allowed to persist for the sake of the elect, but God is still in control and will right all evil in the end of days.
So, while evil is painful to endure in the present, it is for our benefit in the long-term that God allows it to exist. However, God is not idle in the process. Sometimes He allows it, sometimes He prevents it, and sometimes He limits the influence of it. All the while God remains sovereign while using the evil deeds of men to accomplish His grand design. In this way, we have resolved the third criterion for the Problem of Evil. God can still be omnipotent and omniscience while allowing evil to exist because, although evil actions are not what He desires, they are used to accomplish his will.
There is no better example than the crucifixion of Christ. The greatest evil in history was the suffering and shame inflicted upon Jesus Christ, the innocent Son of God, Lord incarnate. But through His suffering and death the greatest work of God was accomplished: the salvation of the world. Death could not hold Christ in that tomb, so we can rest assured that no evil deed is outside of God's control. We are in the hands of a good and holy God, whose love we are never far from and whose sovereignty never fails.
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