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The God Who Is
Note again, "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him" (I Samuel 16:23).
This is the reason Isaiah prayed, "O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear?" (Isaiah 63:17).
Question: "Does this not make God the `Author of evil'?" If by the term "Author of evil" is meant that God is the Creator of evil, the answer is "Yes" (Isaiah 45:7). There is only one Creator, and that is God. But if by the term is meant that men are blameless when they sin, the answer is "No!" God is the Creator of evil as He is the Creator of good, but sinfulness proceeds from the creature. The fact that men not yet hardened in their sin are conscious of guilt and shame is evidence they are aware that they are responsible for their sinfulness, and are therefore accountable to God.
Objection: "I agree the Bible teaches that God created the waster to destroy, but when God created him, he was not a waster" (Isaiah 54:16). This is true; nevertheless, the teaching of the text is clear: God created the waster; and the reason that He did was that the waster should destroy. Question: "Does this not make God the Tempter?" No! "Let no man say when he is tempted, `I am tempted of God:' for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed" (James 1:13,14). This is the reason men can be judged.
Question: "Does this not run amuck with the doctrine that God is `good' and `doest good.' Does this not contradict Scripture that teaches when God looked upon His created work, `Behold, it was very good'?" No! When God created man, He endowed him with passions which He knew would lead to man's fall if he was confronted by certain temptations. God could have prevented such temptations from assailing man. He could have prohibited the Tempter from entering Eden. Having perfect knowledge he knew man would sin, and He could have chosen not to make man at all. Yet, the creation of God was "very good."
Question: "Perhaps evil is not a thing at all. Perhaps it was not part of the creation, for John says, `without Him was not anything made that was made' (John 1:3). Aristotle taught some things are simply the absence of other things: that cold is the absence of heat, that darkness is the absence of light. Therefore, could evil be a non-created thing?" No! Note first, that if Scripture did not explicitly tell us that the Lord created darkness, and that He created evil (Isaiah 45:7) we might have a right to speculate, but in light of the affirmation of Scripture our speculations would fly in the face of the Lord.
Second, Do not take your theology from a heathen. If a heathen underscores the revealed truth of God there may be an occasion to refer to him, but do not confer with an unbeliever as to what the Bible teaches. Isaiah faithfully records the Word of the LORD when he says, "I form the light and create darkness." Darkness is as much a part of the creation as light. God is the Creator of the material world as well as of the immaterial world. He is the Author not only of the concrete, but of the abstract as well.
Question: "If sinfulness proceeds from the creature, in this case man, does not evil originate in the heart of man?" No! Neither does good originate in the heart of men.
Question: "Did not God make the seeing, and the good; and did not the Devil make the deaf, the blind, and all evil?" What says the Scripture? "And the LORD said unto (Moses), `Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?'"
Question: "Is this not contrary to the cardinal doctrine that God is holy? Does this not make God Himself to be evil?" No! It does not, and for this reason: the Law is not sovereign, God is. If a man takes another's wealth, he may be charged with stealing; but if God takes a man's wealth who can charge Him with stealing? If a man takes the life of another, he may be guilty of murder; but if God takes a man's life is the Almighty guilty of murder?
Plato taught that Law is sovereign, and that even God must obey the Law. The writer of Hebrews answers this argument by reminding us "For this man (Christ Jesus) was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God" (Hebrews 4:3,4). Since God has authored the Law, He, and He alone, is above the Law. Only with God is the adage true that "Might makes right."
Question: "Regarding the teaching that God made the wicked for the day of evil: Do not the Scriptures teach that God is not willing that any should perish?" (II Peter 3:9). No! They do not! II Peter chapter 3, verse 9 is probably the most misquoted verse in the entire Bible. The verse says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
Every one of the 21 epistles in the New Testament is addressed to Christians. This epistle is no different. Peter speaks to the "beloved" (verse 8). God is not willing that any of His "beloved" should perish seeing it is them upon whom He has set His affections (Jeremiah 31:3). It is God's will that all of them should in the process of time "come to repentance" and be converted.
God forbade Paul and Silas to preach the Gospel in Asia, or in Bithynia (Acts 16:6,7). And, the Lord did not give Israel "an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear" (Deuteronomy 29:4). Sometimes God exercises His right to withhold such graces that are effective in the conversion of others. So, Jesus spoke in parables "that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them" (Mark 4:12).