God and evil
A friend says he doesn't and can't believe in God. His reasoning is a paradox - "If God created everything in the world, and he is only good, where did 'evil' come from and the fallen angels, i.e. Satan? God must have created 'evil', or, God doesn't exist." I must say his argument is compelling for a weak believer or an unbeliever. In fact, I've seen others accept his argument and reject God's word.
The Bible tells us that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11). At the end of the sixth day of creation, God pronounced everything “very good” (Genesis 1:31). All was perfect in God’s creation. Sin was absent.
At some point thereafter, angels rebelled against God and were cast into hell (2 Peter 2:4). Through Satan’s temptation in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned against God (Genesis 3). Sin clearly came into the world through people’s actions (Romans 5:12). God is removed from wrongdoing of any kind; he is holy (James 1:13; Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 6:3).
God certainly knew that sin would infect and corrupt his creation. God certainly had the power to prevent sin from entering the perfect world he created, but the Bible does not tell us why God allowed sin to take place.
Questions about God and why he does or does not do something about evil need to be addressed in light of passages like these: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36) “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’” declares the LORD. ‘“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9) God always acts wisely, and his wisdom far surpasses our understanding. God’s ways may be mysterious to us, but his ways are always right. Christian faith recognizes and accepts that.
We really aren’t to be surprised if we can’t understand God completely. What we do know with certainty is that God met evil head-on at Calvary. The cross of Christ shows us God’s power over sin and his compassionate love for a world lost in sin. At the cross of Christ God’s justice and love intersect.
Can you prove any of these things to your friend and change that person’s thinking? No. But you can continue to share God’s word with your friend, because God can change hearts and lives through his powerful gospel (Romans 1:16; 10:17). I encourage you to keep doing that.