Why would God create a world in which there are so many ways to sin and thus be condemned?
Upvote:1
Jack:
Lesley covered several very good points above. I'll try to build on those. This quotation helps me look at this question about God's responsibilities with some humbleness.
If God is so great, why doesn’t He stop bad things from happening?
"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering and injustice when He could do something about it. But I’m afraid He would ask me the same question." –ANONYMOUS
God did not create a world with sin. God is holy and He hates sin. He cannot abide sin.
God created us with free will
He created humans in His image and gave those He created free will. So we could choose to follow His ways and walk in the light or we could choose sin. We humans have chosen sin out of our own free will. We can blame Satan, but the choice was still ours and it is ours today.
Drug addiction is not a force of nature. It requires active participation by the addict. The same is true with alcoholism or any other addictive behavior. No one shoves the needle in the arm of an addict. In fact, though we may not be a drug addict, each of us has sinned--'We all sin and fall of the glory of God.'
Do we give God credit for all life?
If you blame God for bad things, do you at least give Him credit for all life, all love, and for the entire spectrum of existence?
At a minimum, when a loved one dies prematurely, in fairness we should also give God thanks for that loved one’s life in the first place.
God gave us a simple formula to follow:
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
God has surely blessed us, but how many of us bless God every day for what we have? How many worship the living God and follow the formula given 2 Chronicles 7:14?
God did not create sin, He created us and granted us free will. We did the rest all on our own.
Upvote:3
I agree with you that humans are responsible for their sins, but your question is based on a seriously flawed premise. What humans do is NOT dependent on the basic rules of the universe. You mean like jumping off a tall building and ending your life because gravity is a rule of the universe created by God? It would be helpful if you explained what you mean by that opening sentence.
The point is that everything God created (time, space, matter, light and all life) was perfect. Sin did not exist when God created Adam and Eve.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good (Genesis 2:31).
The next part of your reasoning is also based on a false premise, that God allows bad things (like death-dealing drugs), to exist as if to tempt humans to sin. What humans do with all the wonderful bounty created by God is down to the sin nature inherent in every human. Drugs (morphine based, for example) are used to stop suffering. Drugs are not the problem – it’s how drugs are used and abused that is the problem.
Take, as an example, the atom (created by God). Is it God’s fault that humans devised the means whereby the atom could be split and, as a direct consequence, unleashed horrific suffering and death on men, women and children in Japan?
Why did God create a universe in which so many bad things can happen to us? He didn’t. A holy and righteous creator God, who made us in His image, does not control our every action. He gave us life and lets us get on with it. We live in a fallen world, and we experience the effects of the fall. On the other hand:
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Despite the sinful nature of the people of this world, God still loves us. Jesus loved us enough to die to take the penalty for our sins (Romans 6:23).
People get to choose whether they will turn to God and live according to His holy and righteous purposes, or whether they will reject God and go their own, sinful way.
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