The Worst Evil Is Meant By God For Good

[Cole]

There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. Even if we take away the pain I think we can see that killing Him is the most heinous sin. For Killing an ant (painlessly) doesn’t merit as severe punishment than if I killed (painlessly) a cat and killing a cat (painlessly) doesn’t merit as severe punishment as killing (painlessly) a human and killing a human (painlessly) doesn’t merit as severe punishment as killing (painlessly) Jesus Christ. This was the worse evil humankind has ever done. Yet the Bible tells us that it was done by God’s hand and plan. What Satan and evil humans meant for evil God meant for good. For through Christ’s obedience and death the Father and Son would bring about the everlasting joy and righteousness of the world.

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19

[Cole]

The torture and murder of the innocent Son Of God was even worse than what Hitler did.

[Stefcui]

It is really unfathomable that humans could have done this to their creator.

[Cole]

That’s right Steve. Let me be clear that it was part of God’s plan in the sense that He permitted evil men and Satan to have their way with Him. God was pleased with the Son in His obedience to Him and the love that He showed towards sinners. He didn’t delight in the evil and suffering in and of itself but in what Christ was doing in His suffering and death. By showing His love for the Father and sinners Christ was destroying evil and suffering. There is no sin too great that the Father and Son cannot bring from it everlasting righteousness and joy. Christ was infinitely loved by the Father in His sufferings.

[Paidion]

God is able to bring good out of evil. This is not tantamount to saying that God MEANT evil for good.
God didn’t sit down and say, “Let’s see. I think I’ll get people to kill my Son so that I can bring salvation to the world.”
Even Jesus asked the Father to remove the cup of suffering from Him if possible.

What about other atrocities that are being committed every day? Does God mean them for good, too?
When a little girl is tortured, raped, and murdered, does God mean it for good? And what possible good could that be? And if He does mean it for good, why does He never reveal what that good is? And wouldn’t an omnipotent God be able to bring about that good without have little girls suffer and die in this way?

Actually, it may be that Moses’ original words did not have Joseph saying to his brothers what the translation of the Masoretic text has him saying:

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.(Gen 50:20)

This sounds as if God deliberately planned for Joseph’s brothers to sell him into Egypt in order to save many people from starving in the famine.

All of the quotes from the Old Testament made by the New Testament writers are either taken from the Septuagint or from a more ancient form of Hebrew, like that which was found in cave 4 of the Dead Sea scrolls. Here is a translation of Gen 50:20 in the Septuagint:

You took counsel against me for evil, but God took counsel for me for good, that the matter might be as it is to-day, and many people might be fed.

The Septuagint version tells us something quite different about Gods actions in the matter,* doesn’t* it?

[Cole]

Paidion,

for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. - Acts 4:27 - 28

It was part of His plan as the scriptures teach. It’s saying it was part of God’s plan and ordained by God. When I say that God ordains something I mean: either God directly causes something or that He permits something (evil) to happen. This is a truth taught in scripture. God doesn’t directly cause evil. For this would make Him the author of evil. Rather He permits it (for morally sufficient reasons) to bring about His overall plans and purposes. His permitting evil it is a kind of indirect causing. That is, His permission is a kind of secondary causing not a direct causing. For example: Satan gets permission from God to torment Job. God allowed Satan to take Job’s family and make Job sick. Yet Job says, “The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away” and “Shall we recieve good from God and shall we not recieve evil” - to which the writer responds: “In all this Job did not sin with his lips”.

I thank God for His grace. When God allows a terrible tragedy to happen I don’t thank Him for it. I thank Him for the good that He’s going to bring out of it. It’s not the evil and intense suffering in and of itself that I’m thankful for. Granted God is in control of it and will bring beauty out of ashes even if I don’t know what He’s doing in the present moment. But God’s sovereign will is His business alone. My job is to trust Him, clean house, and help others. He has morally justifiable reasons for permitting evil. Just as He did when He permitted the worse evil. The murder of His Son.

[Stefcui]

All of the quotes from the Old Testament made by the New Testament writers are either taken from the Septuagint or from a more ancient form of Hebrew, like that which was found in cave 4 of the Dead Sea scrolls. Here is a translation of Gen 50:20 in the Septuagint:

You took counsel against

me for evil, but God took counsel for me for good, that the matter might be as it is to-day, and many people might be fed.

The Septuagint version tells us something quite different about Gods actions in the matter,* doesn’t* it?

That’s an excellent translation, that Septuagint!

Steve

[Paidion]

When God allows a terrible tragedy to happen I don’t thank Him for it. I thank Him for the good that He’s going to bring out of it.

Yes, many people think like that. It’s the only way they can get God off the hook concerning his “allowing” all the atrocities which occur daily.

You haven’t yet addressed my questions from a previous post:

When a little girl is tortured, raped, and murdered, does God mean it for good? And what possible good could that be? And if He does mean it for good, why does He never reveal what that good is? And wouldn’t an omnipotent God be able to bring about that good without having little girls suffer and die in this way?