Why Bad?

Updated: June 11, 2025

It is often said that “God is in control,” and He certainly is overall. Yet we are often told along with this that God created bad to be part of His master plan. He “allows” bad because it ends up being good.

This is a subtle twist on what the Bible actually teaches. The Bible is quite adamant that the evils of this world are not God’s fault, and that to believe otherwise is to be “deceived” (James 1:16-17). He created the world in perfection, and those He put in charge have corrupted themselves and the things that are in their charge. God is working to prevent and undo the bad works of the enemy and those who align with him. If bad happens, it is because we – the ones God put in charge – are allowing it.

Consider this: If God were responsible for every bad thing in His universe, how could He ever judge anyone righteously? Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler were all simply doing what they were “wired” to do, right? Even when God does bad things – that is, things that we consider “bad”, like flooding the entire earth and killing all but 8 people – is He unjust in doing so? In God’s universe, your actions have reactions. There is no escaping this. (See also Why Me?) God is very plain and up front about the consequences of evil actions. He’s so up front about it that He gave everyone a conscience, to warn them when they are about to cross a line.

Isn’t it wonderful that God did not leave us to our own devices, but made a way whereby we can escape the corruption of the world? God in the person of Jesus taught and demonstrated that good comes from God, and evil comes from the enemy. (See also Why Free Will?)
(Psalm 115:16, James 1:16-17, 1 John 1:5, 1 John 5:19, 1 John 3:8 NIV, Luke 4:5-6, Romans 2:15-16, Matthew 12:22-28, Galatians 6:7, Job 34:10-12, Acts 10:38)