Answering the Question: Did God Create Sin

Answering the Question: Did God Create Sin?

Nothing like receiving an email from an honest inquirer wanting to know how to answer the question “Did God create sin?” first thing in the morning. I’ll tell you what I think first, based on my initial reaction and what I’ve had time to read up on this morning, and I’ll close by sharing what I found to be a helpful anecdote.

I’ve never been very good at articulating philosophical arguments, and therefore, strongly disliked the semester I spent in Philosophy of Religion class and frequently avoid philosophical discussions. However, I recognize that running from a discussion is not always the most God honoring response. When I first read the question this morning, I immediately thought, “Well, no, of course He didn’t create sin!” but, how am I going to prove it? Sin is very much a fact of this life. And, over and over again I’ve given God the credit for creating all things, sustaining all things, being sovereign over all things. So, did He in fact, create and sustain sin? No, He did not. God didn’t create sin. God created man. God created man in His image, but He gave man choices. God did not create sin, but He did allow for disobedience. God set up a standard of holiness by giving man the Law, but He did not create the transgression of that Law or the disobedience that brought it about.

It is extremely important to remember that all that God created in the Garden of Eden was good. Even Satan was created as Lucifer, an angel of light in heaven.

Here’s how another put it …

A college professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians often berated Christians for their belief in God mocking any statements of faith.
At the beginning of one semester, he asked if there were any professed Christians present. The first young man to raise his hand in response to his challenge was asked by the professor, "Did God make everything?"
"Yes he did, sir," the young man replied.
The professor responded, "If God made everything, then God made evil, and if we can only create from within ourselves, then God is evil."
The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to have once again proved the Christian faith to be a myth. Another student raised his hand and asked the Professor , "May I ask a question sir?"
"Yes you may," nodded the professor. The young man stood up and asked, "Sir, is there such thing as cold?"
"Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"
The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold does not exist. What we consider to be cold, is really only the absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."
The young man continued, "Sir, is there such thing as dark?" Once again, the professor responded "Of course there is."
Once again, the student replied "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term man developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."
Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course. We have rapes, and murders and violence everywhere in the world, those things are evil."
The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term man developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love, which exist as virtues like heat and light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat or darkness without light."