Did God originate the existence of evil?

1. Introduction

The question of whether God originated evil has been discussed for centuries. Scripture frequently affirms God’s holiness and goodness, yet still addresses the presence of evil in the created world. Careful examination of biblical passages, along with historical and theological insights, provides a thorough basis for understanding how evil came into existence without implicating God as its originator.

2. God’s Holy Nature

A foundational principle is that God’s character is entirely holy and righteous. Psalm 5:4 declares, “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; no evil can dwell with You.” This indicates that no moral wrong can originate in a God who abhors iniquity.

Furthermore, Deuteronomy 32:4 refers to God as “The Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A faithful God without injustice—righteous and upright is He.” These passages underscore that God’s inherent nature is incompatible with producing evil.

3. The Creation Account and the Goodness of God’s Work

According to the early chapters of Genesis, everything God made was initially free from corruption. Genesis 1:31 states, “And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” No trace of evil is implied in God’s original creative act, revealing a cosmos bearing only God’s goodness and order.

This “very good” creation challenges the notion that God formed evil at the outset. The scriptural record presents a universe entirely absent of moral evil until a specific event disrupted the created order.

4. The Entrance of Evil through Rebellion

Evil’s entrance into human experience is first recorded in Genesis 3, when the serpent tempted Adam and Eve to distrust and disobey God. Their free-will choice led to a spiritual fracture—commonly called “the Fall”—that tarnished creation with sin and its consequences.

• Human Disobedience: By yielding to temptation, humanity welcomed sin into the world (Romans 5:12). This disobedience is attributed to moral creatures, not a defect in God or His creation.

• Consequences of the Fall: Suffering, pain, and death came as results of sin. Yet none of this equates to God actively creating evil as a substance; rather, evil is presented as the privation or corruption of good brought about by rebellion.

5. Clarifying Isaiah 45:7 and God’s Sovereignty

A frequently cited verse is Isaiah 45:7. In some translations, it reads, “I form light and create darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity...” (BSB emphasis), leading some to wonder if God actively creates evil. However, the word often rendered “calamity” or “disaster” (Hebrew: רָע, ra) contextually speaks of judgments upon nations rather than moral evil. Throughout Scripture, God is shown to be sovereign over all events, including permitting or orchestrating judgments on wickedness, yet He is not morally culpable for sin.

6. Divine Permission and Human Choice

While God remains sovereign, He also endows humanity with genuine moral freedom. James 1:13 asserts, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” Individual choices lead to evil actions; God provides guidance to avoid sin, but He allows humans to exercise free will.

A related passage is Genesis 50:20, where Joseph informs his brothers, “[Y]ou intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done—the saving of many lives.” Though evil actions occurred, God worked through them to bring about a greater good. This illustrates that while God sovereignly overrules evil, He never endorses or originates it.

7. Philosophical and Theological Perspectives

From a theological standpoint, many have described evil not as a substance created by God but as a distortion of His good design. Augustine’s view, often articulated as “evil is the privation of good,” aligns with biblical descriptions where God’s creation was pristine until a moral agent chose rebellion. The existence of evil stems from permitted choices within the framework of free will.

Moreover, the New Testament repeatedly emphasizes that Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection offer the ultimate remedy for evil. Romans 8:28 affirms, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” Sin and evil are temporary realities that God will permanently overcome.

8. Textual and Historical Confidence in the Biblical Witness

The reliability of Scripture undergirds these claims. Discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls have corroborated the remarkable preservation of the Old Testament text, showing continuity with modern Hebrew manuscripts. Archaeological findings consistently affirm historical details in Scripture—such as locations, peoples, and cultural practices—reinforcing that biblical writings accurately convey God’s revelation and instructions.

In the earliest Christian documents, including letters from influential figures such as the apostles and Church Fathers, there is a consistent portrayal of God’s goodness and holiness. These historical attestations reject the notion of God as the originator of evil and support the view that evil emerged through created beings’ misuse of freedom.

9. Conclusion

Scripture presents a coherent picture:

• God, in His holiness, did not create evil.

• All He made was initially very good.

• Evil arose when moral agents (humans and, biblically, angelic beings) chose rebellion out of free will.

• God’s sovereignty ensures He can redeem and overrule evil for His ultimate purposes.

• The weight of biblical testimony, confirmed by historical and textual evidence, harmonizes with the conviction that God is not the source of moral wrongdoing.

Evil’s origin stems from the misuse of free will rather than any direct creative act on God’s part. This underscores both God’s righteous character and humanity’s responsibility in the moral realm. As history and Scripture attest, God offers redemption and victory over evil straight through the death and resurrection of Christ, ultimately demonstrating how He can transform even the most tragic circumstances to bring about His good and redemptive plan.