2
A
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B
Stony
35¢,
1053
LESSON
a
THE
FP.0BLEM
OF
EVIL
In
studying
the
Works
of
God
to
learn
about
God
and
his
charactér,
--
or
as
a
p
subject
of
THRLLOGY,
we
are
at
once
confronted
with
the
problem
of
evil,
its
origin,
its
meaning,
its
end
or
final
state.
Are
God
and
nature
then
at
strife?
TENNYSON,
348--
A
yA
nv
7
50
0
V
Wastes,
cruelties,
suffering,
death---
why,
oh
Why?
\\
Tis
1s
a
problem
under
the
subject
of
PROVIDENCE
or
God's
management
of
the
world.
The
dilemma:
l.
Is
sin
beyond
God's
control?
9
5.
1s
God
the
author
of
sin
and
evil?
I.A
foundation
truth---
God
is
not
in
any
sense
whatever
the
author
of
sin
and
evil.
l.
God
permits
sin.
This
is
not
a
moral
permission,
but
a
physical.
This
means
that
he
does
not
interfere
to
prevent
sinful
actions.
He
could
do
go;
but
this
would
destroy
their
accountability.
Isa.
43
3
28
--
gefve
with
our
sins
Acts
14
:
2.
God
sets
limits
op
bounds
to
sinful
actions.
When
he
permits
sin
he
does
not
thereby
allow
ginful
beings
to
get
beyond
hig
control.
As
of
the
waves,
"Hitherto
shalt
thou
come,
but
no
further.n
"Surely
the
wrath
of
man
shall
praise
thee,
amd
the
remainder
of
wrath
shalt
thou
restrain.”
Psa.
76
:
Jc
3.
God
go
overrules
evil
as
to
bring
good
out
of
evil.
The
sons
of
Jacob
sold
Jogeph;
but
God
brought
good
out
of
it.
Gen.
30
:
2C.
.
But
it
is
wrong
to
do
eyil
that
good
may
come.
Paul
says
"damnation--
|
Il.
But
what
about
the
physical
or
scientific
aspect
of
God's
agency
in
ginful
actions?
We
must
distinguish
between
(
a
)
the
moral
powers
with
which
God
endows
men;
(b
)
the
exercise
of
these
powers
in
voluntary
|
action.
Example,
when
a
man
opens
his
mouth
to
blaspheme
God,
tiie
physical
power
comes
from
God;
but
the
use
of
this
power
is
due
to
man
himself
gs
a
free
moral
personglity.
Lesson
%_
CPPOSINT
THECGAISS
®
Tne
mogt
ancient
opposing
theory
is
DULISM,
which
assumes
two
forms:
§
I.
God
and
matter;
3784
Sz,
II.
Two
antagonistic
principles,
good
and
evil.
I.
The
Alexandrinian
Gnostics
attempted
to
combine
Chrigtianity
with
classical
Greek
philosophy
(
that
of
Plato
or
that
of
Aristotle
)
regarding
the
HULE
AM
In
modern
times
this
view
has
been
revived
by
.‘ohn
Stuart
Mill,
widliam
James,
Cl
He.
G.
Wells,
and
many
others.
Thig
is
the
theory
of
a
finite
God,
or
a
God
of
limited
power.
Paul's
letter
to
the
ologsians
seems
to
be
partly
aimed
at
counteracting
the
pagan
mysticism
(
of
dualism
)
then
prevailing.
(a)
Hatter
is
not
eternal,
it
must
have
been
created.
Jeans,
"Eos,"
etc.
(vb)
It
is
absurd
and
unphilosophical
to
assume
two
eternal
substances,
when
one
eternal
and
self-exigtent
Cause
will
account
for
all
the
facts.
This
dualism
is
a
libel
on
the
power
and
wisdom
of
God.
And
after
all
it
does
not
help
at
all
in
solving
the
problem
of
moral
evil,