without excuse.”
Epicurus clearly believes in evil. He is in effect saying God does not exist because evil exists. This is not rational. If evil exists then the probability is that God exists. Evil exists but it is curtailed, therefore there must be an opposite good.
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
This is another way of saying because there is evil either God is too feeble to prevent it or is not there. God certainly limits evil or it would overtake the world.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
For His eternal purposes God has postponed judgment on evil and has, in the mean time, allowed it as an alternative.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
If this is so why is there evil? Again God has allowed an alternative but has set a time to make evil cease.
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”
He is willing and able but as I have said, He has set a time for this.
Epicurus’ words bring up two very difficult questions:
1) Why didn’t God destroy evil when it happened? My answer, as I have said, would be that God has postponed punishment but appointed a time in the future for dealing with evil. Jesus gave the parable of the weeds and the wheat to explain that dealing with evil had to be postponed or it would harm God’s children who are in the world. In the mean time God has allowed an alternative – the world (world system, worldly things), the flesh and the devil.
2) Why didn’t He stop the fall?
It was His purpose to bring a great many sons (children) into glory (his presence) Hebrews 2 vs 10. God has allowed the fall because he didn’t make
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