My friend tell me he doesn’t see how anyone can believe in God, especially in light of all the bad things that have been done in the name of religion over the centuries – wars, conflicts, oppression, hate, etc. He said I need to free myself from believing in God, because religion is evil.
How should I response? I know that the evil is not God’s willing.
The world is so evil, it’s true. But it’s cause by the depraved people, who don’t know God and don’t obey the truth. Tell your friend, God loves us and He has sent his only son to us and saved us from all kinds of sins. In the end, God’s kingdom will come and all the evil will get judgement from God.
Evil is from the wicked man. Because we are sinners and we have free will. So we do something really bad.But God is perfect. He can turn the bad into good. What we need is to trust into Him and live for Him.
Respond this way “Who does all these bad things in the name of religion over the centuries?”
Ask “Did God come down and do this, or did men/people do this?”
We are evil, every single one of us.
Romans 3:10-12 New International Version (NIV)
10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”(A)
Cross references: [My note: these are important to read as it is repeated 5 times at least in the Bible!]
Romans 3:12 : Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecc 7:20
You DO know that the evil is not God’s willing. When people ask “Why does God allow all this in His name?” the answer is simple: those involved did not stay true to God. God is always true. Man is evil. Only God chooses whom to save. Trust in Him.
Yes, the world is guilty, but sin does not come from God.
It is good to see what God created at first. Beautiful angels, but the angels left their place with pride and fell into Satan.
In Genesis 3, Satan tempted Eve and ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil, and he sinned into the world.
Sin is that man does not listen to God’s word and does not live with God’s Word.
Because of sin, God also paid a huge price. God sent his only beloved Son, Christ, to this world to redeem sinners.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.