The Existence of Evil

Comment: The so called "problem of evil": the problem of evil is the problem of reconciling the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent God. What follows is the meat of Hodge's response.


How can the existence of evil, physical and moral, be reconciled with
the benevolence and holiness of a God infinite in his wisdom and
power? This is the question which has exercised the reason and tried
the faith of men in all ages of the world. Such is the distance
between God and man, such the feebleness of our powers, and such the
limited range of our vision, it might seem reasonable to leave this
question to be answered by God himself. If a child cannot rationally
sit in judgment on the conduct of his parents, nor a peasant
comprehend the affairs of an empire, we certainly are not competent to
call God to account, or to ask of Him the reason of his ways. We might
rest satisfied with the assurance that the Judge of all the earth must
do right. These considerations, however, have not availed to prevent
speculation on this subject. The existence of evil is constantly
brought forward by sceptics as an argument against religion; and it is
constantly in the minds of believers as a difficulty and a doubt.
While it is our duty to obey the injunction, "Be still and know that I
am God," it is no less our duty to protest against those solutions of
this great problem which either destroy the nature of sin or the
nature of God. (Hodge v 1 p 429)




[A] ... method of dealing with this question is to rest satisfied
with the simple statements of the Bible. The Scriptures teach, (1.)
That the glory of God is the end to which the promotion of holiness,
and the production of happiness, and all other ends are subordinate.
(2.) That, therefore, the self-manifestation of God, the revelation of
his infinite perfection, being the highest conceivable, or possible
good, is the ultimate end of all his works in creation, providence,
and redemption. (3.) As sentient creatures are necessary for the
manifestation of God's benevolence, so there could be no manifestation
of his mercy without misery, or of his grace and justice, if there
were no sin. As the heavens declare the glory of God, so He has
devised the plan of redemption, "To the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the
Church the manifold wisdom of God." (Eph. iii. 10.) The knowledge of
God is eternal life. It is for creatures the highest good. And the
promotion of that knowledge, the manifestation of the manifold
perfections of the infinite God, is the highest end of all his works.
This is declared by the Apostle to be the end contemplated, both in
the punishment of sinners and in the salvation of believers. It is an
end to which, he says, no man can rationally object. "What if God,
willing to show his wrath (or justice), and to make his power known,
endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction: and that He might make known the riches of his glory on
the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory." (Rom.
ix. 22, 23.) Sin, therefore, according the Scriptures, is permitted,
that the justice of God may be known in its punishment, and his grace
in its forgiveness. And the universe, without the knowledge of these
attributes, would be like the earth without the light of the sun.


The glory of God being the great end of all things, we are not obliged
to assume that this is the best possible world for the production of
happiness, or even for securing the greatest degree of holiness among
rational creatures. It is wisely adapted for the end for which it was
designed, namely, the manifestation of the manifold perfections of
God. That God, in revealing Himself, does promote the highest good of
his creatures, consistent with the promotion of his own glory, may be
admitted. But to reverse this order, to make the good of the creature
the highest end, is to pervert and subvert the whole scheme; it is to
put the means for the end, to subordinate God to the universe, the
Infinite to the finite. This putting the creature in the place of the
Creator, disturbs our moral and religious sentiments and convictions,
as well as our intellectual apprehensions of God, and of his relation
to the universe. (Hodge v 1 p 435)