Since God knew evil before creation?

[Caffus]

I do believe God is all good and Holy. I frimly believe He is going to save us all in His time. But I think about this fact sometimes and I would like to have a better understanding of it, if possible. Right now I just think that He knew evil and the power of it and He chose to use it for our ultimate good. So that we would fully appreciate His goodness.  But I wonder if evil always existed or not, and if it will cease to exist if it did always exist beforehand.

[SteveW]

This seems to me a good explanation of the "privation of good" argument.  Didn't know it was called that:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absence_of_good

[Caffus]

Yes, that is a good article,  which teaches that everything good is of God. However, I find difficulty understanding this veres,  Isaiah 45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil: I the Lord that do all these things.

[Lazarus Short]

Yes, all things come from God, including evil.  It is difficult to get one's mind around that, but it is nevertheless true.  After all, He planted both the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden, after He had pronounced everything He had created to be "Very Good."

[sheila]

...He uses evil as contrast..and to prove that which is good.  Everything He does not like ,approve or want done to Him..He  wrapped up

  in what is called evil[destruction lying,murder,hate pride arrogance...all the malignat and malevelant..that is NOT His personality

  or character.

  Read Job..God's commendation of him...and proving of him..against the challenge of the adversary.  The final condition of Job

  even better for what he expierenced in the evil that God let come against him

    ......'satan has demanded to sift you like wheat" and we are........in the world you will have tribulation..but fear not! for I

  have overcome the world.

[Caffus]

Yes,  I have read Job, many times.  In the end it all worked for his good...however the final good for him will not be until eternity...when he will be reunited with all. As we know that he lost his children and then God gave him more,  the people in our lifes are not replaceable. 
So, we know God has a final good purpose for all He does allows and creates. And we can't now fully understand all.
But trust in Him that the final outcome when eternity begins is complete in Him and therefore only good will remain.

[Tom]

God created evil to humbles us, and it will be nullified at the consummation of the eons.

"Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and Creator of evil. I, Yahweh Elohim, made all of these things." (Isaiah 45:7)

"I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it." (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

"thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power" (1 Corinthians 15:24)

http://concordant.org/expohtml/TheProblemOfEvil/evil001.html

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

I think the link below explains this topic perfectly.

http://www.thepathoftruth.com/teachings/purpose-of-evil.htm

[CHB]

The way I understand evil is, we are learning from it. The consequences of evil and rewards of good. Just like hot and cold, we couldn't do without either one, nor would we know what one was like without the other. Evil is necessary even though it is hard for humans to grasp that.

CHB

[joeteekay]

I think the link below explains this topic perfectly.

http://www.thepathoftruth.com/teachings/purpose-of-evil.htm

Thanks for that web site. Never saw it before. Very interesting. Even comments on L. Ray Smith who, I believe has many bible truths, but some errors IMO.

[joeteekay]

The way I understand evil is, we are learning from it. The consequences of evil and rewards of good. Just like hot and cold, we couldn't do without either one, nor would we know what one was like without the other. Evil is necessary even though it is hard for humans to grasp that.

CHB

That is what I believe too.
:thumbsup:

[Caffus]

Yes... I understand why evil is needed for a time to teach us and God knew evil and the power of it. But I pray and believe it will have an end.

[Searching_For_The_Truth]

Yes... I understand why evil is needed for a time to teach us and God knew evil and the power of it. But I pray and believe it will have an end.

All evil will come to an end when the time is right

[Caffus]

 :dsunny:

[Dandelion]

God's will is the good....evil is the lack of God's will, in a situation.

In the end, when all chose God, submit to his perfect will for us, and our fallen world is made new, there will no longer be evil. All will be restored to before the fall. At that point, Satan will have no power, anymore, as well. IMO.