The problem of evil—how a good, all-powerful God can allow suffering and evil to exist—has long been one of the greatest challenges to Christian theology. Philosophers, skeptics, and even believers have wrestled with this question, often using it as a stumbling block to accepting or affirming the reality of God's sovereignty. However, Theoreddism provides a framework for understanding that evil and suffering exist not in contradiction to God's goodness, but within His sovereign plan to glorify His Son, save His people, and restore His creation.
This chapter will explore how Theoreddism addresses the **problem of evil**, focusing on God’s **consistency and good purpose** in allowing suffering. We will draw on the biblical understanding that humanity’s rebellion is a cosmic act of treason, necessitating both justice and mercy. Finally, we will consider how human free will and God's sovereignty intersect, using modern developments in artificial intelligence (AI) to illustrate how God’s foreknowledge doesn’t eliminate human freedom.
### **God’s Good Purpose in Ordaining All Things**
At the heart of understanding the problem of evil is grasping God’s ultimate purpose for creation. In Theoreddism, we believe that **God the Father lovingly ordained that His Son, Jesus Christ, would be glorified as Lord, Judge, and Savior over free beings made in His image**. This means that everything in history—good and evil—serves the purpose of glorifying Christ, uniting believers to Him in eternal communion, and executing justice on those who persist in rebellion.
To expand on this: God ordained, in His sovereign love, that His Son would be incarnated as the perfect image of God, entering into the brokenness of creation to redeem and restore. Christ's life, death, and resurrection are the means by which salvation is accomplished for those who, by God’s grace, are united to Him. The Son is glorified as both Savior and Judge, reigning over all creation. Through the Holy Spirit, believers are transformed, sanctified, and ultimately glorified, made fit for eternal communion with God. Conversely, those who persist in their rebellion face eternal separation, receiving just judgment.
This grand narrative of redemption provides a foundational answer to the problem of evil. God permits evil and suffering because they serve a higher purpose: the glorification of Christ as both Savior and Judge. This is not to trivialize human suffering, but to place it within a broader context where God's goodness and justice are fully expressed. As Romans 8:28 (ESV) assures us, *“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”*
### **The Necessity and Inevitability of Human Rebellion**
A crucial part of understanding the problem of evil in Theoreddism is recognizing humanity’s role as **cosmic traitors**. Just as treason is one of the gravest crimes in human society, so is humanity’s rebellion against God, a high offense that deserves just punishment. We are not merely lawbreakers—we are active enemies of God, choosing our will over His rightful rule. This understanding deepens the gravity of the fall and our subsequent sinful state.
Human rebellion is **inevitable** because we are made in God’s image, bearing a likeness to His self-sufficiency and autonomy. However, unlike God’s perfect self-sufficiency, human autonomy is flawed and leads to a rejection of God’s authority. This rebellion is also **necessary** in the sense that through it, we come to understand our true nature and the depth of God’s grace. In rebelling, we see the contrast between our self-sufficiency and our utter dependence on God.
The result of this rebellion is that we all stand condemned as **traitors** before God. In human history, traitors are dealt with harshly—there is often no hope of rehabilitation or reprieve. Similarly, in our fallen state, there is no possibility of returning to God’s favor on our own. The punishment is **eternal separation**, and nothing we do can mitigate our guilt.
However, in God’s **sovereign plan**, Christ’s atoning sacrifice offers mercy where there should only be judgment. His death on the cross pays the penalty for cosmic treason, allowing those who repent and believe to be **justly forgiven** and reconciled to God.
### **God’s Foreknowledge and Human Free Will: The AI Analogy**
One of the most common objections to the Christian understanding of evil is the tension between **God’s sovereignty** and **human free will**. If God is all-knowing and has foreordained everything, how can humans have true freedom? And if we are free, how can God be sovereign over all things, including our choices?
Theoreddism offers a helpful analogy drawn from **artificial intelligence (AI)**. Modern AI systems can predict human behavior with astonishing accuracy. These systems can analyze patterns, preferences, and past decisions to forecast what a person is likely to do in a given situation. However, despite AI’s predictive power, the person remains free to make choices. The system’s ability to foresee behavior does not **determine** that behavior—it simply anticipates it based on available information.
Similarly, God’s **perfect foreknowledge** allows Him to know every choice we will make without forcing us to make those choices. His foreknowledge and ordination encompass all events, yet they do not violate our freedom. God’s knowledge is so perfect that He can anticipate our actions without needing to override our will. This analogy helps reconcile the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility: we are free to choose, but our freedom operates within the bounds of God’s sovereign plan.
In God’s plan, our free choices, even when they involve evil or suffering, serve a greater purpose in His redemptive story. As **Sub-Observers** in God’s rendered reality, our choices contribute to the unfolding of His sovereign will, all while we retain real moral responsibility for our actions.
### **Evil as a Necessity for Redemption**
One of the deepest insights of Theoreddism is that evil, while tragic and real, serves an essential role in God’s plan to glorify Christ. The existence of evil highlights the magnitude of God’s goodness and grace. Without the reality of rebellion, there would be no need for redemption; without suffering, we would not see the extent of God’s compassion and justice.
This is illustrated most profoundly in the **cross of Christ**. The greatest evil in history—the unjust crucifixion of the sinless Son of God—became the means by which the greatest good was accomplished. Through Christ’s death, God demonstrated His perfect justice in punishing sin, while also showing His boundless mercy in offering forgiveness. As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:20 (ESV), *“Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more.”*
Thus, in God’s sovereign plan, evil is not a contradiction to His goodness but a necessary backdrop against which His grace and justice are most clearly seen.
### **Conclusion: Looking Ahead to God’s Good Purpose**
The problem of evil is not easily dismissed or trivialized. Suffering, pain, and injustice are all real and present realities in our world. Yet, within the framework of Theoreddism, we understand that these realities serve a **higher purpose**. God, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed evil for a time so that His Son may be glorified, His people redeemed, and His justice fully displayed.
The tension between **divine sovereignty** and **human freedom**, as well as the reality of evil, finds its resolution in God’s **good purpose**—that Christ would be glorified as both Savior and Judge, redeeming fallen humanity and restoring creation.
In the next and final chapter, **The Firewall in Action: Defend and Adapt**, we will explore how the Theoreddist framework equips believers to defend the faith in an ever-changing cultural landscape. We will look at practical applications of Theoreddism for apologetics, discipleship, and engagement with secular philosophies. By understanding how to defend and adapt our faith, we can confidently proclaim the gospel and stand firm in a world that constantly challenges the foundations of truth and morality.
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