The existence of sin, evil, wickedness, devil worship, blasphemy, idolatry, rape, murder, rebellion, adultery, robbery, dishonesty, unbelief and rejection of God, etc. cannot be blamed on God for such are the works of the devil.  (Mal.1: 10, 2:16-17; James 1:13; Rom.3: 4; Jer.13: 17)  God has no pleasure in sin and evil doings (Ezek.33: 11; Mal.1: 10).  The idea of the teaching of Calvinism is that idolatry, evil doings, rebellion, and unbelief cannot exist if God did not decree or ordained them.  God permitted them to exist but he is not the author of sin (Ps.11:10; I Corinthians 14:33).  The question “Why did God allow some people to exist when He knows they will not believe?” is similar to the question “Why did God allow the devil to exist if He knows the devil will rebel against him?” God created the angelic beings including Lucifer.  Lucifer sinned and became the devil. God is not responsible for the pride and rebellion of the devil.  God did not order, ordain, and cause the devil to rebel against Him. (Jer.19: 5; Isaiah 45:19; Jer.9: 24).  The Calvinist would say, “The devil cannot sin if God did not create sin”.  We must define what is “SIN”.  I John 3:4 says “…sin is the transgression of the law”.  If there is no law, there is no sin and sin could not exist (Rom.7:8, 11-13).  Sin is disobedience to the law.  God did not made sin for He cannot sin and it is impossible for Him to lie (Jam.1:13; Rom.3:4, Heb.6:17-18; Jer.9:24;19:5).  Because there is a law, the devil made sin by disobedience.  God calls disobedience as “Sin”.  Why was the devil able to disobey God?  The answer is, because the Lord gave him a freedom of choice.

All that God created is good (Gen. 1:31).  Sin is bad, isn’t it?  The Calvinist may ask, “How could sin exist if all that God created is good?”  God in eternity made all things out of nothing and made laws that govern His creation (Isa.45:19).  God made man in His image (Gen.1: 26).  In that sense, man was created with intellect, emotion, and freewill.  By freewill, I mean the ability to choose.  God did not create man as a robot, for if he were created like a robot, man couldn’t have the opportunity to sin.  God created man with a freewill, a freedom to choose (Gen.3:1-5).  The Almighty God desired fellowship and adoration of His majesty from someone who can make a choice or volition to adore and worship Him (Rev.4: 11).  If He created man like a robot, without freewill, He wouldn’t enjoy him nor demonstrate His power to him.  Would a mature man enjoy the fellowship of a robot?  Could a man boast before a robot that he created it?  One might say, “Well, in our present technology, many scientists are creating robots and they enjoy them”.  Yes they enjoy creating robots, because they enjoy the honor and praise of other people, not by robots.  But could you imagine if a man is going to live in an isolated island alone with the robots and no man with him?  He’ll go crazy with loneliness.  He won’t enjoy talking with them with the minds of the robots just being programmed. In the same way, God won’t enjoy talking with man if his mind were just programmed. It is the pleasure of every person to be loved by someone who is not under compulsion but by his or her personal and voluntary choice.  God created all things. He created other things aside from man so that the more man could see his glory and power, that man may praise Him for his glorious majesty, for man is the crowning glory of God’s creation.  (Psa. 8: 5).  Because God desires fellowship with and praise from man, and He wants to demonstrate His power to man, thus, He gave man the freewill to obey or disobey (Josh.24: 15, Deut.30: 19).  God did not create man with powers like God else they would not adore Him.  In fact, He made man to be lesser in power or ability than the angels (Psalm 8:5-6). Man is without supernatural powers like angels.

God is the creator and so He sets the rules.  God required obedience but gave man the freewill  --obey or disobey.  God called disobedience as sin (Rom.7: 7-8).  If God set no rules or law, sin could not exist (I John 3:4).  If God gave no freewill to angels and man, sin could not exist because there will be no disobedience.  Why did God allow disobedience?  Because God gave man the freewill.  Why did God give man the freewill?  Because God won’t enjoy man if he were created like a robot, and be praised by one like a robot which has a mind just programmed.  Can God demonstrate His power or sovereignty by giving man a freewill or ability to make a choice?  YES! To those who disobey him, He will surely punish them (II Thes.1: 7-9).  To those who humble before Him, He will exalt them (James 4:6).  But how can a fallen man obey God’s rules or law?  The inability of man to save himself from spiritual death is the result of Adam’s disobedience.  (Rom.3: 10-11; 3:23; 5:12).  The fall of man is not necessary to glorify God because if Adam had not sinned, he can glorify God in his sinless state.  The fallen state of man or the consequence of the fall was necessary to teach rebellious man a lesson and to punish him for his disobedience (Rom.6: 23; Isa.48: 22; Rev.21:8). God always foresees things and has the power to turn all things for good (Rom.8: 28). Because man  fell to sin and all men became sinners unable to save themselves, the more God is able to demonstrate His power to save man by His grace and mercy (Eph.2:8-9; Titus 3:5; II Tim.1:9).  God knew in eternity that no man is able to save himself.  God knew in eternity that no man would seek Him and believe without His grace and mercy.  God knew in eternity that with His grace and mercy, and reproofs of the Spirit, man can make a choice and can exercise freewill to repent and believe in Christ.  So God in eternity elected those whom He foreknew would humble, repent, and believe in His Son Jesus Christ under the influence of the Holy Spirit and the gospel (II Thes.2: 13, Eph.1: 4, 11; James 2:5; I Cor.1:26-27; Psa.147:11; 33:18; 18:27; Isa.57:15; Ps.10:17).  Why does God allow the unbelieving people to exist?  God doesn’t have to remove immediately the unbelieving people in this world right now at one time.  God is certain of His victory.  He allowed the devil and the unbelieving people to exist for a while for a purpose so that He can manifest His power to all.  He may allow them to strive to fight against Him for a while until all their strengths are exhausted, but God will destroy them at the end, and the victory is of God. (Matthew 13:24-30). If God allowed the unbelieving wicked people to exist, that is not a problem, because God is the judge and He will punish them for rejecting His Son, Jesus Christ  (John 3:18).

Some Questions:

1. Is it impossible for God to allow the unbelieving people to exist? Mat.13:24-30
2. Will God cause some people not to repent and believe?  II Pet.3:9; I Tim.2:4
3. Did God make sin? I Jn.3:8
4. Does God cause some people to disobey Him? Jer.13:11
5. Is God the author of sin? I Jn.3:4;
6. Why is God angry at sin? I Pet.1:16
7. Can God sin and lie? I Jn.2:21; Heb.6;17-18
8. Can man create something from existing materials?
9. Is it possible the devil made sin by breaking the existing law of God?
10. Does God have to create sin so that the devil will sin? I Jn.3:8
11. Did God create wooden idols so that people will worship idols? Jer.19:5
12. Since God cannot lie, is it necessary for Him to create it?
13. Who is the author of lies? Jn.8:44
14. Is God the author of confusion? I Cor.14:33
15. Does God want some people to reject the truth? I Tim.2: 4
16. Does Jesus want some people not to believe in God? John 17:21
17. Is Jesus the author of faith or unbelief? Heb.12:2
18. Will God decree unrighteousness? Isa.45:19
19. Can a sinner choose life? Deuteronomy 30:19
20. Can a sinner under the influence of the Spirit and the gospel make a choice to believe in God to be saved?  Acts 16:30-31; Joshua 24:15;

If you have some comments or questions, please write by email or mailing:

Edwin Jardinel
P.O. Box 30523
Lipa City 4217
Philippines
Tel. (63+43) 7565052
eFax No. (603)3067