Why Does God Allow Evil? Understanding the Evidence Behind the Question

A lone figure sits in the darkness of a broken world while light breaks through—reminding us that even in the presence of evil, hope has a source.

One of the biggest questions people ask about God is this: If He is all-powerful and all-good, why does He allow evil? This challenge—often called the Epicurean Problem of Evil—argues that the existence of suffering makes the existence of God unlikely.

The argument goes like this:

• If God wants to stop evil but can’t, He isn’t all-powerful.

• If He can stop evil but doesn’t want to, He isn’t all-good.

• If He’s both powerful and good, then why does evil exist?

• Evil exists, therefore God does not.

At first glance, this seems like a strong case. But while this argument raises important questions, it doesn’t prove that God doesn’t exist. In fact, “proof” is a steep hill to climb no matter which worldview you hold. What we can talk about is evidence, and when we look closely, the evidence actually supports the biblical explanation of evil far better than the alternatives.

Here’s why:

1. The Existence of Evil Points to a Moral Standard

We all recognize that evil exists. We see injustice, suffering, cruelty, and wrongness, and something inside us rises up and calls it what it is—evil.

But that raises a deeper question:

How would we even know something is evil unless there is a real standard of good?

If the universe is random and meaningless:

• Where do we get the idea of moral obligation?

• Who decides what is “wrong” versus simply “unpleasant”?

• Why do humans everywhere share similar moral instincts?

Atheism struggles to explain the existence of objective morality. But the Bible says our moral compass comes from God Himself (Romans 2:14–15).

In other words, the existence of evil isn’t proof against God—it is evidence that a moral Lawgiver exists.

2. Christianity Provides a Coherent Explanation for Evil

No worldview avoids the problem of evil. Everyone must answer the question: Why do bad things happen?

But Christianity offers a clear and consistent explanation:

• Evil wasn’t created by God.

• It entered the world through the rebellion of spiritual beings and humans (Genesis 3).

• The world is now fractured by sin (Romans 8:20–22).

This aligns with what we experience every day: a world filled with beauty and brokenness. Rather than denying or minimizing evil, the Bible explains it in a way that fits reality. That’s evidence, not proof. It's meaningful evidence of the truthfulness of the biblical worldview.

3. God Does Not Ignore Evil—He Confronts It

Some belief systems say suffering is an illusion. Others claim evil has no ultimate meaning. But Christianity teaches something radically different: God enters into our suffering.

Jesus lived in our world, experienced pain, faced injustice, and took evil upon Himself (Isaiah 53:3–5; Hebrews 4:15).Through the cross and resurrection, He defeated its ultimate root, sin and death (Revelation 21:4).

This is powerful evidence that the Christian story is not one of divine indifference but of divine involvement.

4. Love and Free Will Require the Possibility of Evil

Many people ask: Why didn’t God create a world where evil couldn’t exist? But a world without any possibility of evil would also be a world without choice, and therefore without love.

Real love must be freely given.

• If God forced us to love Him, it wouldn’t be love.

• If we had no ability to choose wrong, we would be robots.

• Genuine goodness requires genuine freedom.

God didn’t create evil, but He created free beings, humans and angels, who could choose. Some chose rebellion. The consequences of those choices ripple through the world. This doesn’t prove God’s goodness, but it is strong evidence that evil is not a contradiction to God’s character.

5. Evil Is Temporary—God Has a Plan to End It

The Epicurean argument assumes evil will always exist, making God’s goodness questionable. But Scripture says the opposite.

God is patient, giving humanity time to repent (2 Peter 3:9). But patience is not passivity. The Bible promises a future where:

• Evil is judged

• Justice is complete

• Suffering is wiped away

• Everything broken is restored (Revelation 21:4)

The fact that evil exists right now is not evidence that God will never deal with it, only that He has not dealt with it yet.

The Problem of Evil Raises Hard Questions—But the Evidence Supports the God of Scripture

We may never have airtight proof for God or for the Christian worldview in this life. Proof is a high bar for any belief system, including atheism. But we are not left without evidence—and the evidence surrounding evil actually strengthens the case for God rather than undermines it.

Here’s what the evidence shows:

• Evil and morality point to a real moral standard—best explained by God.

• The Bible provides a coherent explanation for why evil exists.

• God responds to evil personally in Jesus Christ.

• True love and free will require the possibility of evil.

• God promises to end evil once and for all.

The presence of evil doesn’t make God less believable; it makes the biblical story more meaningful. The God of Scripture is not distant or uncaring. He is the One who confronts evil, redeems what is broken, and will one day restore all things.

He is not the problem. He is the solution.