EVIL, THE ABSENCE OF GOD

I had read this devotional a few months ago, it is so profound that I feel it bears repeating. I’m not sure of the original author, but the credit goes to that person.

A university professor challenged his class: “Did God create everything?”
A student replied, “Yes.” The professor continued: “If God created everything, then He created evil too. And since our works define who we are, then God is evil.”

The class became silent. Suddenly another student raised his hand and asked, “Professor, does darkness exist?” The professor responded, “Yes.” The student replied, “No, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is just the absence of light. Light, we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break the white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. But you cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”

Then the young man asked, “Sir, does evil exist?” Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course.” To this the student replied, “No, evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. It is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness, a word that man has created to describe the absence of light. God did not create evil. It is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. Evil is like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” The professor sat down.

The young man’s name was Albert Einstein.

MY WORDS: So often we try to explain things that have no explanation. Why does evil exist? Why do bad things happen? If God is in control, why doesn’t He just stop evil? Albert Einstein was correct; evil is merely the absence of God. II Timothy 3 speaks of just how evil mankind will become in the last days as times become more perilous. In verse 13, we are told, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” We live in a world in which men’s hearts are continually on evil. If you think the world can’t sink any lower, read the news, watch Law and Order, you will hear of things you cannot even imagine. It is so clear that there is an absence of God in the lives of many people.

Now imagine that the Rapture has occurred. God’s people have been taken from the earth. We’ve been through the Millennium and the final judgment. The influence of the Holy Spirit has been taken from the earth. You are facing eternal separation from God. Those who choose a life marked by the absence of God are at the same time choosing their eternity. Of all that Hell has to offer, the hopelessness and darkness of a “forever” absent of God is unimaginable. All of the evil present on earth cannot compare to the evil contained in Hell. If you are reading this devotional, you still have the opportunity to make the right choice. Choose a life full of the presence of God now and enjoy eternity in the Light of God’s Love.