“Why would a good God allow evil?” This is a question every follower of Christ must be able to engage honestly: Why would a good God allow evil, suffering, and all the brokenness we see—if He truly is good?

The Question Demands a Foundation

This question cannot be answered without first establishing the absolute character of God and the attributes of His perfect love—the very love that motivated Him when He created everything. These attributes are not optional ideas; they are foundational truths about who God is.

The Absolute Character of God

Scripture reveals that God is:

• Absolutely holy and righteous
  (Isaiah 6:3; 1 Samuel 2:2; Psalm 11:7; Psalm 145:17)
• Absolutely loving
  (1 John 4:8; Romans 5:8)
• Everlastingly faithful
  (Lamentations 3:22–23; Hebrews 10:23)
• Absolutely merciful and gracious
  (Exodus 34:6; Ephesians 2:4–5)
• Absolutely trustworthy
  (John 14:6; Titus 1:2)

These attributes describe what a perfect Father would be like. And God is all of these—perfectly.

Why God Did Not Create Puppets

Because God is a perfect Father, He would never create beings as puppets or robots for His own pleasure. Such pleasure would be contrived and self-serving—traits that are not reflections of God’s character.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
(Mark 10:45)

Instead, God’s character compelled Him to create everything for the good of His children—revealing the glory of His selfless love and inviting us into relationship.

The Gift—and Risk—of Free Will

Rather than creating robots, God wove free will into all His thinking creation. Perfect love demands freedom—the freedom to receive love, or the freedom to reject it. If God were a puppeteer, He would be directly responsible for every evil act. But God’s very nature proves otherwise: God is not a puppeteer, and He cannot do anything less than good. The most selfless aspect of God’s goodness is that He allows humanity to freely choose Him.

The First Rebellion and the Crack in Creation

God gave angels free will as well. The first sin in creation came through Lucifer’s pride and rebellion, deceiving a third of the angels. This rebellion was not merely personal—it was cosmic. What had been perfect order, harmony, and goodness was cracked by sin, introducing disorder into creation.

(Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:12–19)

Entropy and a Groaning Creation

This crack introduced what we now recognize as entropy—the tendency of systems to move from order to disorder.

Scripture affirms this reality:

“For the creation was subjected to frustration… and groans as in the pains of childbirth.”
(Romans 8:20–22)

Death, decay, disease, and chaos were never part of God’s original design. They are consequences of rebellion and sin.

A Father Who Knew—and Planned Ahead

God knew that free will would lead His creation to test Him. Jesus illustrated this truth through the Parable of the Prodigal Son—a father who knows his son will wander, yet never stops loving him. When the son turns back, the father runs to him, restores him, and celebrates—wiping away guilt and shame. This is a picture of our Father in heaven—and it is Jesus Himself who makes that celebration possible through His sacrifice.

The Promise Beyond the Crack

From the beginning, God planned beyond the brokenness.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more.”
(Revelation 21:1–5)

This is not merely symbolic—it is the literal renewal of creation. The reversal of entropy. The healing of the crack. The restoration of harmony.

The Gospel at the Center

All of this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His suffering. His death. His resurrection. His ascension. They are the payment for sin and the promise of ultimate victory. The invitation remains simple:

Turn from sin.
Begin walking back to the Father.

Just like the prodigal son did.