If God exists: Why a world of evil, suffering, and death?
Simple Answer: Man, through free-will, chose death, rather than life.
Man was created in the image of God.
Man was created as an eternal being.
Man was created holy, but with free-will.
Man was created sinless, but capable of sin.
Man was created to choose for himselflife or death.
In The Midst of The Garden
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put man in whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good forfood; the Tree of Life also in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Genesis 2. 8-9
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2. 16-17
The Tree of Life represented dependence and trust in the will and wisdom of God. With God came a promised of life, immortality, and blessings. A world without death, corruption, and entropy. God indirectly invited Adam to partake of this tree, “Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat.” God did not command Adam to eat of this tree for God wanted Adam to choose to eat of this tree out his own volition and free will. The invitation was there, but not forced.
The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil represented a test. Adam had freewill. If given the choice, would Adam trust the will and wisdom of God or would he question the will and wisdom of God, and rebel to pursue the treasure the tree offered? The treasure was that of both knowledge and death. The Lord God commanded the man, “The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursing: Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
Why the test? God has eternal plans. He couldn’t allow man, who by choice, would at some time turn against him and mar his perfect creation through sin and rebellion. The test was to bring out what was truly in the heart of man? What did man truly desire?
The consequence of disobedience and rebellion would be death: thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
God was referring to a spiritual death which is a separation from Him. Physical death occurred from being denied access to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3.22-24).
Adam's Authority
God had created the earth for Adam and his seed (mankind). Adam was given complete authority and rule over the earth and his seed (mankind).
And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1.26
So God created man in his own image, male and female. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, “Be fruitful and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1.27-28
God released to Adam complete control and dominion over the earth. The earth was given to Adam to do as he willed and desired. And God, being a just God, would honor Adam's right of freedom of choice.
An Issue of Importance: Adam had divine authority to banish Satan and his satanic host from the earth. Instead, Adam and Eve allowed them access and free roam.
Now the serpent (the Satan: Revelation 12.9) said unto the woman, “Hath God said, you shall not eat of every tree in the garden?”
And the woman said unto the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But the tree in the midst of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest you die.’”
And the serpent said unto the woman, “You shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day you eat thereof, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
And the woman (Eve) took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband (Adam) with her; and he did eat. Genesis 3.1-6
By Adam’s divine authority, in defiance of God's will, in rejection to God’s invitation to the Tree of Life. Adam (first ruler of earth and the Father of mankind) transferred his allegiance from God to Satan in pursuit of self-exaltation. To become a god, Adam chose Death and independence from God in pursuit of knowledge that he (and mankind to follow) might judge for themselves what is right, just, and best for themselves as a whole and individually.
For by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men. Romans 5.12
It was Adam’s choice and divine right to do so. And God allowed it for God is a just God. For God to override what Adam did would be a violation against of His divine righteousness and free-moral agency.
And now, thousands of years later, Satan and his demonic host, roams freely about the earth seeking who they may destroy while mankind, to combat the evil and corruption, put its trust and salvation in SCIENCE.
However: For God so loved the world, that He gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3. 16-17
