The Biblical Perspective on Evil – Part 6

Jesus and the Problem of Evil: The Outworking of God’s Promises of Salvation

Class Date: February 23, 2022

In Post-enlightenment Europe and America people came to the conclusion that we could take our destiny into our own hands, and began the process of solving the stubborn problems that have plagued humankind since the beginning of time. This was the birth of the modern age. It was the belief that the economic and political progress fueled by science and reason would result in the death of religion. We can see from recent history that this has not been the case. The 1980s saw power shift to the “moral majority”, and soon after the rise of megachurches. Religious faith is not decreasing, but rather increasing in the world at large, especially in China, Africa, and Central and South America.

The values we hold in the west – such as a more peaceful world, medical care and education for all, and the opportunity to escape poverty – have been inherited from early Christianity. These are the values that are reflected back to us through the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus as presented in the four gospels. The “miracles” that Jesus performed were meant to convey that Jesus had the power to overcome evil influences. There are many examples of this in the Gospels. Dealing with the problem of evil is at the heart of the Christian message. In Christ, God has come to God’s people in order to free them from the power of evil.