“Father God, please guide me as I write this article based on Your Word. Help me to write this to glorify You, and let Your words bring clarity to those who seek You. May Your truth help people discern and embrace correct beliefs. I pray and seek everything in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
One of the most fundamental questions in Christianity is whether God created sin itself. At first glance, this might seem like a trivial matter – after all, isn’t sin simply the absence of righteousness? But as we delve deeper into Scripture and theology, we find ourselves confronting a profound paradox.
On one hand, the Bible clearly teaches that God created everything – including the universe, humans, and even evil itself. Psalm 139:13-16 declares, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in your book and ordained for me before a single one of them began.” This notion is echoed throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation.
However, the Bible also unequivocally affirms that sin originated with human beings – specifically Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God’s command in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). This raises an intriguing question: Did God create sin? If so, how can we reconcile this with the idea of human free will?
The answer lies in understanding the nature of God’s sovereignty and humanity’s agency. Scripture makes it clear that God created everything – including humans – but He also gave us a unique gift: the capacity for choice (Deuteronomy 30:19). This free will allowed us to make decisions, including choosing to obey or disobey God.
In Genesis 2:16-17, God explicitly granted Adam and Eve permission to eat from any tree in the Garden except one – the Tree of Knowledge. By doing so, He created an environment where humans could exercise their free will, making choices that would have consequences. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God’s command, they introduced sin into the world.
But here’s the crucial point: God didn’t create sin; He allowed it because He gave us the gift of choice. Sin is a result of humanity’s chosen acts, not something God created ex nihilo (from nothing). This is where the paradox comes in – on one hand, God is all-knowing and all-powerful, yet He also respected our free will, allowing us to make choices that would have consequences.
The Bible reinforces this understanding throughout its pages. In Ezekiel 18:20, God says, “The soul who sins shall die.” This declaration emphasizes human accountability for their actions – we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). The prophet Jeremiah echoed this sentiment, stating, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).
This understanding has profound implications. It means that sin is not a pre-existing condition created by God; rather, it’s the natural consequence of humanity’s choices. This also highlights the importance of human responsibility – we’re accountable for our actions, and God holds us to that standard.
So what does this mean for us today? As believers, we must acknowledge that sin is an inherent part of human nature, but we also recognize that it’s not something created by God. Instead, it’s a result of humanity’s choices, which are rooted in our free will.
This understanding has profound implications for our faith and practice. It means that we’re called to take responsibility for our own sinfulness – recognizing that we’re the ones who choose to obey or disobey God. This also underscores the importance of evangelism and
discipleship, as we strive to share the Good News with others and help them understand their own accountability.
As we grapple with this paradox, let us remember that God’s sovereignty is not at odds with human free will – they’re intertwined. By acknowledging our sinfulness and recognizing its origins in humanity’s choices, we can begin to walk in the freedom and forgiveness that Christ offers us.