Where Did Evil Come From?
Lesson 1 -- Why Do Bad Things Happen?
(Bite-Sized Bible Course)

Where did evil come from? I mean, that's a fair question. Right?

On one hand, there's beauty, order and wonder in creation. On the other hand, there's cruelty, pain, and brokenness. If God made everything, and if God is good, where did evil come from?

Let's find out. But first, we created Lesson 1 of this Bite-Sized Bible course with a quiz at the end. Don't forget to take it. It will really cement the ideas of this page in your mind. After all, you came here to learn.

Also, this is Lesson 1 of our course Why Do Bad Things Happen? If you want more lessons, you can find them here.

And now, let's see what we can see.

God Made a Very Good World

The Bible opens with a strong declaration. God created everything. Light and darkness. Land and sea. Plants and animals. Sun, moon, and stars.

All of it came from His wise and powerful word.

At the end of the sixth day, after making man and woman in His image, God looked at everything He had made and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death, no conflict with God, no shame, and no pain built into creation’s design.

Creation wasn't a battlefield between equal powers of good and evil. It was a good world ruled by a good God. It was a perfect creation created by a perfect God.

If God Made a Good World Where Did Evil Come From?

If the world began good, why is it not good now? What happened? It must have been something drastic!

It was.

Genesis 3 turns the page on this story. A serpent questioned God’s word and goodness. Unfortunately, the human race listened.

Eve saw that the forbidden tree looked good. She took the fruit and ate it. She gave some to her husband. He had no problem with it. He ate it too (Genesis 3:1–6).

In that moment, they chose their way over God’s way instead of trusting and obeying Him. The human race rebelled against a perfect God who provided the perfect setting to live in.

They rejected it. Wholesale.

They could feel it. Something changed inside them, and it wasn't good. They felt shame, tried to cover themselves, and hid from the Lord instead of walking with Him.

When God confronted them, they shifted blame rather than confessing their sin (Genesis 3:7–13). What began as one act of distrust and disobedience became like the Grand Canyon in their relationship with God.

They couldn't reach God. So God reached out to them.

The Fall Affected Humanity and Creation

God’s response in Genesis 3 shows that sin doesn't stay small. What happened next?

• The serpent is cursed (Genesis 3:14–15).
• The woman will experience pain and struggle (Genesis 3:16).
• The man would have to work the ground with sweat and frustration (Genesis 3:17, 19).
• The ground itself would produce “thorns and thistles" (Genesis 3:18)

Creation’s order is still there. God's perfection hasn't changed. Now what He created has been marred, twisted, frustrated, all because of sin.

Later, Scripture reflects on this turning point. Paul explains that sin descended on all creation because of the sin of one man. (Romans 5:12). Adam’s rebellion opened the door for sin and death to enter God’s world. Every one of us has walked through that door in our own way.

We live in a fallen creation because of it. We live in fallen bodies with fallen hearts. We live separated from God in an imperfect world full of evil that we created.

Thank God for the Gospel!

Does this sound depressing? Here's the good news.

It doesn't have to be!

We've answered the question, Where Did Evil Come From? It came from our own willful disobedience. We sinned in Adam as if we had been there in the Garden of Eden with Him.

At the same time, there's an even grander thought. The same passage that explains how sin and death entered through Adam goes on to explain that grace and life come through Jesus Christ. Where Adam’s disobedience brought condemnation, Jesus’ obedience brings righteousness and hope (Romans 5:15–19).

If Christ did what Adam couldn't, and we died through Adam, we can also live through Christ. What a thought! We blow it. God bails us out by sending His Son to take our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24).

What a deal!

God hasn't abandoned His world. Through the entrance of evil into this world, He has begun a new creation in His Son. One day, Jesus will return and fully set everything right.

Understanding What's Important

This should cause you and me to stop and think:

• How does it change your view of God to know that He made the world “very good” but didn't create evil as part of His design (Genesis 1:31)?
• Do you see the effects of the Fall in your own heart, relationships, work, or body (Genesis 3:14–19)?
• How does knowing that sin and death entered through Adam, but grace and life come through Jesus, help you face the bad things you see in the world (Romans 5:12; Romans 5:15–19)?

You see, all good things come from God (James 1:17). All the evil in this world is a result of human sin. But God took care of it through Jesus Christ.

Do you know Jesus? Have you put your trust in Him? If not, do that today. The most important decision you can make is to follow Christ for the rest of your life.

God bless!

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