God as author of evil

Dr. M. Klaassen is a theologist who publishes regularly in, amongst others, the Reformatorisch Dagblad (Reformed daily newspaper) and is member of the board of the SGP (a Dutch reformed political party). This week a remarkable article appeared from him entitled ‘Why fallen into sin?’. He explains:

Children can ask difficult questions sometimes. After reading the Bible, a mother was asked by her son: ‘Why did God actually create man while He already knew we would fall into sin?’

Klaassen continues:

Indeed, God created the world, while He knew that man would fall. For God has all encompassing foreknowledge off all things / events. In that sense you could also say that He wanted the falling into sin.

These two sentences are obvious to me: if God knows all things, then He also knew that the ‘falling into sin’ would take place. The fact that God allowed it to happen indeed means that He “in that sense” wanted the ‘falling into sin’. He didn’t want to prevent it. Klaassen rightfully says: “in that sense….”. By this he points out that in another sense Adams transgression obviously went against Gods will. Klaassen subsequently hastes himself to say:

At the same time that doesn’t make Him the ‘author’ of evil. For it is man himself who chose against God by following the desires of his own heart. That is important to understand. Allowing the falling into sin, doesn’t make God the maker of evil, just as the writer of a book in which the main character commits a murder, isn’t responsible for this murder. He allows it to happen in his story, but that doesn’t make him the perpetrator!

God is not guilty of evil like He could be reproached of it. This is totally Biblical: God is just and perfect in all his ways (Deut. 32:4). But what Klaassen claims subsequently, is illogical. First He denies that God is the author of evil because that would make Him to be guilty. But then he denies that a writer of a book in which the main character commits a murder is responsible for this murder. In this, Klaassen contradicts himself. Indeed the metaphor of the creation of a book beautifully illustrates how an author could allow a murder to take place, without being guilty of it. A concept like guilt is only applicable to the level of the role players in the book. The author is the creator of the story.

From the beginning God told the hereafter (Isa. 46:10). It was all in the script and He is the author of it. He places all. Also the godless criminal can’t do anything outside of Him. No footstep, no thought, no breath without Him! And nothing is without meaning

Yahweh has made everything for its own outcome, Yes even the wicked for the day of evil.
– Proverbs 16:4 –

And yes, indeed God is the Creator of evil. At least, that is what He Himself declares:

That they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one apart from Me; I am Yahweh and there is no other. Former of light and Creator of darkness. Maker of good and Creator of evil, I Yahweh make all these things.
– Isaiah 45:6,7 –

God is not guilty of the drama of evil, but receives all honor for it! Gods book has a ‘happy end’. It will all be good in the end!

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