Is evil necessary?

Dear Pastor -

I'm a teenager in my senior high. I'm just wondering whether evil is necessary so as to occasion grace. Come to think of it, aren't we to be saved just because there is evil? And isn't evil therefore necessary?

Linda.

Dear Linda,

Your question is one which all of us need to ponder – whether evil is necessary so as to occasion grace.

Which came first? Grace or evil? Grace came first. When God created Adam and Eve and put them in the Garden of Eden it was a grace action.

Grace means unmerited favour. God prepared everything and gave it to man free. He was only responsible to take care of the garden.

When Satan introduced evil, man became a sinful being. From then on no amounts of work would please God.

In fact grace is more essential than ever before to live a Godly life. God took the initiative and dressed man with animal skins (man had covered himself with leaves that were going to dry by the end of the day) – an act of grace.

Evil is not necessary at all. When God does away with evil as it is written in the book of Revelation 21, grace will still be there.

Heaven is a place by God to those who put faith in His Son Jesus. It is a place of grace because we do not deserve to inherit such a place.

Graciousness is part of God’s character. This character trait is revealed to man through creation and redemption at the cross and in future it will be revealed at man’s glorification to eternity.

He raped me!

Dear Pastor,

I'm in my early twenties. I'm African. I was a victim of a date rape sometime in my teenage. I never shared this with anyone before. I'm Christian and have been trying to go over the experience (by pushing the past behind me and trying to embrace relationships with men), but I don't think I'm anywhere near progress. Sometimes I feel like shooting the first man dead in his tracks the next time I see him. (Un)fortunately, my country has tough gun laws and I can't risk getting one from the underworld, even if I wanted to. What must I do to help my estate?

L.

Dear L.,

I can feel your anger at the ordeal of rape you went through.

It is totally normal to be annoyed at the injustice of a fellow human being. However, you must be willing to intentionally to forgive the man who raped you – not for his sake, but for your sake.

Forgiveness will release you to be able to continue your life. The scar may remain in your heart and soul but the pain will be removed.

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a choice. I encourage you also to forgive men. Not all men are beasts, just like it is a fact that not all women are angels.

I also encourage you to seek counsel from a Christian professional counsellor to help you ridding yourself of anger and vengeance.

Don’t let the past hold you captive because of what someone did to you – as painful as it is. Open yourself to God, forgive that man (by name) and ask for God’s healing. He is able to heal us of every emotional pain.

Karibuni, ladies and gentlemen!

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Thanks and blessings!
Frank.