For as long as people have believed in God, they have wrestled with the problem of evil. The problem is, "How can God be good and all powerful and yet there still be so much evil on the planet?" Answers to this question are called "theodicies." A Theodicy is a defense of God in the face of the problem of evil.
Broadly speaking, Christian theodicies fall into two camps: "Blueprint Theodicies" and "Warfare Theodicies." The Blueprint model explains evil by appealing to God's sovereign, redemptive plan. It argues that each individual act of evil is necessary and willed by God to bring about a positive end. It may not always be clear to us what that end is, if we could see it from God's perspective it would make sense.
Warfare theodicies explain evil by appealing to what is often called the "freewill defense." In this model, evil exists because of the free will decisions of created agents. God uses His omnipotence to control Himself, rather than everyone else, and makes space for people to make real choices. It is a "warfare" model, because God is locked in a real battle with these evil wills.
In these in depth teachings, Pastor Max tackles the problem head on, arguing for a warfare worldview, while honoring those that disagree.
Broadly speaking, Christian theodicies fall into two camps: "Blueprint Theodicies" and "Warfare Theodicies." The Blueprint model explains evil by appealing to God's sovereign, redemptive plan. It argues that each individual act of evil is necessary and willed by God to bring about a positive end. It may not always be clear to us what that end is, if we could see it from God's perspective it would make sense.
Warfare theodicies explain evil by appealing to what is often called the "freewill defense." In this model, evil exists because of the free will decisions of created agents. God uses His omnipotence to control Himself, rather than everyone else, and makes space for people to make real choices. It is a "warfare" model, because God is locked in a real battle with these evil wills.
In these in depth teachings, Pastor Max tackles the problem head on, arguing for a warfare worldview, while honoring those that disagree.
If you prefer to listen on Spotify instead, you can view the entire series below:
Listen on Spotify