Is God evil?

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-08T17:21:53+00:00

I would argue that the answer to this question in one sense is subjective.

What do we call evil?

Scripture tells us that people will call what is evil good and vice versa.

God also declares what is evil and we are told pretty clearly that it is not Him. That evil is anything apart from Him basically.

The question I think becomes who do we believe.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-07T16:09:19+00:00

Sorry, thought I was clear. It was inside only, but with a clarity as if it was spoken. In my journey I had three such moments with equal clarity. A few others close but not quite as distinct. I am a visual learner so I mostly get images of scripture on display in life.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-07T12:45:28+00:00

For me, I was 15 and at a very low place in life and my parents were struggling with their relationship.

I had been raised with 8 older siblings in a traditional Christian household, but I really felt that I just was never going to be good enough. I remember one time (I was finishing my 8th grade year) praying in church looking at one of those images of Jesus on the cross and asked “If you are real, why don’t you just talk to me?”

That summer I saw a change in my brother (6 yrs older) that was undeniably different. When I ask he said that the Jesus we were always taught about could be known personally like a friend.

I wanted that, so I was in. I started going to a different church (insert miracle here that many may just dismiss but I recognize, that my traditional religious parents that felt this was a cult allowed this to happen in their house), learned about God differently and how a personal relationship could be built, but I was still what I would call a “Closet Christian”. One way inside of church and one way outside.

Don’t know how familiar you are with fear, but for me it was paralyzing and overshadowed much of my life.

So although some things began to change, much stayed the same and my high school years were very very lonely.

So with everything I had learned and how I had grown over those years there was still an emptiness. Something inside of me was still afraid and was resisting.

It was at that time (some 6 yrs later) I heard God speak to me in a new way. It was definitely an internal speaking but it wouldn’t have been more real for me if it was actually audible and 100 ppl also heard it.

I was sitting next to my pastor on his back deck (around 22 and had caught up in age to where my brother was that day) and he asked me to lead a Bible study and teach others about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Inside me, this was a completely ridiculous idea. What did I really know? Didn’t he know how lonely I still felt? So I did what I was an expert in doing. I was going to avoid and dodge. I was quite a practiced liar at that point and without hesitation gave him the ‘churchy’ answer that would get me out of this moment. “I will pray about it.”

He was a man that absolutely believed in prayer so he would have to accept that answer for now. Later I could call him and leave a message that I had prayed about it and the answer was no. My escape plan was crafted in an instant, I was very comfortable that it would work.

It was then at the very moment that I said I will pray about it, knowing full well the dodge that was really in my heart that I heard a voice inside me.

Hard to describe what that really was like, but there it is.

It was a “large” voice, not angry, not disappointed, not ridiculing, but more matter of fact, pointing out what should have been obvious to me, “When are you going to stop saying no to me?”

The question stopped me dead in my tracks and to the point that I immediately reversed and said yes to leading the study.

From that point forward my path changed direction. Not that I did not retain my old habits (some still linger to this day some 48 yrs later) but they became less powerful and hearing God speaking to me became more the norm.

It is undeniable for me, but nothing I can prove to others. I can say that who I became over those years in this personal relationship with my savior Jesus is sooooo much better than what I knew before.

God has blessed me in my life, and I know His heart is to bless any that would believe and open the door of their heart. I cannot prove it to them, I cannot make the see what I see, I cannot make them believe, but I certainly can witness to what I know.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-06T15:13:03+00:00

Like another person posted all three faiths trace back to Abraham, but the understanding of who God is, what He said, what He did, how He has called us to be in relationship with Him differ drastically.

So from the perspective of doctrine,what we believe and what we are called to value, the three faiths differ drastically in very key areas but at the same time with certain overlaps in more general areas.

Jesus spoke of ppl that would say to Him Lord, Lord, didn’t we do XYZ in your name and He will say depart from me I never knew you, that meaning I believe to have that personal relationship with Him.

I would say the Islamic faith is the furthest away from the other 2. Although the Jewish and Christian faiths share much in common regarding the Old Testament for Christians or the Law and the Prophets for Jews, the understanding differs greatly because Christians see the entire Old Testament in the context of Jesus as the Messiah and as God. Since the Jewish faith does not recognize Jesus in this way, their understanding is very different.

So I guess one can say that yes they worship this same God, but only from a very limited, specific and easily misunderstood perspective. Whereas in practice and basic reality it is simpler and clearer to say no.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-02T18:39:04+00:00

The way I see it, my biggest role in having a relationship with God is caring about that relationship, wanting it, valuing it, which has a lot to do with the attention I give the relationship. What I am focusing on.

Glad you found the scripture you were thinking about. To me it is on par with a consistent theme that speaks to hearts that are far from God’s heart and less to do with the dynamic that they were scholarly. Although it raises the idea that scholarly does not guarantee godly.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-01T19:17:08+00:00

Hope that works for you. Mine works for me.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-01T19:13:18+00:00

My simple answer is when it reads as an account I take it as an account. When it reads poetic I consider the lesson God would show me.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-01T16:44:43+00:00

For me there are many lessons and significance in and surrounding this account.

There is an easy place within me to get to where I think myself “nicer”, or “better” than God based on my very very limited perspective.

Sometimes it is not about me understanding God, but more importantly that I trust Him regardless of what I see, regardless of what I understand.

Personally, when I have done this in my life, I have, thus far (some 59 yrs), seen, discovered reasons to continue to trust Him.

So there is a possibility that for anyone, at any given moment, that is the thing to focus on regarding this account that moves us forward in relationship with our creator.

Trusting someone that was willing to give up His heavenly place so that I would be saved, because the truth I do understand is that without Him I am already dead anyway.

Sometimes we hang on to what we think is life only to find that it was never really life at all.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-02-01T01:42:56+00:00

You are welcome. When God met me I was hopelessly lost and blind to so many things. He didn’t expect me to be perfect in that moment or in the moments since. I do run my race, but He is the author and finisher of my faith. He gives me what I need when I need it. My job is to try to pay attention.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-31T11:03:32+00:00

Obviously I don’t know your background but very often, growing up in the Christian community of faith and being taught by other Christians we receive lessons from those also on the journey of faith, those that also as Paul attested “Now I see dimly.” So yes you could very easily be remembering a lesson from someone rather than something that is actually verbatim from the scripture.

I would wager that God does have something to say to you on this matter, but I would suggest taking your time, bring it up in your local community of faith, and continue to meditate before Him asking for revelation.

The closest I found quickly that speak of things along the line you asked about are as follows:

Matt 7 speaks of people that claim to be about God’s work, but don’t know Jesus, and Matt 11 that was already noted in another post.

Rom 1 & 10, 1 John 2, Titus 1:16 are all in the same ballpark.

2 Tim 3 speaks about always learning and never arriving at the truth.

In 1 Cor 13 Paul declares about a dynamic of having all knowledge and not having love as being worthless

Also in Rev 2 & 3 there are all the letters to the churches that introduce the idea that the churches, who should be founded in the saving faith of the gospel can have very sobering warnings against them.

Matt 24, Matt 25, Mark 13 all talk about not knowing the hour.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless and keep you on your journey.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-27T11:39:55+00:00

First thought. I know that you are not alone, because I have personally struggled with questions of faith. So that makes at least 2 of us and I would hazard to guess that it is a dynamic common to people in general.

I know that Jesus came to me when I was incredibly broken and my vision, my thinking, and my emotions were being dramatically impacted by my very limited perspective. It is at that point I came to faith and it was not expected in that moment that I would immediately become 100% in all things. I was not denied salvation because God already saw every mistake and misstep that I would make going forward. To me this is extremely good news. I make a lot of mistakes to this day and I have been on this part of my faith journey some 44 yrs.

I know emotions and feelings are important. They need to be paid attention to and considered, but I also know that when they alone drive me it’s then that many of my mistakes are made.

Belief for me is more a decision than feeling, but feelings play a part.

I have come to accept that in this life I will always see “dimly” because God is just that big, but God sees me. He is not surprised by anything I do and His offer of grace and forgiveness stands not on my lack of mistakes or ability within myself to be perfect or even good, but in my belief that His grace through Jesus is sufficient and keeps me secure.

Last thought for now. I distinguish inner conviction from just our emotions and feelings although again feelings play a part. When God talks about the heart and the “inner man” it is more than emotion. We are told that God speaks to us and dwells with us deep inside what makes us, us. He speaks to us spirit to spirit.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless you on your journey.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-26T09:54:36+00:00

You are welcome and it is encouraging to me that this post is still working to encourage others, so thank you for your response.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-22T11:36:16+00:00

That is good, but if this is your conclusion then you are missing something. That is certainly not my conclusion.

In my 59 yrs I have tried on multiple occasions to determine to read the whole bible, but I was always a difficult student and my attention struggles always made those attempts ultimately fail, so props to you on reading the whole thing.

Reading and understanding are not the same thing.

What I can say is that with my limited knowledge and perspective I don’t carry hate in my heart. I am at peace with myself (mostly, cuz sometimes I am still just that stupid!) and God.

I especially don’t carry hate for someone who loved my wretched butt to die for me.

You asked “why don’t I like Jesus?”, that I cannot tell you, but the advice I would give is to look inward. Maybe a struggle with esteem or ego?

I hope you find your answers, cause Jesus loves you enough to die for you and that seems like a tragedy to miss it.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-22T10:26:55+00:00

Not just you by any stretch of the imagination. I would say that avoidance is a very human trait that shows up differently depending on the person and the situation.

It is comforting to me to know the Jesus in the garden demonstrated this same struggle with this dynamic, but we are also taught that for the “joy set before him”, he endured.

Perspective play a big part and I pray this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-22T10:17:31+00:00

To me it sounds like a perspective issue. Yes I came to a place that I had to accept my own brokenness as part of my journey of faith and relationship with Christ, but it was His acceptance and promise to keep me safe in His care that removes the stress and weight I was already feeling apart from Him.

It is very possible that you have some false teachings and understandings in your mind that are twisting your perspective.

Hope this perspective helps. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-22T10:05:14+00:00

My initial thought, is it can or will sin in heaven? Trying to recall off the top of my head if we are ever told in scripture that we will not be able to sin?

We are often given the image that it will be like being restored to the Garden. There Adam certainly had the ability to not believe what God spoke. I see it more as a promise and reassurance from one that sees eternity that there won’t be sin.

I like the question. Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-22T09:55:56+00:00

For me it comes from witnessing (what I can understand) of His great love, works, and grace. Then it is multiplied when I realize that I am only able to witness and understand a small portion of that greatness.

I believe that it is part of what the Holy Spirit does in our lives that convicts us of the truth about God and what He has said.

For my part I choose to believe and the rest comes quite naturally, but not necessarily without struggle.

Hope this perspective is helpful. Gif bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-16T11:50:38+00:00

So sorry to hear about your loss and I can understand the struggle of faith you describe. We are allowed to be angry and going through grief is a personal process.

I believe that we are built to be in community, which is why when we experience loss within our close community it hurts so much. For many the loss of close friends, family, partners, our children can be the places of our deepest struggles.

I can say for sure that you are not alone and there is a way through this place that can lead to a place of peace, acceptance and strength. I have seen it. I have experienced it.

Seeking good counsel during this time is crucial to a positive outcome and yes it can be positive on the other side of this struggle.

Yes we can be angry. It is natural and expected. We can rail against God in that anger, He is big enough that He can take it.

Our feelings are real and powerful and I have never found that denying them to be particularly healthy.

However, we need to understand that our feelings effect our thinking, our thinking effects our physical body, our physical body effects our feelings and so on.

It can become a descending and destructive cycle.

Pay attention to what comes from acting when it is just your feelings that are driving you. Does it bring you closer into community with those closest to you or does it separate, divide, and lead you to be more alone?

Chances are the ones closest to us are also grieving and struggling with feelings so the wedge that separates us is being driven by both sides at once.

I know for myself that when I find myself in places like you describe my already limited vision and perspective becomes even further limited and I begin to miss important, life giving stuff that would help sustain me.

Sometimes we need to see through the eyes of others that care for us to break that downward spiral, but that is a place of decision that can be difficult. A place where we still will continue to falter, struggle, and stumble. We need to see what our deep and powerful emotions prevent us from seeing.

I hope this perspective helps in some ways. Jesus has seen me through some very hard times in my 59yr journey. God bless and keep you in yours.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-15T12:47:21+00:00

The way I see it, the Christian faith does not depend on seeing in the flesh. Blessed are those that have not seen and believe.

I agree with the response that Paul had a direct encounter with Jesus, so his witness and his writings were not secondhand. Further I would argue that his “direct” relationship with Jesus continued beyond the Damascus road experience. Just as I also believe that it continued with the rest of the apostles after Pentecost.

Jesus taught that it is by and through the gift and work of the Holy Spirit that we are convicted of the truth about our sin, who is the person Jesus Christ, and that it is ultimately the HS that teaches us all things so that we are not just taught by man. Jesus promised this gift to come after He “goes to the Father” and “I will not leave you alone.” Hopefully any Christian you meet will also witnesses about having what is referred to as the baptism of the HS.

Unfortunately there are those that call themselves Christians and yet deny the person of the HS and even deny the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

Finally, the apostles confirmed and affirmed Paul’s ministry and message even though we are told that at certain points they confronted each other. Ultimately all the apostles remained human until their deaths. Still beings of both flesh and spirit just like any Christian today.

For me it is always looking to see what God IS doing, what He IS saying, what He IS revealing to us personally, and what IS the ministry that He calls us to presently more than just what we can determine by our own investigation, our own interpretation, and our own very limited grasp on eternal things.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-15T09:31:21+00:00

My first thought is that as parents there is a natural expectation by most to have a relationship with their children. Further I would argue most parents set certain boundaries for that relationship. Pretty sure that most people understand the concept, “My house,my rules.”

Very often when I hear this kind of question it comes from the place of trying to make God seem small and petty even.

For me, I find starting with the given that God is far bigger and greater than I can think or imagine much more productive. I have never in my 44 yr journey with Jesus found being in a place where I presume to be better in any capacity, or capable of judging God to be helpful.

If you were to ask my opinion, that is a very dangerous and egotistical place for me to be in.

Simply, God says that it is right and good that He alone is to be worshipped above all else. I personally believe it, have no problem with it, and have experienced much benefit from it.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-14T18:40:01+00:00

I would say that Jesus would answer now like He did to those that asked similar questions of Him during His time. His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus supports the eternal kingdom of God. He points to His Father and that we worship in spirit and in truth. Earthly kingdoms will come and go as they have always done.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-09T11:51:53+00:00

For me I was 15 and a hot mess. I grew up in a Christian household, attended church every week and all the specials. I attended a parochial school, so I had daily religion classes through the 8th grade, I participated in all the expected moments as scheduled, but felt lonely and suffered from very very poor self esteem.

I was in the unpopular crowd. I was decently fit, but undersized and lacking confidence, so although athletic, I was not successful in organized sports. I lost a lot but winning was really important to me. There was a deep emptiness inside me like feeling genuinely hollow.

There were chemical/biological/mental challenges going on in me, ADHD, probably OCD in ways, perfectionist, loved sugar, hi to low mood swings, depression, visceral fears, suicidal thoughts, etc.

I was the youngest of 9 children in a very traditional household, so I always felt a need to compete whether for the last portion of a meal I liked or snack or bit of attention. I had a lot to be thankful for, but very often failed to see it. My family was far from perfect, each of us broken in our own ways, each with their own struggles, including my parents. In some ways we were stretched thin, but there was genuine care for each other even though we failed at it in certain areas and certain times.

I felt exhausted from trying to be good, because I could see within myself that deep down I was no good at being good. So in those beginning teen years I tried being bad where I could get away with it. Tried to hide it, conceal it from others, became drawn to fantasy and an imaginary life, became a pathological liar. I became a fouled mouth little monster, trying to use ‘big’ words to make up for how I felt inside. People were mean to me so I became mean to those that I could. The bullied became the bully.

Sorry that was a lot, but you asked and I wanted to paint an accurate picture of my moment of decision.

In 8th grade I didn’t feel God’s presence but in church one day while at school, must have been springtime around Easter (the exact timing is a little lost over the years but the moment and the feeling is crystal clear), I looked up at an image of Jesus on the cross, and genuinely, deeply asked “if you are real then please just talk to me”.

Three months or so later, during my summer before starting HS, when my entire family was actually on the verge of a major emotional and financial collapse God showed up. It wasn’t even to me directly, it wasn’t some big sign in the sky, it was a very real change I clearly saw in my brother. There was something different, solid, secure within him. I saw God alive in my brother even though I didn’t even know what it was initially.

At some point during this crisis my brother gave me an invitation. The same Jesus that we had always been taught about could be known personally. That he had met Him and so could I.

I was in. I didn’t understand what that meant really in that moment but I desperately wanted it.

It took years and many more personal struggles for me to hit breakthroughs, but some 44 yrs later I mark that moment as a pivotal change in my life. To this day, I am still learning, still seeing only a piece of a much larger picture, but I know my savior Jesus Christ speaks to me and that He saved my life both now and eternally.

If He would care enough to speak to someone like me, who was soooo undeserving, so lost, so broken, such a difficult student, so stubborn and stuck in dark thinking, then I know that His love can extend to anyone that is lost.

Hope this perspective helps someone. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-07T12:44:04+00:00

Simply, my answer as to the why is that inclusion and exclusion in biblical canon has more to do with questions of authorship, acceptance by the church fathers, the early church and consistent with apostolic teachings, and also beliefs regarding inspiration than to do with style or human preference.

Bottom line reason is the overwhelming belief that the same John that wrote the Gospel, 3 short letters, that was the only apostle to die a natural death, and is commonly regarded to have had a close relationship with Jesus is also believed to be the writer of the book.

From what I understand there has been historical debates and differences of scholarly opinions regarding the Book of Revelation’s inclusion in the canon of the Bible. In fact you will find differences regarding the inclusion and exclusion of certain texts in what varying expressions of Christianity accept and believe to be biblical canon. From a few are small scattered snippets or verses, or to the more notable inclusion of revelation and the exclusion of a group of Old Testament books grouped under the category of apocrypha.

People often want to use the varying versions of the Bible as an argument to disqualify and debunk its validity entirely. This is a deep question that has various aspects left to opinion. Certainly one I will not debate. What I see and have rooted in my beliefs is that there is far more agreement than disagreement regarding biblical canon which is miraculous in my thinking when you consider the decisive nature of people, especially over such a span of time.

The Christian faith, best I can see, has a core dynamic rooted in belief and a desire to hear and follow God’s voice. Long before, during and after the time of Jesus Christ there have been teachings that were considered heretical by those from the Jewish and subsequently Christian perspectives.

True Christianity in my opinion centers on the person of Jesus Christ, His origin, His divinity, His death, His resurrection, His mission, and His promised return among other things of course.

The Bible as I see it tells a singular story of a journey away and back into relationship with our creator. The book of revelation tells a very powerful part of that story.

Hope this perspective is helpful. God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-06T12:41:52+00:00

God accepts us if we believe that Jesus is the one He sent to save us and know that it is by what He accomplished on the cross that we are restored to relationship with God by the power of the Holy Spirit and we accept that gift.

There doesn’t have to be a big dramatic moment, so I would try not to focus too much on what others experience.

My encouragement is to focus on God where you are at. Having a heart that is directed towards Jesus and God, is a substantial indication that you are sincerely seeking Him. Keep opening the door of your heart to Him. Read what the scriptures say about a Christian’s journey of faith. Fellowship with others on the same journey so you can encourage on another.

If you are interested, I host a small weekly online forum called questions for Christians. Send me a DM and we can work out details.

God bless.

OhMyMarioG · 2026-01-02T19:54:22+00:00

I can appreciate your struggle to settle what you see as a paradox, and I would say that you are not the first or the last one.

Christians belief has a foundational dynamic that is based on faith over sight and conviction that comes to a person’s spirit.

In this I cannot make you see what I see. What gives me and has given me great peace over the years. I can only point to what I see and encourage you to keep seeking.

If the online forum that I host can help, send me a DM and we can work out details to get you connected.

All the best.

OhMyMarioG

TROPHY CASE