Creation, Suffering and the Problem of Evil

The problem of evil continues to be a supposed 'safe haven 'for the skeptic. He believes that issue gives evidence to support his rebellious attitude toward God. Unfortunately, many evangelicals, by adopting theistic evolution, give credence to the skeptic's argument; because God would then have created pain and suffering to be inherent in the universe. As one rightly understands the Scriptures, one finds the origin of emotional pain taking place subsequent to creation. This thought is developed in three sections. First, when God created the animals, land, air, and water, He called them 'living creatures'. As God made man from dust, man too was a 'living creature'. The interpreter needs to understand what this 'living creature' means in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Man and animals as 'living creatures' share the capacity of emotional suffering. Second, the scientific data must be examined to see if they support the model suggested by the biblical data. Both neurophysiology and neurochemistry are examined in conjunction with the behavioural patterns related to both. It seems that animals and man share the ability for the expression of emotions and emotional suffering. Third, the interpreter needs to examine when this emotional suffering originated. The clearest passage on the problem of evil, as seen in emotional suffering, is Romans 8:19-21. If one misunderstands the timing of emotional suffering, then it affects one's ability to offer a consistent apologetic for the problem of evil.