Origins of evil and purpose of suffering
What does Christianity say about the origin of evil?
Many Christians believe that evil is the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God.
Adam and Eve were the first humans. They ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Their punishment from God was to endure suffering in life. This is known as ‘the fall’.
Some Christians believe that all people inherited the tendency to sin from Adam and Eve. This belief is called ‘original sin’. According to this belief, all humans are born with a tendency towards evil and the ability to cause suffering.
In The first book of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) describing the origins of humanity and humans’ relationship with God. it states:
... the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.
Evil and freewill
For Christians evil and suffering are related to freewill (the idea that humans make decisions for themselves).
In Genesis, God placed Adam and Eve (the first humans) in the Garden of Eden.
Adam and Eve were told they could eat any of the fruit from any of the trees in the Garden, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
In the Genesis account Satan (the Devil) tempted Eve with the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan, in the form of a serpent, said that God did not want humans to eat from the tree because if they did, they would end up like God:
'For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'