In Genesis 3 we find the account of the "fall" of  humanity - from a perfect being to one subject to pain and suffering. .This condition is referred to by Christians as "The Sin of Adam"  which was passed on down to his offspring and hence to us.  Here in Genesis is the initial account of the origin of evil. This is the "force which has enslaved the whole world and the war with which is the very theme throughout the entire Bible--and  across all of human history.

The previous chapter of Genesis provides us with additional insight into the nature of evil and how it came into the world. We can deepen our understanding of evil by studying the account of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Genesis tells us that God placed two special trees in the Garden of Eden - Paradise. Adam and Eve could freely eat of the Tree of Life, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they were warned that there would be consequences if they partook thereof. (Genesis 2:9, 16 - 17).

In contrast, however, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a system of experiencing good and evil, of placing values on things. 

The book of Genesis teaches that Adam and Eve were ate of the fruit and began to feel shame. : "Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know [experience] good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live [in shame] forever..." (Genesis 3:22). Adam and Eve were prevented from accessing the tree of life (verses 23 - 24).

DECISION TIME

Thus, from the very beginning of human history, the existence of shame is shown to result from believing in or experiencing good and evil.. The Genesis account records that when Eve "saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate" (Genesis 3:6). In other words, they began to experience good and evil, to judge things.

Once they had made that decision, a merciful God could not allow them to live forever without ever getting another chance to improve.. All humanity since that time has been cut off from access to the tree of life, believing in good and evil and suffering the consequences in shame. 

Each individual is born into the world innocent and pure, but the world quickly teaches them to believe in good and evil and they soon experience shame and separate themselves from God as did Adam and Eve who hid in the Garden.   

Thus we may conclude that from the very beginning humankind created the idea of evil to explain the shame they felt from judging and evaluating the world around them.. 

OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

All this begs another crucial question. How can man exist without judging things and evaluating them relatively?  The definition of right and wrong, as the Western world came to know it through the Ten Commandments, did not exist in the Garden of Eden.. During the development of Judeo-Christian religion, it was supposed that there were certain   universal moral laws, intended to regulate the conduct of men and women, that reflect the mind and character of God Himself.

These same philosopher's postulated a world which was at war with God.  A world which he was was trying to conquer. They defined God as "good" --all that is right. And the rebellious world was one of selfishness, hostility, hatred and lies, the opposite of all that God stands for.  And this fundamental differentiation between good and evil was seen to be embodied in the world around them.  The material world was defined as evil - . the opposite of good, the opposite of good.

Try as they might to say otherwise, this scriptures are forced to lay ultimate responsibility for the existence of evil with God Himself. Thus we see a philosophical contradiction within the teachings of Judeo-Christianity.

ULTIMATE PURPOSE IN LIFE

Both Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 record that God existed "in the beginning." The Bible reveals that this was long ago, before the existence of time and space, before the creation of the earth with its teeming life forms and humankind.

God has created all this for a supreme purpose. God wants to express all possibilities.  So God created the scheme of things whereby every possibility is expressed. 

God Himself created the universe and all its the spiritual laws He has set in motion the laws of time and space that define and activate all existence.. He established the principles upon which all things may operate and then He allowed all creation to grow and develop within the limits of these laws. Since these are the divine laws of God, it is impossible to violate them.

God has created all things and is working out a supreme purpose that requires us to 

The "radical evil" of Hitler and other despots therefore becomes explicable. It is an evil that results from personal choices made under the sway and influence of the devil and his fallen followers. "Normal" human nature also becomes explicable. It is a nature that hates God. "The carnal [fleshly, worldly] mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Romans 8:7). The human heart, or inner being, is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).

These thoughts, of course, run completely counter to prevailing popular notions of human nature, yet we should remember that they are the profound words of the One who created us and who knows all things. These words describe every human heart, whether we care to accept it or not. "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart," Jesus said, "and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man..." (Matthew 15:18 - 20). They stem from those spiritual influences that control "this present evil age" (Galatians 1:4) and from the individual choices each of us makes in life

DEALING WITH EVIL

To all this, the skeptic may answer: "That still does not deal with the multitude of injustices that so disfigure this world. You may have explained evil, but you have not dealt with evil." If God is just and powerful, how will perfect justice be done and how will evil be dealt with?

The answer has to do with another aspect of biblical teaching that is best discussed more fully on a future occasion. The Bible teaches about a coming resurrection--a return to life--of all who have ever lived. "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth..." (John 5:28 - 29). A time is coming when perfect justice and judgment will be fulfilled and evil will be banished for all time. A just and perfect God will deal with Hitler's hideous catalog of satanically inspired genocide.