“Unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:3).

Whenever tragic events occur, people can’t help but wonder why God doesn’t do anything to prevent evil. If God is good, then shouldn’t God do something to prevent innocent people from being murdered? And, if evil people continue to perpetrate evil with no consequences doesn’t that imply that God, while being good, is impotent to do anything to prevent evil? And, worse yet, if God is good and God is all powerful, doesn’t the presence of evil imply that God is indifferent?

These are real questions. So, what’s the deal?

God absolutely can stop evil people from perpetrating evil. God absolutely can and absolutely will one day on the day of judgment when Christ returns. God absolutely can stop evil people from perpetrating evil, but not yet. You see, in order for God to stop evil people from perpetrating evil, God would have to stop the evil person. And here is the problem and here is the grace.

We think the shooter is evil, Hitler is evil, the human traffickers are evil – the bible tells us “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Bible tells us, you are evil. Bible tells us I am evil. We are all sinners in need of grace and mercy that God offers to sinners through his Son Jesus Christ

For God to stop evil doers from perpetrating evil right now, God would have to take away the freewill from every single human being. For God to eliminate evil from this world, God would have to take away people’s freedom to choose not only from the active shooter in Maine, Hamas, Putin, Hitler, and criminals, but you and me.

That day, on Christ’s return, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord – but not yet – why? – because of mercy and grace. God is giving us the time to get right with God.

“Repent, or you too will perish.”