Good and Evil

The other day I was wholeheartedly taking part in our online discussions (for class).  And like always our conversations can get pretty heated.  Well, for those who know me would probably guess that I did a lot of arguing on my part. And you are right.  We were talking about God's association with good and evil.  Some people had good feedback that I agreed with, but some, I couldn't help raising my hand and 'rebutting', as we would say in debate terms. 

It is in God's holy nature that disallows him to do anything evil.  When he created man, we disobeyed him and with that disobedience comes consequences.  So instead of us being perfect and sinless we are fallen.

Genesis 6:5
'The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.'

We were blessed by God with the gift of free will.  We chose wrong and now have to pay the consequences of being a sinful people as opposed to perfection.  But we hear everyday about God's interacting with his children.  I've had experiences that make me realize the relationship I have with God.  In fact, he desires to have a relationship with us.  But I am a sinner? How can he associate himself with me and my sin nature?  We pay the consequences of having to live in a world run by sin.  But we as christians are not called to be of this world, we are called to glorify God in a world that does not glorify God.

However the Bible does say that when we reject God long enough he will give us over to a depraved mind.

Romans 1:28
Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

Because we are fallen we cannot help but sin, and God notices this.  He does call us to be like him and as christians we must strive to do this, but because of our sinful nature this can become difficult.
One girl stated what I believed to be true; That He is a God of good and when one of his children continues rejection they are given over to their wickedness and God will depart.  For those who are truly evil have no God in their lives.  This is when another girl says: 'But God is everywhere because of his omnipresent nature.' Well, this is when I knew I had to say something.  I agree with her somewhat, God is omnipresent but he cannot be where there is truly evil and no desire to repent and be forgiven.  To support my statement I brought up Law and Order.  I didn't use specific examples but I pointed out the evilness of human nature.  These people are truly evil.  And this is portrayed through their heinous acts.  The Bible says; The devil roams the earth looking for someone to devour.  When we continue to reject God he will give us over to a depraved mind, the devil will come and seek to devour us.  He can associate himself with those who have a desire to be like him. We repent and ask for forgiveness. We love him.  We truly want to live like Christ lives.  He cannot associate himself with the wicked people who reject him.  Pure evil is the absence of God.

1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.