God is the Author of evil

God is the Author of Evil
by Monty L. Collier

God is the First Cause of whatsoever comes to pass (see Job 2:10, Isaiah 45:7 and 46:9-11, Ephesians 1:11)—even evil. To deny this is to deny God's omnipotence, as well as the plain teaching of the Bible. For instance, the Bible says plainly:

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
(Genesis 50:20)

Notice Joseph's brothers intended to do evil against him for the sake of evil—but God meant it (evil) against Joseph, but for the sake of good. Even so, God meant evil, and nothing can stop God's eternal purpose from coming to pass. The Bible says:

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
(Job 23:13)

Sin could never happen apart from God's omnipotent desire. However, God does not sin when He predestinates and causes evil. This is because one cannot sin, if one is not under a law. God is not under any law. If there were a lawgiver over God, He would not be God. Jehovah is above the law, and the source of right and wrong. Whatever God decides to do with what is His—and as the absolute Creator and Governor of His creation everything that is not Him is His—is good by definition. Whatever God does is good by definition ("The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works," Psalm 145:17). If you do not agree, then you are the one who is evil, as the Bible says:

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
(Matthew 20:15)

A sinner's objection to God determining good and evil is absurd:

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
(Romans 9:20)