TO the question, Why is evil permitted? I believe the true answer is, That the greater good may be declared. It is very interesting to note that for every evil expressed there is a good manifested to supersede it. That is, the one great purpose with God is to bring out the good. Hence, whenever evil intrudes and forces its way, He makes this inroad only a fresh occasion for setting forth the good, so that the evil becomes a foil for the good. The good becomes more distinct by the very distinctness of the evil.
The more we study and are acquainted with all the ways of God with man, the more we see that the existence of evil gave occasion for the declaration of good. A man of full age, or matured, is one who has his senses exercised to discern good and evil; he knows that whenever there is an evil there must be a good to supersede it, and he can always determine an evil by, and according to, his knowledge of the good. The existence of evil is trying to each one according as he is led of God, for God is good and doeth good, but though he will be tried by it, he is not to be overcome by it, but to overcome evil with good, for this is God's way. Nothing tries the God-fearing soul more than that one professing the same faith as himself, and apparently enlightened by the same truth, should perversely insist on and maintain his own mind contrary to the mind of the Lord; yet this very great trial -- which is a heresy, we read -- is necessary, that the approved may be made manifest. The fact that heresies are necessary for this end, while on the one hand it supplies a balm to the godly one tried by the heresy, is on the other hand of great warning; for when the testing comes, it is only those equal to the test who shall be manifested. The approved must not remain unseen. It is the gracious purpose of God that the good must come abroad; He that sees in secret rewards openly. The disciples were exhorted not to conceal what they were, for there was nothing secret which should not come abroad; it is thus evidently good. On the one hand it humbles that there is so little open reward, for if there had been more to be approved of, there would have been more open reward; while, on the other hand, if I have simple faith, I can go on with the Lord, assured in heart that He will in His own time openly reward what He has approved of, for "not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth". Abram, the man of faith, might appear to be surpassed by Lot when the latter chose the best part of the land, but this very act not only declared the faith of Abram, but was used of God to raise him to a higher position - to reward him openly. "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee", Genesis 13:14-17. And much more so afterwards, Abram the approved one is made manifest, when after having delivered his brother Lot, he was met by Melchizedek, and blessed in the name of "the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth". The wilfulness in even natural things became an occasion for the manifestation of the virtue and grace of the approved one.
Even the wickedness of this world, as we see in Pharaoh, only brought into clearer and brighter light the power and resources of God in the person of Moses; Moses as approved was more and more manifested. It would be an immense cheer to our hearts if we were more confirmed in this great principle, that nothing can be done against the truth, but for the truth; that good must result, and if one is faithful and approved, the opposition and wilfulness of man, either in the world or in the church, will but promote our testimony.
The examples in Scripture are numerous and of various shades. If Lot is selfish the faith of Abram is the more declared. Aaron's weakness and unbelief in making the calf become the occasion for setting forth in a very brilliant way the grace and power of Moses, the man approved of God. A great opportunity was afforded by Aaron's heresy for manifesting the way and course of the man of God in the most corrupt state of things. If Aaron had not been so pliable, yielding to the will of the people instead of being led by the word of the Lord, if there had not been this breakdown in such a responsible person, there would not have been the same glorious vindication of God in the person of Moses. There is a time, be assured, that this unrebuked weakness or unbelief in each of us will be exposed. It will sooner or later influence us if we have not silenced it; while if there be grace and faith in our hearts, the very event which will expose and bring dishonour on this one, will be the occasion of great moral distinction to the others. We have to do with the living God.
In the case of Miriam and Aaron in Numbers 12, it was simply rivalry, confined, as one might say, to their own family. But even thus the heresy -- for every act is heresy which is in wilful opposition to the mind of the Lord -- brought out from God the fullest declaration of His approval of Moses : "My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" Numbers 12:7-8.
Now in the case of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, it is very different. The heresy there was calling in question and opposing God's right to choose and appoint His own servants. The "gainsaying of Core" was the denial of God's special grace to Moses and Aaron, a refusing to own it, and the assumption that they were as competent themselves. There is no greater evidence of grace in anyone than the ability to recognise and own the grace given of God to another; while there can be no greater proof of the smallness and absence of grace than the inability to recognise it according to the divine measure. This is the heresy most current in the present day everywhere. Men are gifted of God, and the mass of believers cannot recognise the gift of God, but assume they can have as good by their own appointment; and the leaven of this works far and wide. But the opposition or the heresy is only an occasion for God to own and manifest more fully those who are approved of Him; and all those who are in concert with Him will also be manifested; their rod will blossom and bud, and bring forth almonds. Blessed be God, He will prepare a table for the approved in the presence of their enemies; He will anoint their head with oil, their cup will run over!
Now we also get in the church various shades of man's perverseness, opposing or running counter to the mind of the Lord, from the weakness of Peter and Barnabas down to the defection of "all who are in Asia" and of Demas, the hatred of Alexander, the blasphemy of Hymenwus and Philetus. Each of these in their varied ways only gave an occasion for the approved to become manifest; so that we find the apostle more distinctly succoured of the Lord in the day of the greatest outward decline than ever before; and he was manifested more than ever as His servant in faithfulness and truth.
The Lord give unto each of us to walk in such true self-judgement, rebuking the smallest working of unbelief and self-consideration, that we may not yield when the testing time comes ; for surely it must come, and then the unrebuked weakness betrays us. However strong the chain may be in every link but one, it will fail then, if the pressure be great, proving there must have been a flaw allowed, or we should not fail in the day of trial; while the man of true and faithful purpose will only come out the brighter becapse of a test, like the diligent wellprepared youth from his examination.
