And now we return to the question of: " Why would evil exist in the first place, if God was all mighty and all knowing, and essentially had the capability to create a perfect world without evil?"
Sin began when after Adam and Eve where shown and told not to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the tree of Life were tempted by Satan and they both ate of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
This first sin was caused by disobeying GOD. Being tempted isn't a sin but thinking how great it would be and acting it out in your mind is a sin whether or not you actually, physically commit the sin.
GOD is creating a perfect earth and new heavens for those of us who believe. It's in the future.
Well all of us aren't considering the fact of Satan, just like God he can speak to us (kind of like thoughts) and it influences us in ways. If Satan wasn't really there, there would still be sin. And something all of us, including myself, sometimes fail to remember God has a plan for all of us and sometimes we won't make sense of it and we're all just part of something bigger. And i know this is outta order but regarding God being all knowing, we make plans don't we for our future but there is always a small thing that can change it, its kinda like a crossroad. You know whats at the end of it but which one to take? God gave us a choice.
Don't apologize, you didn't 'get anything out of order'. You can't go wrong or say anything wrong if you continue to pray, study God's word and speak from your heart.
I would like you to consider this for a moment. Who truly says Lucifer was evil? In all aspects it is the general concensus of the bible. However, isn't the bible nothing more than a propaganda machine of the past? Let us assume both God and Lucifer are real (to me they are not). And then let us further assume God gave everyone free will. Is Lucifer so evil to exercise this gift of free will? Also, in history those who rebel to take control do so with good intention. Is it so evil then to assume that the rebelion of Lucifer was not infact evil as the bible claims. But a GOOD act in the hopes of creating a better world under a better leader?
Let's talk about the reliability of the Bible first, otherwise Satan wouldn't exist without GOD, GOD's creation, angels and heaven.
Psalm 33:4
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
Psalm 48:!4
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
John 1:17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Genesis 3:1
'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.'
Job 1:6-7
One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
Matthew 4:1(2)
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
Mark 1:12-13(2)
At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert 40 days, being tempted by Satan.
John 12:31
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
If you truly believe the Bible is nothing more than a book full of propaganda then there's nothing to discuss.
In Genesis the Serpent was Satan. And the serpent convinced Eve to eat of the Tree of Knowledge which God specifically told Adam and Eve not to do. Which made the first sin for a human. Also making the Serpent evil and Serpent=Lucifer. And how is Lucifer a better leader when God MADE him?
Just a tiny correction so that everyone is clear. Satan can only tempt, he's the best, that's what he does.
There were 2 trees and Adam and Eve saw and were told not to eat of them. One was the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad, which Adam and Eve did sin by disobeying God and eating its fruit.
The other tree was the Tree of Life. This is the tree that God didn't want Adam and Eve to eat of now that they possessed the knowledge of good and bad because if they were to also eat of the tree of Life they would be immortal.
It's been argued in this thread that God didn't let us live up to our full potential when He 'booted Adam and Eve out of Eden'. The Bible promises that in the future we will be immortal.