If our dear friends at Arminian Perspectives are having that much difficulty finding the sovereignty of God, total depravity, election, limited atonement, irresistible grace and perseverance of God in the pages of Scripture, perhaps I should send them my Bible marked with several passages, namely:

"T": Eph. 4:18; 1 Cor 2:14; Rom 1:30; John 3:18; 5:40; 6:44, 65; 12:39; 15:25; Luke 19:14; Isa 5:20; Titus 1:15; Deut 32:18; Heb 2:1

"U": Ps 65:4; 103:11, 2 Thess 2:13; Rom 9:11; 11:5, 15, 23; Eph 1:4,5,9,11; 1 Pet 1:2-3; 1 Thess 5:9; Jon 2:9

"L": Acts 13:48; 20:28; John 3:14-15; 6:38-39; 10:11; 17:9,10,24; Gal 1:4-5; Rev 5:9; 13:8; 17:8; 1 Pet 2:21; Rom 5:8-10; 8:33-34; 1 Thess 1:10; Luk 1:68; Isa 53:11

"I": Matt 11:28-30; 23:37; John 6:37; Eph 1:12; Ez 11:19-20; Ps 110:3; 1 Thess 1:11

"P": 1 Pet 1:5; Jas 4:6; Eph 1:13; 4:30; Phil 1:6,19; John 6:39; 10:28-29; Rom 8:8; 38:39; Gal 5:13-26

            That ought to be a good start.

            However, the main thrust of this blog is to respond to the second objection that Calvinism makes God the author of sin. 

            The first murder recorded in the Bible is contained early on in the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis.  The author writes that in the process of time, Cain, the first born of Eve, brought fruit of the ground as an offering unto the Lord.  Similarly, the younger brother, Abel, brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof.  For definitive reasons known only to God, He found Abel's sacrifice acceptable, while rejecting Cain's offering.  Because of this, a mighty rage filled Cain.  Time passed, but Cain's anger could not be assuaged.  It happened that when the two brothers were in a field, Cain had occasion to rise up against Abel and kill his younger brother.  Eventually, the Lord came unto Cain and inquired about Abel.  Cain tried to deceive God, but the Lord cannot be deceived.  Knowing what truly happened to Abel, the Lord pronounced a sentence on Cain that would follow him the rest of his life.  God spared him of immediate death, but cursed the very ground upon which he walked and caused him to live a vagabond's existence.

            Now if I were to ask who was the one who would be culpable of Abel's murder one would surely answer, Cain.  If I insisted that Adam, Cain's father, was guilty of sin one would declare that I was being silly and illogical.  And I would agree.   

Blame is wrongly assigned where it is not due.  It is true that God is the first cause of all things good.  What proceeds from those first causes does not mean God is the author of them.  An analogous situation would be Adam having Cain, which is the first cause, and the sinful actions of Cain, the second cause.  Adam was responsible for having Cain, the first cause, but he was not responsible for Cain's sinful actions, the second cause.  The same is said of the Lord.  God created all things good, including Lucifer.  But the sin that proceeded from Lucifer was not the creation of God.  Lucifer himself is the cause of his own sins, and because of that, he will someday pay the consequences of his actions.                 

            I would not have you misunderstand what I am trying to convey.  It is not as if sin entered the world apart from the control or allowance of God.  To postulate this claim would be to deny God's omnipotence.  It is not as if the world is now spiraling out of control and God is just trying to maintain some semblance of order.  While God is not the author of sin, He is the permitter of sin in such a manner for His wise, holy, and most excellent end.  Everyday that sin prevails one could easily come to the conclusion that God is missing, apathetic to our plight or is incapable of doing anything about it.  However, when evil seems to prevail for no apparent cause, unbeknownst to us, God is orchestrating His divine plan for a reason that is beyond our comprehension and using sin to fulfill His objective.  Joseph's perspicuity led him to declare to his brothers, "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" (Gen 50:20).  God uses evil to achieve his righteous purpose.  I can think of no greater evil than the sacrifice of his Son on the cross at Cavalry.  Yet without this abominable sin, there would be no salvation for mankind.  What Satan and his followers meant for evil, God meant for good. 

Another point worth mentioning is God cannot be the author of sin, because if He were, then man would be absolved of all responsibility to Him.  If God created sin, then He could not righteously hold us responsible for His creation.  God's word understands this and teaches that the transgressions we commit originate from within us and from nowhere else.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and all deserve death which is evidence that all are answerable to God.

One final point worth mentioning is that who even postulates God has the potential to create evil profoundly misunderstand His nature.  There are certain things God cannot do.  God cannot make a rock so big that He is unable to lift it; God cannot create something greater than He; God cannot sin.  He can only act in accordance with His nature which is perfect, holy and just.  Nothing that emanates from God is corrupt.  When God creates, He does so and calls it good (Gen 1).