The Problem Solved: Or, Sin Not of God

The Problem Solved: Or, Sin Not Of God by Miles Powell Squier. This treatise argues that moral evil is not a divine method but arises from finite agents within a moral universe. Squier asserts that religion should be grounded in first truths of reason and the moral sense, and that revelation must harmonize with these. He critiques speculative theories that sin is prefigured in God’s plan, arguing instead that God’s relations to sin are antagonistic: He opposes, restrains, and defeats wrong through a recuperative moral government. The work surveys common philosophical errors about motive, causation, and the role of divine sovereignty, and defends the view that intelligent beings have genuine free will and responsibility. He advances the idea of two economies: finite moral agency with its own causes, and divine providence that overrules evil to produce good. By reasserting conscience, common sense, and biblical testimony, Squier aims to vindicate God’s holiness, justify moral accountability, and renew hope in the gospel’s transforming power. In dialogue with Beecher’s Conflict of Ages and broader debates about divine sovereignty, it pushes for a coherent account of sin, providence, and human responsibility.