Engaging God's World: Fall

I believe a question raised in yesterday’s discussion was “can a surgeon be ‘good’ by doing heart surgery, regardless of his motivation, or consequences of his actions?” I would argue that even if the surgeon’s motivation might have been to seduce a nurse with his surgical finesse, or that the successful operation might allow our favourite paragon of evil, Hitler, to live, the action was good.
However, I respect the question, and as such I will not resolve it but merely throw in some definitions of words that might streamline discussion.

The first two definitions are provided by Plantinga. He says that evil is a sort of intrinsic disturbance of shalom. It is an objective disturbance of shalom. These actions that are intrinsically evil are ways the world is not supposed to be. For example, droughts, earthquakes, strokes, mental illness. As well, the horrible cases of accidental deaths. These actions are not committed with any evil intent. Rather, they are a result of the fall. It is the way things are in world where a path of rebellion has decided the trajectory of our universe.

Sin, on the other hand, is culpable evil. It is a motivational disturbance of shalom. It is a conscious effort, regardless of impact, to disturb shalom.

Then we get into virtue and good. Good is an action, it is an objective construction of shalom. It is the blossoming of flowers and of young love. It is, most tangibly, helping others out, participating in healing this world and its inhabitants.

And this brings us to the heart of the matter, virtue. Virtue, according to my definition, is what we are really after. Virtue is a motivational affirmation of shalom.

But what is most intriguing is that with these definitions, virtue is independent of good. I believe God allows a repealing of shalom (say, killing a person) in some extenuating circumstances. He might even call it virtue. I also believe motivation cannot be used to justify evil deeds, but God will judge people not always according to their works, but to their motivations. Why must God always be repealing and making modifications? Why must he always be intervening? I don’t think He must.