How Could A Good God Allow Suffering

Josiah

Tough Questions • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

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Suffering

"The only way to do it is to teach them to become serious followers of Christ so that the Bible becomes the compass for their lives, rather than pop culture."

*Open up with a role play example of an atheist that questions the existence of an all loving and powerful God.

There are generally two responses that atheists/skeptics will have when it comes to the Christian God and they are:

Skeptic - God allows terrible suffering in the world. So he might be either all-powerful but not good enough to end evil and suffering, or else he might be all-good but not powerful enough to end evil and suffering. Either way the all-good, all-powerful God of the Bible couldn’t exist.

Skeptic - “This is personal. I won’t believe in a God who allows suffering, even if he, she, or it exists. Maybe God exists. Maybe not. But if he does, he can’t be trusted.”

Some people don’t even care about the question of whether God exists or not, they simply refuse to believe in any God who allows history and life to proceed as it has.

It is not a matter of “scientific proof” to them…it is an emotional decision not to believe in God that is based on anger and hurt.

There is no argueing with this kind of person, becuase

Skeptic - “God allows terrible suffering in the world. So he might be either all-powerful, but not good enough to end evil and suffering, or else he might be all-good but not powerful enough to end evil and suffering. Either way the all-good,all-powerful God of the Bible couldn’t exist.”

It isn’t the suffering itself that bothers people, it is the fact that they perceive this suffering to be meaningless. This second skeptic believes that all the “meaningless and pointless” evil and suffering that we see around us is evidence against God. If you are God, what is the point of allowing pointless suffering to continue? But there is a hidden assumption in this statement. Their assumption is that if evil appears or seems meaningless to me, then it must in fact be pointless.

Ravi Zacharias Story

Others believe that all the “meaningless and pointless” evil and suffering that we see around us disproves God. But there is a hidden premise or assumption in this statement. The flaw in this reasoning is that if evil appears or seems pointless to me, then it must in fact be pointless.

This story is told in an eastern folk-law of this man who lost his horse that ran away, the neighbour came to him and said “man, bad luck isn’t it, you’re horse is gone”, he said “what do I know about these things?” A few days later the horse came back with 20 other wild horses and the neighbour came and said “Amazing, it’s not bad luck after all, it’s good luck, you’ve got 20 more horses now,” and once again the man replies, “What do I know about these things?” About a week goes by and the mans young son is out taming one of the new horses, and one of the horses kicks him and breaks his leg. The neighbour comes and says “terrible isn’t it? Your son’s leg is broken, bad luck that these horses came after all.” The fella says, “What do I know about these things?” A few days go by and a bunch of thugs come by looking for recruits to join their gang and they’re forcing all the able-bodied young men to join their group, and they’ve come to pick this farmers son. But then they find out his leg is broken and they say, “We don’t want him, we’re going to move on to the next house.” The man comes and says, “Good luck isn’t it that your son’s leg was broken!”

Many people have to admit that most of what they really needed for success in life came to them through their most difficult and painful experiences.

With time and perspective, most of us can see good reasons for at least some of the tragedy and pain that occurs in life. Is it possible that from God’s vantage point, there are good reasons for them all?

Problems for the Atheist (Lets think about the alternative)

Atheist actually have to face the same problem of pain, suffering, and evil as we do. Suffering is actually an even greater problem for nonbelievers. Some think that if you abandon belief in God, it somehow makes the problem of evil easier to handle.

Many arguments against God stem from the belief that this universe is cruel and unjust.

What are those people comparing this universe with when they call it unjust?

There is this belief that people should not have to suffer, be excluded, die of hunger, or oppression. But evolution teaches survival of the fittest, and natural selection, which depends on the death, destruction, and violence of the strong against the weak. According to evolution, these things are completely natural.

On what basis then does the atheist judge the natural world to be horribly wrong, unfair, and unjust.

Christianity may not provide the reasons for each of our painful experiences, but it does provide the resources for actually facing suffering with hope and courage, rather than bitterness and despair.

Look at the death of Jesus, and the separation from God that he faced on our behalf.

Whenever we ask the question, “Why does God allow evil and suffering to continue?” in light of the cross we still may not have an answer. Although we may not know what it is, we can be certain what it isn’t. It can’t be that he doesn’t love us. He proved that on the cross once and for all!

What does the Bible say about pain and suffering?

Some people don’t even care about the question of whether God exists or not, they simply refuse to believe in any God who allows history and life to proceed as it has.

- In this passage God talks about some of the immediate consequences of sin. But ultimately, says that “the wages of sin is death.” According to the Bible pain and suffering as we know it is the consequence of sin and disobedience to God.

Think of nervous system! Whenever something harmful is happening to our body our nervous system responds with pain to let us know that we are in trouble. But nobody blames the nervous system…in fact it is an invaluable part of our body. Give example of Leprosy.

a previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.

"if the premise is true, then the conclusion must be true"

What is our hope in our suffering?

"if the premise is true, then the conclusion must be true"

What is our hope in our suffering? - 1 Corinthians 15:54

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

All loving God - God sent his Son to die for our sins. Think of the things that Jesus had to go through on the cross. So even though our current questions may not be answered as to why we are suffering, at least we can know that its not because God doesn’t love us.

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

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