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If God is good… why do Evil and Suffering exist?

If God is good… why do Evil and Suffering exist?. “If God were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both.”.

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If God is good… why do Evil and Suffering exist?

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  1. If God is good…why do Evil and Sufferingexist?

  2. “If God were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both.”

  3. Examples from your own family or community • The greater scope of the world and history • Bad things happen

  4. Why does God allow so much pain? • Is the world out of God’s control? • Is there really a God? • If God is in control (sovereign), • what is the plan?

  5. The oldest questions in the Bible Job 3:3 "May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, 'A boy is born!‘ Job 3:11 Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?

  6. The Bible is a book about suffering The existence of a good and holy God. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 Genesis 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

  7. The Bible is a book about suffering The entrance of evil into the world. Genesis 3:17-19 "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."

  8. The Bible is a book about suffering The confirmation that evil exists in us all. Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

  9. The Bible is a book about suffering The cry out to God for mercy and help. Psalm 130:1-2 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

  10. The Bible is a book about suffering The promise of hope to come. Isaiah 2:4-5 He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

  11. The Bible is a book about suffering The appearance of God’s Son to crush sin and death. Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

  12. The significance of the suffering of Christ Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the LORD brought on me in the day of his fierce anger?

  13. The significance of the suffering of Christ Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"– which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

  14. The Bible is a book about suffering The final resolution. Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

  15. Attempting to understand The presence of evil. Romans 8:21-22

  16. Attempting to understand Consequences of our own choices.

  17. Attempting to understand Discipline. Hebrews 12:2

  18. Attempting to understand Persecution. 1 Peter

  19. Attempting to understand There is no easy answer, all attempts leave an element of mystery.

  20. How do I cope? With repentance and faith. Job 42:5-6 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

  21. How do I cope? • Communication with God. • Speak • Listen • I find I am neither courageous or strong.

  22. Psalm 13:1-4 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

  23. How do I cope? Recognition of mystery. Job 42:3 Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

  24. How do I cope? With meaningful service. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

  25. How do I cope? With a renewed focus on what is important. 2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

  26. What good can come out of suffering? Greater fellowship with God Ministry to those in need Awake us from fantasy to reality Experience the mercies of God We are blessed as God is glorified

  27. “For the far higher task of teaching fortitude and patience I was never fool enough to suppose myself qualified, nor have I anything to offer my readers except my conviction that when pain is to be borne, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all.” C S Lewis

  28. Meditate on God’s Word. Repeat the Psalms, memorize them, write them out, pray them.Pray. Look for ways God can use you.Keep telling yourself the truth.Seek fellowship with God’s people. Worship together.

  29. Psalm 46 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

  30. Psalm 46 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

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