Post on 23-Feb-2017
transcript
Why Does God Allow Pain & Suffering?
Suffering transcends all class, race, ethnicity, culture, privilege. The
wealthiest, most successful man on earth
could lose his only daughter in a car wreck
this afternoon.
There is no corner untouched by grief, no
demographic, no alliance. If you haven’t suffered, just live longer. The point is, there is no formula for suffering.
There is no one answer. There is no pat
explanation. We don’t always get the answer to
WHY this side of heaven.
ACKNOWLEDGING THE MYSTERY OF PAIN & SUFFERING
Now we see a blurred image in
a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my
knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete
knowledge as God has complete knowledge of
me. (1 Corinthians 13:12 – God’s Word)
Jonah
Joseph
Job
Jesus
HOW GOD “FRAMES” PAIN & SUFFERING
HUMAN FREEDOM
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW
PAIN & SUFFERING?
God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image,
reflecting our nature . . . GOD commanded, “You can
eat from any tree in the garden, except from the
Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
Don’t eat from it. The moment you eat from that
tree, you’re dead.” . . .
When the Woman saw that the tree looked good and
realized what she would get out of it,
she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her
husband, and he ate. (Genesis 1:26, 2:16-17, 3:6 – The Message)
Maybe you don’t want to serve the LORD. You must
choose for yourselves today. Today you must decide who
you will serve . . .
You must choose for yourselves. But as for me
and my family, we will serve the LORD.”
(Joshua 24:15 – Easy To Read Version)
Love is the highest value in the universe. And when God
decided to create human beings, he wanted us to
experience love.
But to give us the ability to love, God had to give us free
will to decide whether to love or not to love. Why?
Because love always involves a choice.
If we were programmed to say,
“I love you,” it wouldn’t really be real love. So in
order for us to experience love, God bestowed on us
free will.
But unfortunately, we humans have abused our free will by rejecting God
and walking away from Him. And that has resulted in the introduction of evil, pain and
suffering into the world. (Lee Strobel)
HUMAN FREEDOM DIVINE PURPOSE
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW
PAIN & SUFFERING?
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 . . . (Romans 8:28 – New Living
Translation)
Be glad about this, even though it may now be
necessary for you to be sad for a while because
of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is
genuine.
Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than
gold, must also be tested, so that it
may endure.
Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the
Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.
(1 Peter 1:6-7 – Good News Bible)
For I know what plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord. Plans for well-being,
not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 – Complete Jewish
Bible)
HUMAN FREEDOM DIVINE PURPOSE
GLORIOUS FUTURE
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW
PAIN & SUFFERING?
God isn’t late with his promise
as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on
account of you,
holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving
everyone space and time to change.
(2 Peter 3:9 – The Message)
These little troubles are getting us ready for an
eternal glory that will make all our
troubles seem like nothing. (2 Corinthians 4:17 – Contemporary English
Version)
I consider our present sufferings insignificant
compared to the glory that will soon be
revealed to us. (Romans 8:18 – God’s Word)
HUMAN FREEDOM DIVINE PURPOSEUN
COND
ITIO
NAL
LOVE
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW
PAIN & SUFFERING?
GLORIOUS FUTURE
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves
us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with
death?
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours
through Christ, who loved us.
I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about
tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s
love. (Romans 8:35, 37-38 – New Living Translation)
God did not create evil and suffering and death.
God did create the "potential" for evil to come
into the world but it was the only way to create the
potential for genuine
goodness and genuine love. Isn't there the
potential that your own children could cause you disappointment, tragedy
and pain? But you still had them! Why?
Because you knew there was also potential for
great joy and love and meaning. As
did God! He knew we'd rebel,
but He knew there would be those who freely chose
to follow Him, freely choose to take up his offer of eternal salvation. And it would be worth it to God -
-
even though he would have
to give up his own son in great pain and suffering to achieve the redemption.
(Lee Strobel)
Let’s Pray