THE PROBLEM OF PAIN & SUFFERING

ROM 8:28-29 Someone has said: "IF there is a God....WHY does evil always seem to be winning?" WE NEED ONLY LOOK AROUND TO SEE THAT EVIL DOES APPEAR TO BE WINNING..... AND THIS IS A VERY REAL PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE! (WE ARE IN A GREAT COSMIC WAR) AND WE CANNOT SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE FROM OUR LIMITED PERSPECTIVE! BUT GOD DOES!!!

WHEN ALL THE ANSWERS ARE NOT AVAILABLE....GOD REQUIRES THAT WE TRUST HIM...HAVE FAITH! THIS PROBLEM OF EVIL HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT HAS CAUSED PEOPLE TO DOUBT GOD'S EXISTENCE...OR TO DOUBT HIS GOODNESS...OR TO DOUBT HIS POWER!

Voltaire (16941778) "How can we reconcile the facts of death, war, famine, earthquakes, disasters, etc. with the existence of a LOVING, KIND GOD WHO LOVES MANKIND?"

Does God care when we suffer?

Jesus Himself knows exactly what it's like to suffer. He suffered more than any of us, as He was crucified for ALL the sins of the world!

2ND LARGEST SLUM AREA IN THE WORLD

WHY? WHY? WHY?

FIRST, IF GOD MADE THE WORLD AND CONTROLS IT -WHY IS THERE EVIL -- AND WHY DOES EVIL ALWAYS SEEM TO WIN?

SIMPLICTICALLY SOME THINK THAT "RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE" SHOULD RECEIVE GOOD IN THIS LIFE....AND WICKED PEOPLE SHOULD BE THE ONES SUFFERING! WHY DOESN'T IT WORK OUT THAT WAY?
SOME OF THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN ROM 3:10 & 23

It is most important that we always remember that GOD DOES LOVE US....HE DESIRES THAT ALL BE SAVED!
HE WANTS GOOD FOR EVERYONE OF US! JOHN 3:16; 2PET 3:9 PEOPLE WANT TO ARGUE THAT A GOOD GOD & AN EVIL WORLD ARE INCOMPATIBLE! God is able to prevent evil, but not willingWRONG!! >>FALLEN WORLD God is willing to prevent evil, but not able WRONG!!
Matthew 11:28-29 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

This Earth is enemy territory, the Devil has it more and more under control. God allows it!!!

THERE IS A GREAT COSMIC WAR... JESUS WON THAT WAR AT HIS CROSS... ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME (Book of Revelation)

HERE IS WHAT MUST BE FACED:

1. THERE IS A LOVING, MERCIFUL GOD WHOM WE READ ABOUT IN THE BIBLE! 2. HE IS NOT EVIL...HE IS RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY AND PERFECT! HE IS ABLE TO JUSTLY RESOLVE ALL THINGS! 3. EVIL, DEATH, SORROW, PAIN & SUFFERING DO EXIST IN THE WORLD!

Jesus is not someone "who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but He was in all points tested like we are"
(Hebrews 4:15).

HOW DOES ONE DEAL WITH THIS SEEMINGLY INCOMPATIBLE SITUATION?

WE CANNOT DENY THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD...OR SAY THAT HE HAS IN SOME WAY LIMITED HIMSELF AND IS NOT IN FULL CONTROL!! THIS IS "DEISM." THIS BELIEF IS NOT BIBLICAL!

THE PRESENCE OF EVIL IS THE UNBELIEVERS ARGUMENT THAT THERE IS NO GOD!!

WE CANNOT SIDE WITH THE ATHEIST WHO SAYS, IT'S YOUR BELIEF IN GOD THAT CREATES THE PROBLEM... GIVE UP YOUR FAITH IN GOD AND THE ANSWER WILL COME TO YOU.... IN A WORLD WITH NO GOD YOU WOULD NATURALLY EXPECT EVIL TO PREVAIL! BUT IF THE PRESENCE OF EVIL PROVES THERE IS NO GOD, WHAT DOES THE PRESENCE OF LOVE, TRUTH, BEAUTY AND GOODNESS PROVE?

WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH IS "THE SEEMING UNFAIRNESS OF IT ALL!"

IT TOO OFTEN APPEARS THAT THE INNOCENT SUFFER & THE WICKED PROSPER!! THAT EVIL GETS AHEAD! AND THIS ENRAGES OUR SENSE OF JUSTICE!! If we had time we would relate the experiences of Job -- His story simply says there is NO JUSTICE in this World.... BUT IT ASSURES US THAT GOD WILL WORK THINGS OUT IN HIS OWN TIME! JOB Ch 38

A CERTAIN ATHEIST WROTE TO A CHRISTIAN EDITOR: I do not believe in God. I have good health as do my wife and children. My cattle are fat and my fields are bountiful. I know a so-called Christian man who lost his wife this year to illness, his crops failed, and he has many other problems -- What do you think of that? TO WHICH THE BELIEVING EDITOR REPLIED: DEAR SIR, GOD DOES NOT SETTLE ALL HIS ACCOUNTS IN OCTOBER.

LET'S NOW SEE IF THE BIBLE CAN HELP US BY PROVIDING SOME REASSURANCES (AND REMEMBER, THERE ARE NO COMPLETE ANSWERS FOR NOW...BUT ENOUGH TO GIVE US FAITH!)

We Christians believe that God is working toward a great purpose....some noble end to all things! Romans 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. [Heb 5:8-9]

We understand that this world is a "tutoring session.

Man is a free-will agent, he can chose right and wrong! When we choses contrary to God's moral, natural & spiritual laws...we must pay the consequences! Rom 6:23 Eze 18:4 Much of the evil in the world is brought about by man's sinning....but not all! This is a fallen world! God has some natural laws (gravity, etc.) and when these laws are broken....bad things can result! There is "moral evil" which results from evil things done by men....toward one another!! We are in a Moral Battle....moral evil must be opposed! Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES SHOULD HELP US:

In 2Cor 4:17 we are taught to make use of pain & suffering when it comes. In 1Pet 1:6-7 it says we should endure our troubles, and let them bring us closer to God. In Heb 12:6-11 says later we'll understand better. In Psa 119:71 David said he learned from his sorrows. In 2Cor 1:4 we are told it helps us be sympathetic towards others. In James 1:2-3 it says through trials we learn. AND DON'T FORGET ROM 8:28.

The Christian's ATTITUDE should be to EXPECT PERSECUTION

WE LIVE IN THAT KIND OF WORLD! LET IT MAKE YOU A BETTER SERVANT FOR JESUS! LET IT BRING YOU CLOSER TO GOD.....

2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

BESIDES....TRIALS AND CALIMITIES MAY BE GOD'S WAY OF REACHING SOME OF US!

STORY: The lone survivor of a shipwreck was cast upon an uninhabited island. He erected a hut and stored the little he had salvaged from the burning ship. Daily he prayed, scanned the horizon, and longed for a ship to rescue him. Returning from a hunt, he was horrified to see his hut go up in smoke. To his limited vision, the worst had happened. GOD SAW BEYOND DISASTER: A ship arrived the next day and the captain said, "We saw your smoke signal." MAY WE SEE GOOD IN ALL OUR CALAMITIES!! THEY MAY BE GOD'S WAY OF ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS!!

CONCLUSION:
Christians must continue to search for answers -- AS WE DO OUR FAITH WILL BE ENRICHED! We likely will never find all the answers we want BUT THERE ARE ANSWERS....AND THEY ARE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE US TO TRUST IN GOD ALMIGHTY! FAITH IN JESUS IS THE ANSWER!! He suffered for us that we might....by trusting in Him....be in an Eternal Place where there is NO EVIL! Heres a little note from Jesus: In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.