Why Does God Allow Suffering?
God created the first humans perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4,5; Job 14:4; Ecclesiastes 7:29). If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, there would never have been suffering or problems. They were warned of the dire consequences of disobedience (Genesis 2:16,17). Yet, they chose to believe lies, and rejected God’s truthful warnings (Genesis 3:1-6; John 8:44). God mercifully allowed humans to live long enough to produce the human race, albeit with inherited sin (Romans 8:21; 5:12). But, God allowed the consequences of sin to develop, without his intervention. Why? Because to interfere with the natural results of sin would be to help Satan’s cause, that is, that people could violate God’s standards with impunity (Genesis 3:4,5; John 8:44).
God has provided his creation to prove his existence (Psalm 19:1-7; Romans 1:20), and the Bible to guide us in living (2 Timothy 3:16,17; Psalm 119:97-15). In the future, God will undo all the harm that has been done (Isaiah 65:17; John 5:28,29; Revelation 21:4). God has a precise timetable set for these tremendous changes for the better, and has advised humans that they can be beneficiaries of these changes, if they will meet his standards, which are not too difficult (Psalm 15:1-5; Habakkuk 2:3; Zephaniah 1:14; John 3:16,36; 1 John 2:1,2; 5:3,4). He has not told us the exact time for these radical changes, but has warned us to be ready at all times (Matthew 24:37-25:46).
5 thoughts on “Why Does God Allow Suffering?”
RT1: God created the first humans perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4,5; Job 14:4; Ecclesiastes 7:29). If Adam and Eve had obeyed God, there would never have been suffering or problems.
GW1: If God existed, if Adam and Eve existed, and if they disobeyed God, there never would have been the kinds of death and suffering we have been talking about. First, Adam and Eve’s disobedience wasn’t ethically wrong. Secondly, God would never punish the descendants of sinners for the sins of the sinners. To do so would be unethical in itself.
RT1: They were warned of the dire consequences of disobedience (Genesis 2:16,17). Yet, they chose to believe lies, and rejected God’s truthful warnings (Genesis 3:1-6; John 8:44).
GW1: If God did exist, he would not make rules, give warnings, and enforce punishments for acts that are ethically permissible or obligatory. It would be like the county sheriff making a rule against walking backwards on the sidewalk, giving a warning to not do it, putting the offender in prison for a lifetime for breaking the rule, and imposing an additional penalty on all of his descendants throughout history. Simply ridiculous!
RT1: God mercifully allowed humans to live long enough to produce the human race, albeit with inherited sin (Romans 8:21; 5:12).
GW1: Sin is not inherited. If he existed, God would never make sin inheritable. That would violate the principle of individual accountability.
RT1: But, God allowed the consequences of sin to develop, without his intervention. Why? Because to interfere with the natural results of sin would be to help Satan’s cause, that is, that people could violate God’s standards with impunity (Genesis 3:4,5; John 8:44).
GW1: If God existed, punishments for sin would not be natural results. They would be social results imposed by God. Furthermore, if God existed, he would punish sins immediately after they occurred in a fair and just way.
RT1: God has provided his creation to prove his existence (Psalm 19:1-7; Romans 1:20), and the Bible to guide us in living (2 Timothy 3:16,17; Psalm 119:97-15).
GW1: This first claim indicates circular reasoning and is invalid. There is no good evidence that the universe was created by anyone. Even if God did exist, the Bible cannot be his word since the book is full of inconsistencies, contradictions, falsehoods, and moral failings.
RT1: In the future, God will undo all the harm that has been done (Isaiah 65:17; John 5:28,29; Revelation 21:4). God has a precise timetable set for these tremendous changes for the better, and has advised humans that they can be beneficiaries of these changes, if they will meet his standards, which are not too difficult (Psalm 15:1-5; Habakkuk 2:3; Zephaniah 1:14; John 3:16,36; 1 John 2:1,2; 5:3,4). He has not told us the exact time for these radical changes, but has warned us to be ready at all times (Matthew 24:37-25:46).
GW1: If God did exist, there would be no reason to undo harm since God would not have created, caused, or allowed harm to occur in the first place. For example, there would have been no Hurricane Michael and no Holocaust, if God did exist.
GW1: You have not shown why all this suffering would exist, if God did exist. Your theory violates reason, science, and common sense. Of course, it mostly isn’t your theory. You were indoctrinated into it as a child, and these early religious doctrines are hard to overcome.
I’ve never really grasped how apparently rational people can read the Genesis account, pre Abram, as literal. In a less informed world maybe but even most early Christians informed through Greek philosophy understood it figuratively. Surely it makes more sense to see it as God’ assaying of Man in ideal conditions and the reality that Man or rather Humanity will always listen to outside authorities rather than trust God because desire in its very nature is self-deceiving. There’s a Puritan classic called the Mystery of Self Deceiving , and I personally would recommend Eknath Easwaran’s translation of the Bhagavad Gita for his notes on it alone. There’s much profound truth there, particularly if you understand that Christ came to teach all that ‘the kingdom of God is within you’. Peace
PM1: I’ve never really grasped how apparently rational people can read the Genesis account, pre Abram, as literal. In a less informed world maybe but even most early Christians informed through Greek philosophy understood it figuratively.
GW1: I agree with you on this point. It is a story. It is fiction.
PM1: Surely it makes more sense to see it as God’ assaying of Man in ideal conditions and the reality that Man or rather Humanity will always listen to outside authorities rather than trust God because desire in its very nature is self-deceiving.
GW1: I disagree. Desire is not self-deceiving in its very nature. If I desire food I am not deceiving myself. If I desire the truth I am not deceiving myself.
PM1: There’s a Puritan classic called the Mystery of Self Deceiving , and I personally would recommend Eknath Easwaran’s translation of the Bhagavad Gita for his notes on it alone. There’s much profound truth there, particularly if you understand that Christ came to teach all that ‘the kingdom of God is within you’.
GW1: God does not exist, and this has been proven. So Jesus was mistaken. The kingdom of God is not within you.
Accurately translated, Luke 17:21 reads: “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (NIV), meaning that Jesus, the embodiment of “the kingdom of God”, was standing there. The Apostle Paul said, “I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature” (Romans 7:18 NIV). “Jesus answered, ‘No one is good—except God alone'” (Luke 18:19 NIV). We must learn from Him. Jesus and the early Christians absolutely accepted the literal nature of “the Genesis account, pre Abram.” For example: “At the beginning the Creator made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4 NIV). “Enoch, the seventh from Adam” (Jude 14 NIV).
The most important verse which you quoted here was this one: “Jesus answered, ‘No one is good—except God alone’” (Luke 18:19 NIV).” Thus, if God did exist, he would be perfectly moral. Given that he would also be all-powerful, he could, would, and should prevent the COVID-19 pandemic. But we have the pandemic, and so God does not exist. Here is how I imagine God would operate:
“Late in the year 2019 God was assessing the situation on Earth. He quickly spotted a new virus in bats in China. Being all-knowing, he knew immediately that if this virus jumped to the human population, as it surely would, then there would be a great pandemic. It would be known as “THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.” God knew that hundreds of millions of human persons would become very sick and have trouble breathing. He knew that millions would die. Hospitals would fill, and persons suffering from other ailments would not be able to get care. People would be become more and more isolated. Some would lose their jobs and go bankrupt. The world’s economy would be devastated. However, being all-powerful and perfectly moral, God knew right away that he would need to do something. And so, he just killed all of this particular virus so that it could never jump from bats to humans. The COVID-19 Pandemic never occurred! And so, God saved the world. Amen.”