Last night we discussed the problem of pain and suffering in the world. Why is it here and how does God respond to it. We began by showing a video of how people in Salem responded to these questions. Click the link below to see that video.
Why is there Pain and Suffering?
The night was filled with questions that occasionally took us a little bit off topic. Here is how we answered the question of pain and suffering. We broke it into two parts. Why it exists and how God responds to it.
Why:
Free Will
Free will is an intrinsic part of humanity. There are many references in the Bible to the free will God has given to His creation. In Matthew 11:28 it says, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (NASB) This verse represents an invitation and calls for a response. This same type of invitation is issued in Isaiah 55:1. Each hearer has free will in how they will respond to this call. In the same way we have the free will to decide how we will live our lives in this world. Each person has been given the gift of choice from God. However, this choice opens the door for evil. God didn’t force evil upon us, He simply allowed us to choose.
In the beginning of Genesis we see that there was no evil (suffering) in the Garden of Eden. We do, however, see the existence of free will (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:6-7). When Adam and Eve made a selfish choice, based on their free will, sin entered the world. Suffering is a byproduct of this sin. In order to begin to understand why there is suffering in this world; one must first acknowledge free will. God’s perfect plan was that the world would be like it was in the Garden of Eden, but free will opened the door to sin and suffering. So why would God give us freedom if it meant there was a possibility we could sin and bring suffering? Why didn’t He create a world without human’s ability to choose? In Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ, we find an excellent answer: “Because that would have been a world without humans. Would it have been a place without hate? Yes. A place without suffering? Yes. But it also would have been a world without love, which is the highest value in the universe. That highest good never could have been experienced. Real love—our love for God and our love for each other—must involve a choice. But with the granting of that choice comes the possibility that people would choose instead to hate” (Strobel 2000, 51).
God was willing to give us the opportunity to make choices in this life. He wanted us to be able to choose to love Him and choose to follow in His ways. If we have the ability to choose to do good, we will obviously have the opportunity to choose evil. It is important to note that there are multiple examples of people using their free will for good (Lewis 1969; Strobel 2000).
Fallen World
Continuing in this same line of thought, we see that after Adam rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden things changed. Romans 5:12 says, “therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned” (NASB) In essence, the world was perfect before Adam’s decision opened the door for sin. John Calvin is noted as saying of Adam that, “his reason, understanding, prudence, and judgment not only sufficed for the direction of his earthly life, but by them men mounted up even to God and eternal bliss…. Adam’s choice of good and evil was free, and not that alone, but the highest rectitude was in his mind and will, and all the organic parts were rightly composed to obedience” (Hick 1966, 118). Adam had the capacity to choose not to sin, the world that he knew up to that point contained no sin, but he chose to sin. That choice changed the world and man would continue to make the same choice generation, after generation, after generation. Life started perfect in the Garden of Eden and we have been plagued by a lack of perfection ever since the fall.
This is where the idea of natural evil (earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc…) can be addressed. In Romans 8:20 we read, “for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it…” (NASB) Just a couple of sentences later in verse 22 we read, “for we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (NASB) The fall subjected the whole world (nature) to frustration, consequently causing it to never reach the level of perfection God had originally created it for. There are natural disasters and disease because the whole order of the world was thrown off when sin entered. The sin of humanity has stained not just human nature, but all of nature.
Spiritual Growth
“Christian teaching and Christian experience both indicate that the path to the crown is by way of the cross” (Wenham 1985, 79). There is no doubt that suffering refines the believer. James 1:2-4 states, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (NASB) God is so powerful that He is actually able to take the schemes of Satan and use them to refine us. In the book of Job we read that Satan asked permission from God before he launched his attack. Satan was determined to bring Job down, but God used the whole scenario to strengthen Job’s faith.
In Romans 8: 28-29, Paul confirms this when he writes, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.” (NASB) God uses every circumstance in the believer’s life to move them closer to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. Without struggle, we would never progress in our walks (Wenham 1985).
God’s Response:
God Suffering with us in Christ
The most amazing point in the discussion of evil to me is the fact that God chose to share in our sufferings. It would have been very easy and completely justified for God to withdraw Himself from this world. After all, He had made a perfect place and we ruined it. However, He chose to step down into this fallen world and share in the sufferings we brought upon ourselves. This is an incredible reality. Through Jesus, we are offered a suffering companion. We do not serve a God who is immune to the sufferings of this world. Isaiah 53:5 says of Christ, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (NKJV) This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Obviously this is not because I enjoy the idea of my Savior suffering, but because these words truly humble me. The fact that God was willing to leave the throne of heaven for the death penalty of this world leaves me speechless.
Jesus Christ identifies with every form of suffering we will ever deal with in this life. In Christianity we find a God, the One True God, who cares enough about the suffering of this world that He was willing to take it upon Himself on the cross. I dare any other religion or philosophy system to attempt to measure up to God’s response to suffering. To use a common phrase, any attempt to match God’s response will be weighed and found wanting. God showed that He does love us enough to take on the problem of evil.
Hope of Eternity
My wife, Jessica, is an amazing woman. My respect and love for her goes beyond the mere fact that she is my wife. The life that she lives is an inspiration to me and so many around her. When she was younger she experienced some things that I would not wish on anyone. She was abused and neglected by people that were very close to her. Approximately 3 years ago she gave her testimony at a Campus Crusade for Christ meeting at Western Oregon University. She was completely honest about all of her experiences. By the end of her testimony the majority of the audience was hanging on each word she spoke. In her final comments that evening she said this, “I do not share my story with you so that you will feel sorry for me. I share my story because I want you to know what God can do if you give your life to Him. I have had some struggles in this life, but I am comforted by the fact that God has eternity to make it up to me.” Mother Theresa once said, “In light of heaven, the worst suffering on earth, a life full of the most atrocious tortures on earth, will be seen to be no more serious than a night spent in an inconvenient hotel” (Strobel 2000). Paul wrote in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (NASB)
We seem to forget that this is not the life we are to live for. We don’t understand why evil hasn’t been conquered by God because we look at the problem of evil through finite glasses. God has promised a world without pain, suffering, or evil; but to get it we must trust in Christ. Walking this world with Christ does not alleviate all suffering, but it provides the promise that we will one day be with Him forever. Ever since man fell God has been drawing us back to His original plan. Eternity with Him will be the completed circle.
There were also two other questions that came up that we didn’t have time to discuss (I went 20 minutes over…). The first was whether or not God uses natural disasters to pour out His wrath on cities, countries, people groups, etc… The example was Hurricane Katrina. My response was a blanket statement that I need to now explain. I said “No, there is no support for God doing this in the Bible.” The truth is, there is support for God doing this. God did do similar things while leading His people to the Promised Land in the Old Testament and the various accounts of the end times seem to suggest that God will do something of the sort. However, I believe the Bible only supports this idea when God is accomplishing something specific. Either opening the door for the Jews to inherit the land He promised them or creating the opportunity for a specific person to take control of a nation or bringing this world to a close. I do not see any support that God just gets ticked off so He decides to destroy New Orleans or a bunch of Islands in the Indian Ocean. Aaron, I hope that clears up my response to you.
The second question centered around Romans 5:13 where Paul writes, “…but sin is not counted where there is no law.” Ashley and Sadie, I will explain that in a blog this afternoon… I have to get to a lunch meeting.
So, what do you think about the problem of pain and suffering? Is our answer sufficient for you? Why or why not?
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