Why Would God allow!

[Richie_2uk]

Why Would a Good God allow suffering?

Before you share your thoughts. This is not a question that I am asking you personally. Its a question that is regularly asked in general for such a long time. So please don't share your thoughts to answer as if its me asking.

In our world of pain, where is God? if he is good and compassionate, why is life often so tragic? Has he lost control? or if he is in control, what is he trying to do to me and others? These and many more questions that are asked in the world today even by practicing Christians all over the world. Maybe its you that is asking these questions.

There are some people have chosen to deny God's existence because they cannot imagine a God who would allow such misery. Some believe that God exists, but they want nothing to do with him because they don't think he could be good.
Others have settled for a belief in a kindly God who loves us but has lost control of a rebellious planet. Still others cling tenaciously to a belief in an all-wise, all-powerful, loving God somehow uses evil for good. Sounds pretty far fetched hearing that some people would or could believe in God in those ways.

As we search in the bible, we discover that it paints a picture of a God who can do anything he chooses to do. Sometimes he has acted in mercy and performed miracles in behalf of his people. at other times, though, he has chosen to do nothing to stop tragedy. He is supposed to be intimately involved in our lives. Yet at times he seems deaf to our cries for help. in the bible, he assures us that he controls all that happens, but he sometimes lets us be the targets of evil people, bad genes, dangerous viruses, natural disasters.

If you are like me, you long for some way to put together an answer to this puzzling issue of suffering. I believe that God has given us enough pieces of the puzzle to help us trust him even when we don't have all the information we would like. The Bible, we can see that the basic answers of the bible are that our good God allows pain and suffering in our world to alert us to the problem of SIN, to direct us to respond to him in faith and hope, to shape us to be more like Christ, and to unite us so that we will help each other.

Lets make this a good study in hope to give direct, purposeful and meaningful answers to the questions regarding Why God allows suffering in the world today. Please no derailing, or defusing or leading astray. Let this be a good thread to study to gain good knowledge without fights and arguments. Please give scripture to back up your thoughts and comments thank you.

 

[dcontroversal]

Solomon after seeing and experiencing everything that could have been experienced said....

Time and chance happens unto all.
Death comes to all.

The bible teaches that NOTHING done and or said goes without notice as God sees and hears all things....
God allows the evil because he is long suffering not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance..
God will also judge ALL things so nobody gets by with anything.....

As far as individual circumstances and what God does or does not do, what he allows or stops...we forget that he has all of the inside information, knows the hearts or men and women and that we are not to judge before the time, because we are extremely limited in our understanding of and knowledge of each and every circumstance that takes place....

Just a few thoughts........

 

[Angela53510]

This is always one of the first questions dealt with in apologetics. Here is a very detailed answer from CARM.Sorry for the copy and paste!

First of all, it is possible that God has reasons for allowing evil to exist that we simply cannot understand. In this the Christian can have confidence in God knowing that His ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). As the Bible says, the just shall live by faith (Hab. 2:4).

Second, God may be letting evil run its course in order to prove that evil is malignant and that suffering, which is the unfortunate product of evil, is further proof that anything contrary to God’s will is bad, harmful, painful, and leads to death.
God gave Adam dominion over the world (Gen. 1:28). When he rebelled against God, he set in motion an entire series of events and changed the very nature of man and creation. Both were affected by sin. Creation was no longer a paradise but bore thorns and thistles (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:22). People became sinful (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3), who were haters of God (Rom. 3:9-12), etc. The only conclusion to such a situation is death. Jesus said, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened" (Matt. 24:22).

Sin is rebellion against God and His created order, but God has not left us alone in this fallen world. He continued to enter this world--pointing us to Himself, to truth, to morality, purity, and love. He used the evil of the world (liars, perjurers, the envious, etc.,) to bring His Son to the cross so that we might have the opportunity to obtain eternal life. In this, God has not stepped away from fallen creation but has stepped into it by becoming Jesus. God works within the fallen world to effect change, and He uses fallen people to accomplish His will. In this, He is proving His sovereignty over evil, suffering, and rebellious people--proving that sin and evil are utterly futile and that He is worthy of honor and glory.

A third possible reason that God is letting evil occur is so that on the day of judgment, the condemned will have no right to say that their sentence is unjust. God is not stopping people from exercising their free will. Think about this: If someone said that God should stop evil and suffering, then should God then stop all evil and suffering? If God only stopped some of it, then we would still be asking the same question of why it exists.

So, if we want God to stop evil and suffering, then He must stop all of it. We have no problem with this when it means stopping a catastrophe or a murder or a rape. But what about when someone thinks of something evil? Evil is destructive whether it is acted out or not. Hatred and bigotry in someone’s heart is wrong. If it is wrong and if God is to stop all evil, then He must stop that person from thinking his own thoughts. To do that, God must remove his freedom of thought. Furthermore, which person on the earth has notthought something evil? God would be required, then, to stop all people from exercising their free will. This is something God has chosen not to do. Therefore, we could say that one of the reasons that God permits evil and suffering is that of man’s free will.

Fourth, it is quite possible that God uses the suffering to do good. In other words, He produces patience through tribulation (Rom. 5:3). Or He may desire to save someone through it. Take for example, the account of Joseph who was sold into slavery by His brothers. What they did was wrong, and Joseph suffered greatly for it. But, later, God raised up Joseph in Egypt to make provisions for the people of that land during the coming drought of seven years. Not only was Egypt saved but also his family and brothers who originally sold him into slavery. Joseph finally says to them, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (Gen. 50:15-21). Of course, the greatest example of God using evil for good is the death of Christ. Evil people brought him to the cross, but God used that cross as the means to save the world.
But then we must ask, if this is true, are we working against God by working against evil and suffering? No, we are not. God says he does not want us to sin and suffer. But it is simply true that God can use evil despite its apparent despicable nature.
God is in the world using the world and its failures for His glory and the benefit of those who listen to Him.

But then, what about those who seem to suffer innocently with no benefit resulting? What about the woman who is raped or the innocent bystander who is killed by a stray bullet. In both cases, the victims and families suffer nothing but pain and loss. What good can this possibly be?

I think that the answer is two-fold. One, ultimately, no one is innocent. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) and are by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). There is none innocent. Though this is biblically accurate, it does not satisfy the question emotionally. Why do little babies suffer for things they have not done? I must acknowledge that I do not know. Ultimately, we must trust God who knows the beginning from the end and sees the grand picture. He will have the final word, and He will be vindicated.

Conclusion

Suffering is the result of human sin. The world is not the way that God created it; and because of that, all are vulnerable to the effects of sin in the world. Why does one person suffer and another does not? Why do catastrophes happen to some and not to others? It is because sin is in the world. But there will come a day when the Lord will return and cleanse this world of all sin and all suffering.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev. 21:4)."

God allows evil and suffering for his reasons | Bible evil | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry​

 

[biscuit]

@Angela 53510

I like #4

 

[Elin]

Why Would a Good God allow suffering?

Before you share your thoughts. This is not a question that I am asking you personally. Its a question that is regularly asked in general for such a long time. So please don't share your thoughts to answer as if its me asking.

In our world of pain, where is God? if he is good and compassionate, why is life often so tragic? Has he lost control? or if he is in control, what is he trying to do to me and others? These and many more questions that are asked in the world today even by practicing Christians all over the world. Maybe its you that is asking these questions.

There are some people have chosen to deny God's existence because they cannot imagine a God who would allow such misery. Some believe that God exists, but they want nothing to do with him because they don't think he could be good.
Others have settled for a belief in a kindly God who loves us but has lost control of a rebellious planet. Still others cling tenaciously to a belief in an all-wise, all-powerful, loving God somehow uses evil for good. Sounds pretty far fetched hearing that some people would or could believe in God in those ways.

As we search in the bible, we discover that it paints a picture of a God who can do anything he chooses to do. Sometimes he has acted in mercy and performed miracles in behalf of his people. at other times, though, he has chosen to do nothing to stop tragedy. He is supposed to be intimately involved in our lives. Yet at times he seems deaf to our cries for help. in the bible, he assures us that he controls all that happens, but he sometimes lets us be the targets of evil people, bad genes, dangerous viruses, natural disasters.

If you are like me, you long for some way to put together an answer to this puzzling issue of suffering. I believe that God has given us enough pieces of the puzzle to help us trust him even when we don't have all the information we would like. The Bible, we can see that the basic answers of the bible are that our good God allows pain and suffering in our world to alert us to the problem of SIN, to direct us to respond to him in faith and hope, to shape us to be more like Christ, and to unite us so that we will help each other.

Lets make this a good study in hope to give direct, purposeful and meaningful answers to the questions regarding Why God allows suffering in the world today. Please no derailing, or defusing or leading astray. Let this be a good thread to study to gain good knowledge without fights and arguments. Please give scripture to back up your thoughts and comments thank you.

It is all answered for me in Jesus, who suffered more than any other human.

Suffering is at the heart of God's plan.

"We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us." (Ro 5:3-5)

In God's plan, no one is sanctified without the fire of suffering.

 

[Joidevivre]

I did answer you because you posted this in the blog.

Job asked the same question of God, and God never answered this question. He only revealed more of Himself. Maybe that is the lesson in suffering - to look for more ways in which God wants to reveal Himself to you.

One thing God did was take Job's eyes off of his suffering and onto God, Himself.

 

[Jon4TheCross]

Simple...we are not robots... and evil has a designated time to receive their temporary reward of killing,stealing, and destroying. Suffering is reward for the childrenof God, and He won't give you more than you can handle.

 

[psalm6819]

Simple...we are not robots... and evil has a designated time to receive their temporary reward of killing,stealing, and destroying. Suffering is reward for the childrenof God, and He won't give you more than you can handle.

Jesus came so we would have life and abundantly. God wants to bless us and He can because of Jesus, not to say that we don't run into difficult circumstances but His grace will get us thru it and His mercy won't leave us stuck there.

 

[elf3]

Personally I think a better question is "why do we question God?"

Many people have the question of "Why does God allow". We cannot totally answer that question because God's thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). God is the creator he can do as he pleases (Psalms 115:3).

We only question God because we don't think He is "acting" like the god we want. Well what kind of god do we want? The god we want doesn't exist. We try to create a god that serves us but they are false gods. We should serve the God of creation not the god our mind created.

When things are fine we never question God but when things go against what we "feel is right" we send a whole bunch of questions His way.

So why does "God allow"? Don't know I'll ask Him when I see Him maybe. But then again once I see Him that question I'm sure will be far from my mind.

 

[Angela53510]

@Angela 53510

I like #4

That is my favourite too! Something that God taught me from the Word!

 

[SoulWeaver]

Jeremiah 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

 

[breno785au]

That is my favourite too! Something that God taught me from the Word!

The Holy Spirit has been showing me about suffering in the Word too, He's teaching me to renew my mind about suffering, that it's an honor to suffer for the sake of Christ. Our Western culture is the complete opposite, our pursuit of happiness is to minimise suffering but in that we become complacent, lazy and apathetic. But if change our minds about what happens when we encounter suffering, it's end result is to produce character in us - if we approach it in the correct manner. Suffering will always happen, so we better get used to it, stop whinging and use it to glorify God. (That's easy to say when your not in the midst of it lol and also I wouldnt go around telling people that in their suffering, just saying)
I can imagine, i'd love to see a church billboard saying "Suffering is good" lol, that would confuse a whole lot of people lol

 

[1still_waters]

Why Would a Good God allow suffering?

Before you share your thoughts. This is not a question that I am asking you personally. Its a question that is regularly asked in general for such a long time. So please don't share your thoughts to answer as if its me asking.

Premise 1. Jesus on the cross was the plan all along before creation started.

Eph 1:4
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world,

Revelation 13:8
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been [a]writtenfrom the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Premise 2 God uses some dishonorable lumps of clay to achieve his purposes and glory.

Romans 9: 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

Premise 3 God willingly subjected the creation to futility, in hope of a future liberation.

Romans 8:20-21
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Premise 4 God planned to use Jesus and us to display his grace, mercy, love, etc.

Eph 2:6-7
6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

Suffering was necessary to achieve one of God's ends, which was to show how much he's capable of grace, love and mercy. He used the dishonorable lumps of clay (Satan, sin, etc.) to achieve this ultimate purpose. Jesus on the cross was part of that plan all along.

The above conclusion is purely a theory, based on connecting some dots.
Like many things we may never know the answer.
This is simply an educated guess.
Please don't take this as gospel truth without really praying and reading and discerning.
Frankly I'm not sure about these conclusions, but I'm tossing them out there.

 

[1still_waters]

Or to simplify my thing above.

One of God's end goals = Displaying his grace, love, mercy in Jesus and us.

God used, dishonorable lumps of clay, (Satan, sin, suffering), creation subjected to futility, Jesus on the cross, to achieve that end goal.

 

[Elin]

Premise 1. Jesus on the cross was the plan all along before creation started.


Premise 2 God uses some dishonorable lumps of clay to achieve his purposes and glory.



Premise 3 God willingly subjected the creation to futility, in hope of a future liberation.


Premise 4 God planned to use Jesus and us to display his grace, mercy, love, etc.





Conclusion

Suffering was necessary to achieve one of God's ends, which was to show how much he's capable of grace, love and mercy. He used the dishonorable lumps of clay (Satan, sin, etc.) to achieve this ultimate purpose. Jesus on the cross was part of that plan all along.

The above conclusion is purely a theory, based on connecting some dots.
Like many things we may never know the answer.
This is simply an educated guess.
Please don't take this as gospel truth without really praying and reading and discerning.
Frankly I'm not sure about these conclusions, but I'm tossing them out there.

Pretty much agrees with Ro 9:22-24.

 

[Jason0047]

Short Answer:

Evil exists now because God is extending grace to mankind. In other words, the Lord is allowing more and more time (grace) for men to repent of their wickedness so the Lord can have fellowship with him.

Long Answer:

See...

ECT The Glory of God and the Existence of Evil. - Theology Online | Christian Forums & More

 

[jogoldie]

Do you ever notice.....when most people finally come to God....... is when there is suffering...when we have no whereto go.....and we have tried everything...asked everyone their opinion...we fall on our knees whether we believe ornot and we finally surrender....I also notice that people say......"something told me I shouldn't have......I think that something was God....He tries to warn us......our Father has given us free will....our choice ....and when we go out on our own........ its like when we watch our children ride that two wheeler....we hold our hands to our mouth and gasp....as those little legs are peddling on their own......I think its not that He wants us to suffer .......but its the only way most of us learn...so He watches us peddling just hoping we look up and make our will His......so we are protected ...Just my opinion............peace.....jo

 

[posthuman]

The above conclusion is purely a theory, based on connecting some dots.
Like many things we may never know the answer.

o i believe we'll know the truth

just a thought - to prove a theory of 'how' we can look at the evidence of what's done and not necessarily have to have knowledge of 'who.' but to prove a theory of 'why' a thing is done we have to look to the One who acted, right?

so we have to ask the Lord why suffering exists. when i've looked to Him to understand suffering that's touched my life, He has answered either showing me how that it results from sin, and He works good from it, and how that He is glorified through it, or He has answered that He is God and i am man, and that i ought to humbly trust Him, learning patience and endurance.

is it the same with you?

 

[1still_waters]

o i believe we'll know the truth

just a thought - to prove a theory of 'how' we can look at the evidence of what's done and not necessarily have to have knowledge of 'who.' but to prove a theory of 'why' a thing is done we have to look to the One who acted, right?

so we have to ask the Lord why suffering exists. when i've looked to Him to understand suffering that's touched my life, He has answered either showing me how that it results from sin, and He works good from it, and how that He is glorified through it, or He has answered that He is God and i am man, and that i ought to humbly trust Him, learning patience and endurance.

is it the same with you?

One concluding thought before I get some rest.
Based on what I'm piecing together, I think it's more than God simply working good from it.
That perspective makes it look like it's God just making the best of an unintended situation.
I think God is totally more sovereign than that.

I think if one of his end goals was to show everyone how full of grace, mercy, love, etc. he is, then all of this was part of his plan toward that goal. It may be more than an ...oooops some bad stuff happened so he made the best of it and worked some good out despite it.

But IF that is the case,there are a ton of implications to wade through.
Implications that may or may not be Biblical.
Implications that may make us uncomfortable.
Implications that put God at the center and not us.

Regardless, right now, this side of heaven, trying to connect these dot may not be possible, so it's best to have a ton of caution when connecting said dots. Hence my caution at taking my conclusions as solid gospel truth.

 

[ChristIsGod]

These two verses, when seen together, seem to show that man was given freewill and that man is mainly responsible for the destruction of other men and of the planet and not God. And all the more as time goes on, via more sophisticated means.

Matt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.


Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which are destroying the earth.



And these two verses would apply to Christians.


Rom 8:28,29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.