If God Is Real Then Why Is There So Much Suffering?
This question is a serious one to consider because the Bible presents God as being love (1 John 4:8) and also all-powerful (Psalm 147:5). If God is love and all-powerful, then why do people suffer? Why is there such an apparent inconsistency between the Bible and reality? Is the fact that people suffer proof that the God of Scripture doesn't exist?
God provides us the answer in His Word, the Bible.
Everything Was Once Perfect
We learn from the Bible that God never intended us to suffer. In fact, God created us perfectly to live in a perfect world! The Bible states in Genesis 1:31 that everything was once very good:
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
When the Lord stated that everything was "very good" He was stating there was perfection throughout all His creation. Therefore, there was no disease, no death, no weather catastrophes, no suffering, no murder, no hate, no evil--everything was perfect and without blemish! It was paradise!
The Bible teaches us that as part of His perfect creation He created a perfect man named Adam and a perfect woman named Eve. Adam and Eve were special. They were different from anything God had made because they were created in the very image of God Himself. They were created by the Lord to live in constant fellowship with Him within the perfect world He created for them:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 1:26-28The Bible teaches us that God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to take care of it. The Lord gave one specific rule to Adam that he had to obey:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:16-17
God told Adam that he could eat of every tree but one--the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As long as Adam followed God's Word perfection would continue. If Adam decided to disobey God's Word, the consequence of his action would be death.
Adam's Wrong Choice
The Bible teaches us in Genesis 3:1-24 that unfortunately Adam ultimately chose to disobeyed. He chose to eat the fruit that God told him specifically not to eat (1 Timothy 2:14). God's perfect creation was no longer perfect due to Adams's wrong choice.
Adam's rebellion against God's clear and simple command brought separation between the Lord and humanity. His rebellion against the Lord brought pain, death, and suffering upon humanity and all of God's creation (Romans 8:22). Because of Adam, every person born is a sinner by nature and separated from fellowship with the Lord (Romans 5:12; Romans 3:10; Romans 6:23a).
All of us are like Adam--sinners and rebels by nature against a Holy God (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 53:6; Hosea 6:7; Romans 3:10-18; Romans 3:23). Have you ever told a white lie? That is sin. Have you ever stolen time at work by doing something else non work related? That is sin also. Have you ever hated someone or been jealous of someone else? That too is sin. Why is being bad and wicked so easy? It is because we are born natural sinners. All of us have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. None of us are good enough to go to heaven when we die.
The Bible makes it very clear that because of our sin, we will one day stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment and give an account for our actions (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Obadiah 1:15; Joel 3:12-16; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15). The Lord, since He is righteous and holy, cannot and will not let sin go unpunished (James 3:10-11). Since you have already sinned once you are guilty of breaking God's law. The Lord will hold everyone accountable (Ecclesiastes 12:14, Romans 5:18; Hebrews 9:27).
Suffering Exists Today Because Of The Curse Of Sin
If God is real, why is there so much pain and suffering today? According to what we saw above from God's Word, we suffer today because we have sinned and rebelled against the Lord God who created us. It is not God's fault that the world is the way it is today.
Is There Hope?
Fortunately, God in His infinite love, power, and wisdom made the way for humanity to be rescued from this sin cursed life and the judgement to come--He sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to take all of God's wrath for us so that in Christ we may be made right with God (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:5-7; John 1:29).
Jesus Christ died to pay for your sins against Him (Hebrews 1:1-3). The Lord Jesus did this so you and I no longer have to stand in judgment for our sin, but by believing in Him we can have forgiveness of sin and eternal life. Jesus Christ is also coming back one day to judge this wicked world and create a new heaven and earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10-13). In this new world will God dwell with His redeemed sinners!
How do we know that Jesus accomplished this great salvation? He did so though redemption through His blood (Ephesians 1:7). The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ rose the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Therefore, because Jesus Christ is alive, all who place their faith in Him for salvation is guaranteed eternal life (1Corinthians 15:20-22). In addition, the one who places faith in Christ is also promised His presence in every storm of life (Matthew 28:20; John 16:33; Hebrews 13:5) because that one has been made a part of the family of God (John 1:12-13; Acts 27:23). God promises that His grace is there for the child of God!
Next Steps
Now that you know from the Bible the answer to the question, what are you going to do? You have a choice. You can continue living life in this sin cursed world apart from the love of God in Jesus Christ and receive judgment for your sin; or you can believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and receive eternal life (John 3:16-18; John 3:36).
The choice is yours to make, the consequences of your choice are eternal. Make the choice today to get right with the Lord because "now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2. Once you breath your last breath it is too late for you to make your relationship right with God.
Right now "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, " Acts 16:31.
If you would like to know more or have questions about the salvation that is available to all through faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ, come visit us at our next service at Madison Baptist Church! We look forward to seeing you there!
