Good God, Bad Stuff?

C - LORD I come before you now to lead our humble gathering in confession. We confess our sin before you. We confess our selfishness, our arrogance, our pride, our foolish attempt at wisdom apart from you. As we gather to tackle a old topic I confess my feeble inadequacies to contain or explain all that is your right to do and allow as you are the creator and we merely your creation.

T - We thank you LORD that you have given us a better teacher in Your Spirit. We thank you that you have given us all we need to know in this book which is your most holy word. We thank you that you are patient and longsuffering, abounding in grace and mercy. And that it is your desire that those who seek you will find you.

S - Therefore LORD we have every hope that You, by Your Spirit, in Your Word would speak to us, and teach us this day. We ask that you would strengthen our faith and resolve for you and in you. I ask that as we wrestle with this very real, sometimes very painful question that the answers given would be biblical, sufficient for today, pleasing to you, and edificatious for your people.

Big Idea of the Message: If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?

INTRO

Pain is real, Evil is real

We should not minimize pain, suffering, or evil

Christians will and do experience pain & suffering

Why is their pain? How do we deal with pain? What is the end of pain?

Epicurus (341-270 BC) - David Hume (1711-1776)

Lexham Survey of Theology The Problem of Evil

The logical problem of evil, as articulated by Hume and his followers, runs as follows: (1) given the biblical God’s all-good and all-powerful nature, God could not know and care that there is evil in the world yet at the same time fail to act powerfully in order to stop it coming about. Yet, (2) there is evil in the world, (3) therefore an all-good, all-powerful, and all-knowing God cannot exist.

THEODICY From the Greek words θεός (theos) (God) and δίκη (dikē) (justice), translating to “divine justice.” The attempt to defend God’s omnipotence and goodness in the face of the problem of evil in the world.

Theodicy is based on the belief in an orderly universe which is created by a beneficent God. It seeks to answer how a benevolent, omnipotent, omniscient God allows suffering and pain in His creation.

Big Idea of the Message: If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world? God is working his long game of redemption. Our hope is in trusting the character of the God who made us and loves us.

The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis - 1940

MESSAGE

God is God

Isaiah 55:8–11 ESV

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Job 42:1–5 ESV

1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;

God is Good

God is steadfast lovingkindness

God is patient and longsuffering

God extends mercy and grace

God is Powerful

God is active

God is able

God is unstoppable

God is Wise

God knows the best outcome

God knows the best path

Humans Perpetrate Evil

Genesis 6:5 ESV

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Original Sin

Genesis 2:16–17 “16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.””

We Experience Sin

Rom 5.12 “12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

Jam 1.13 “13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

God does not sin nor tempt anyone to sin

We Engage in Sin

Romans 3:10–12 “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.””

Ephesians 2:1–3 “1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

sin of omission

sin of commission

Alber Mohler - The Briefing - January 10, 2023

A woman who was recently convicted very late in life, a 97-year-old woman by the name of Irmgard Furchner, who was convicted of being a teenage shorthand typist at a concentration camp, and thus to be complicit in the deaths of thousands of the Jewish people at that camp. And by the way, the numbers are staggering. Some estimate that 65,000 Jewish people were exterminated, that's to use the German word. They were killed in mass murder in that one camp. Irmgard Furchner's trial began back in September of 2021. It concluded just before the end of last year. And by the way, when her trial began, she went on the run from a retirement home. That's right. At age 95 or 96, she went on the lamb, actually physically running from her retirement home in order to evade prosecution. She was eventually found by police as the BBC reports in the German city of Hamburg.

The International Press, particularly in Europe, noted that the historical significance of Irmgard Furchner's trial is that it might be the very last of a German figure who is accused of war crimes and genocide in connection with the Holocaust during the years of World War II under the Nazi regime. And the reason for that is simply the calendar. Time is running out. Irmgard Furchner is herself 97 years old. There were those at the time that she was convicted at the end of last year who said that justice had been cheated by the fact that she was convicted at such an old age.

As the BBC reported, "Furchner's trial could be the last to take place in Germany into Nazi era crimes, although a few cases are still being investigated. "Another quirk here, Irmgard Furchner was convicted in a juvenile court, because according to the law in Germany, at the time the crimes were committed, she was considered to be a juvenile. And all that was taken into consideration. Another very strange twist in this moral tale. Here we have a 97-year-old woman now convicted lawfully in a court of having been as a teenager complicit in tens of thousands of deaths.

By the way, in one of the saddest commentaries about the trial, Irmgard Furchner never came clean or took responsibility. All she said was, and I quote, "I regret that I was in Stutthof at the time. That's all I can say."

God Has, Is and Will Deal With Evil

Galatians 6:7 ESV

7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

God Dealt With Sin In The Past

Adam, Cain, Noah

Gen 6.5-7 “5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.””

Gen 8.21-22 “21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.””

Divine judgement over those who are against His will

Israel, Philistines, Babylon, Etc.

In Christ!!

Eph 5.2 “2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

God Deals With Sin Now

Pro 24.12 “12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?”

Ps 94.9 “9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?”

Romans 2:6–8 “6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.”

It is recorded

Or it is forgiven!

Romans 6:1–4 “1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

God Will Deal With Sin In The Future

Revelation 20:11–15 “11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

It will be our judgement

It will be the reason that we praise!

You Can Trust God

Revelation 21:1–7 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

God is Grieved by Sin

The God of scripture is not unfeeling toward you

Jesus weeps with you, for you, over you

God Loves You

While we were yet sinners… Christ died for you!

God emptied himself for you

God Has Done All He Can Do

Gen 50.20 “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

He became sin who knew no sin!

Lexham Survey of Theology The Problem of Evil

In practice, this means that through the Son and in the Spirit, God our Father offers unique and lasting forms of what Judith Herman and the medical community tell us are required for recovery—namely, a sense of safety, a trusted community, and a coherent life story. These processes occur in tandem with Spirit’s work to transform both parties into Christlike servants in anticipation of the kingdom to come.

Psalm 94 ESV

1 O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! 3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? 4 They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. 5 They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. 6 They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; 7 and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.” 8 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise? 9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? 10 He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge— 11 the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath. 12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, 13 to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. 14 For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; 15 for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it. 16 Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? 17 If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 18 When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. 19 When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. 20 Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? 21 They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. 22 But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. 23 He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.

Pain is real, Evil is real

We should not minimize pain, suffering, or evil

Christians will and do experience pain & suffering

Why is their pain? How do we deal with pain? What is the end of pain?

Application Point: God is present with us, just as he has been present with creation all along. God feels our grief and carries our burdens; we can find comfort in a trusting relationship with the one who went to the cross for us and will ultimately wipe every tear from our eyes.

Group Questions

Was there any one thing that stood out to you that you would like to talk with the group about? What was it and why did it stand out to you?

How would you describe the answer to this question in your own words? (If God is good and powerful why does evil exist?)

Why did Pastor Jon start his message with God is God? Why does this point matter for this message?

How should having a full biblical view of God shape our response to evil?

Who should we blame for sin? (satan, demons, humans, God) Who do we normally blame for sin? Why is that your answer?

Why might someone who does not know God blame Him for sin?

What does the Bible teach us about God’s character, and God’s approach to evil?

Can you be content, like Job, with trusting God during great suffering—without answers but with God’s presence and sovereignty? What makes this harder or easier for you?

How should the fact that God did, will, and is dealing with sin effect us in our every day lives?

How does this impact our call to forgive one another?

The problem with pain is real, how would you help someone struggling with chronic pain apply this?

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