Why Do Bad Things Happen?
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· 3 viewsIs God good? If God is good, then why do bad things happen?
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Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
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.”
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;
but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
God and Good
God and Good
God, by His very nature, is good.
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Evil has not always existed.
All that God created was very good.
God did not create evil.
Good and Evil
Good and Evil
The conflict between good and evil goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden.
The existence of BAD or EVIL assumes the existence of GOOD.
Good assumes the existence of a moral standard beyond us (right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, just vs. unjust)
The existence of a moral standard assumes the existence of a moral Lawgiver.
The existence of a moral Lawgiver points to the existence of a good God.
What is Evil?
Evil is the absence of good; just as darkness is the absence of light and chaos is the absence of order.
Evil is the antithesis of good; the opposite of God’s divine nature.
Evil is the adversary of good; the enemy of God who is good. (Satan, the “Evil One”)
How Did Evil Originate?
How Did Evil Originate?
God, who is good and is love, chose to create being through which He might demonstrate His love and freely receive their love.
Love cannot exist without free will. Love is not a feeling. Love is a choice.
Good and evil are also a choice of free will.
The rejection of good brings the conception of evil.
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Evil originated in the proud heart of Lucifer, an angelic being, who thought to be like god. (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28) Thus, evil entered his heart and he fell from his heavenly estate. He became the mastermind of evil, known as the “Evil One”, the “Devil” (Accuser), and “Satan” (Adversary).
Through Satan’s deception, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command, bringing death and a curse upon the human race and all creation. (Genesis 3:14-19)
Where Does Evil Reside?
Where Does Evil Reside?
Evil resides in the heart.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
The answer to the problems in our world begins in the heart.
Why Do Bad Things Happen to GOOD People?
Why Do Bad Things Happen to GOOD People?
This begs another question: “Why do GOOD THINGS happen to BAD PEOPLE?”
David struggled with this question in Psalm 73.
The question “Why do bad things happen to good people?” mistakenly assumes that there are GOOD people and that there are BAD people.
Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
This mistakenly assumes that GOOD PEOPLE are deserving of GOOD THINGS and that BAD PEOPLE are deserving of BAD THINGS.
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
This mistakenly assumes that God is not FAIR.
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair?
It is a self-righteous and entitled attitude that distorts justice and accuses God of being unfair.
Bad Things Happen to Everyone
Bad Things Happen to Everyone
Bad things happen in an environment influenced by the Evil One.
Bad thing happen in a world cursed and broken by sin.
Bad things happen amid a people influenced and controlled by evil.
Bad things happen to the just and the unjust.
Good things happen to the just and the unjust.
Does God care about the bad things we are going through? Yes! Consider the life of JESUS!
Jesus was the only perfect man who ever lived.
Jesus experienced trouble, temptation, persecution, false accusation, an unjust trial, and the cruelest of deaths.
Jesus’ life makes it clear: God has not ignored evil! He sent His Son to conquer evil.
REALITY CHECK: We deserve nothing good!
REALITY CHECK: We deserve nothing good!
God does not owe us anything. We are in debt to Him!
We deserve death, destruction, and eternal separation from God in hell.
Whatever good we have enjoyed in this life is not a testimony to our goodness but to God’s mercy and grace. (Psalm 103)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Our Response to Evil
Our Response to Evil
Ask for divine discernment between good and evil. (Don’t trust your own heart)
Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
Maintain your joy and victory in Christ in the face of evil.
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Overcome evil with good.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Remain confident that God is working GOOD through the BAD.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Keep your hope fixed on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.