Why does God allow bad things to good people?
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Why does God allow bad things to good people?
Last week, we recognized how we will experience pain and suffering. Remember Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” But why? Why does God allow bad things happen to good people? If I can be completely honest with you, I don’t know. I don’t know why God does what He does and why He allows what He allows—that’s what makes Him God. We, as humans, are very limited in our knowledge and understanding, but what we do know and what we can understand from God’s Word is that God is sovereign—He is all-powerful, He is all-knowing, He is eternal, He is infinite. But because of that, we cannot expect too fully grasp His purposes and plans. That’s exactly why God in the book of Isaiah says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).” We can rest in Romans 8:28 that God all things works together for good. You may not see it yet, but God promises that it is all for good because He is good.
What I would say to that is that there are no good people. I say that in the sense that we are all sinners. In Luke 18, Jesus was talking to a rich young ruler, and in vs. 18, he called Jesus “Good Master” to which Jesus replied in vs. 19: “Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”
Don’t misunderstand what Jesus said when He said that. This verse doesn’t disprove Jesus being God; in fact, it proves that He is God. If Jesus is good and only God is good, then Jesus is God.
In the absolute sense of the word “good,” only God can be good. On the other hand, we can be good in the sense that we can do good things, we can develop a good character, we can build good habits, we can have good attitudes, but at the end of the day, we are all sinners—because we do mess up from time to time, we do struggle each day, we can be careless in our thoughts, words, and actions. We do sin.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
All of us are tainted by sin, and we’re all living in this sin-cursed world. But because we are all sinners, none of us are innocent. We are all deserving of punishment—we are all deserving of death and hell.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The Bible tells us, “For the wages of sin is death.” Because of sin, we do deserve pain and suffering. But that’s why God, in His love, offers us grace. The Bible says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Before Christ, we were living each day just to earn death. “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God, through His Son Jesus, offers us this gift of eternal life that we could look forward to and that we can find hope in. Now, that doesn’t mean that suffering in this life will end, but God promises us in 1 Peter that it will only be for a little while. Life here is so short compared to eternity. Bad things may happen to good people in this world, but understand that this world is not the end. For those who have not accepted Jesus, this is it, but for us who have accepted Jesus, we have an eternity to look forward to.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
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.
Why does God allow good things to bad people?
Once again it’s difficult for us to understand how God and His providence works—why He allows what He does. God gives us His answer to this question in Psalm 73; He gives us the perspective that we ought to have.
Asaph, one of David’s servants who served as one of the temple choir directors, wrote this psalm. He’s asking God the same exact question that we are asking as well. He was not by any means a wealthy man, but He dedicated his life to serving God. He’s kinda just like us—he’s trying to live for God, he’s doing his best to do what is right in God’s eyes, but he’s watching evil people around him prospering, becoming successful, and getting everything that they want.
Truly God is good to Israel, Even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
We feel for this guy, right? We understand what He’s going through. We look at these celebrities living in sin and immorality, yet they are living in the largest mansions, they’re wearing the coolest and most beautiful clothes—they’re getting everything that they want and everything that we want, while we are here struggling financially. Asaph was jealous—he said in vs. 3, “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
But from vs. 16 until the rest of the chapter, God gives Asaph a new perspective.
When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, And I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all thy works.
When you live for this life and when you live for yourself, you will receive your full reward in this life. But when you live for God, when you invest into eternity, and when you seek to do good (what’s right in God’s eyes), you will receive your full reward in heaven. Eternal riches that the Lord promises are far more valuable than the temporal rewards we can ever receive here on earth.
When Asaph finally recognized that, he rebuked himself. He said in vs. 22, “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.” He basically said, “I’m so stupid—I’m such an idiot to think I was jealous of the wicked.” Then in the last few verses of the chapter, he praised God when he realized that God is so much more than what this world can offer. In Him, we can find true joy and fulfillment.
Look, we may not get everything you want here on earth, but one day, we will prosper for eternity through Jesus Christ. We don’t have to be worried about why good things happen to bad people and we don’t have to be jealous of their life when we come to the realization that God is all we need—Christ is sufficient. God is calling us to draw ourselves closer to Him. Quit focusing on the world, but keep your eyes on God. Just like Asaph, when your flesh and heart fails, make God the strength of your heart and your portion for ever (meaning God is my treasure—He is all we need, He is the source of our joy, comfort, security, and contentment; we don’t want/need anything else because we already have Him). God is basically telling us, “You’re asking the wrong questions. Why are you concerned about what they have when you already have everything you need in Me?”
