Suffering: Why do some suffer more than others?

Posted on February 28, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is a one part answer to the question, “Why do some suffer more than others?” in the larger series of answering the question, “How can a loving God allow suffering?”

In 1994, Rwanda’s population of seven million was significantly reduced through genocide. This started in the early 1990s when Hutu extremists, along with Rwanda’s politically elite, blamed the Tutsi minority population for the country’s social, economic, and political turmoil. The Hutus had come to power in the 1959-1962 rebellion. Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was the president and through political maneuvering, he remained in control of this divided country. Continue reading →

Suffering: Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer? Part 4

Posted on February 22, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This if the fourth and final part in answering the question, “Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer?” in the larger series answering the question, “How can a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 1,2 and 3 were posted over the previous three days.

Did God see the suffering to come?

If God is all-knowing, did He know the suffering that would come to mankind? Yes, He knew it would come. Did God know about the evil that would be perpetrated against the people He had created? Yes, He did. Does that make God some form of deity that is less than loving? Continue reading →

Suffering: Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer? Part 3

Posted on February 21, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is part three in answering the question, “Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer?” in the larger series question, “How can a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 1 and 2 were posted in the previous two days.

Cain and Abel inherited a sin nature, which made life a test

God blessed Adam and Eve with two sons, Cain and Abel. Growing up under the discipleship of their parents, they learned that they must worship the Lord and offer sacrifices in the promise of God’s coming sacrifice (Jesus), “But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins. (Heb. 10:3 NKJ) However, Cain and Abel offered two very different kinds of sacrifices. Continue reading →

Suffering: Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer? Part 2

Posted on February 20, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the second part in answering the question, “Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer? in the larger series answering the question, “How can a loving God allow suffering?” Part 1 was posted yesterday.

Adam and Eve were innocent when God created them

Adam was created by God on the sixth day of creation. Moses wrote, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Gen. 2:7 NKJ) God breathed into Adam the breath of lives (literally lives is plural in the Hebrew referring to both physical and spiritual life). When God finished creation, He completed His work on the sixth day and said, “It was very good.” Adam was in an innocent, untested state. Continue reading →

Suffering: Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer? Part 1

Posted on February 19, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the first part of the article answering the question, ‘Are there innocent people that God allows to suffer?” which is part of the larger series, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Three additional parts will be posted over the next three days.

In June 1991, in South Lake Tahoe, California, Jaycee Lee Dugard walked from home to a school bus stop and was kidnapped. She was kept captive for 18 years and forced to bear two daughters in 1994 and 1998 from sexual assaults.¹ Why did she have to suffer like that and for that long? How could thousands of innocent people suffer from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake and tsunamis? How can God, who is purportedly good and powerful, allow this? Continue reading →

Suffering: What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow? Part 4

Posted on February 9, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the fourth part in answering the question, “What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow?” in the larger question asked, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 1,2, and 3 were posted in the three previous days.

Divine Suffering

Divine suffering is the result of God’s Divine action either to punish unbelievers or to discipline believers. When He punishes unbelievers, He uses suffering to get their attention before they enter a Christ-less or hopeless eternity We see examples of this discipline in Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh and Egypt or the idolatry of the Canaanites at the hand of Joshua. But it is also a warning for others to turn from their wicked ways to the arms of a holy, loving God who deserves worship and thanksgiving for His abundant mercy and grace. God is a just God, who will not allow His holiness to be rejected forever and stops the spread of wickedness and sin. Continue reading →

Suffering: What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow? Part 3

Posted on February 8, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the third part of answering the question, “What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow?” in the large project of answering the question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Parts 1 and 2 were posted in the previous two days.

Demonic Evil

Demonic evil is the harm and suffering caused by Satan and his demonic organization. He is alive and at work creating confusion, chaos, division and resultant suffering. Hence, people often suffer because Satan is that vicious enemy who hates and is out to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a). There are some people who blame every problem on Satan and ignore personal and corporate moral evil as well as natural evil. However, Satan and his demons are ones who murder (John 8:44), torment (Acts 5:16), cause bodily harm (Acts 8:4-8), create false wonders and miracles (2 Thes. 2:9-10) and accuse the saints before God (Rev. 12:10). Continue reading →

Suffering: What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow? Part 2

Posted on February 7, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the second part in answering the question, “What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow?” in the larger project of answering the question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?” Part one was posted yesterday.

Natural Evil

Natural evil is that which results from the presence of sin in the world. When God created the world as we have it today (Gen. 1), He made it perfect, with harmony and balance, and God declared that it was “very good.” (Gen. 1:31) It was the perfect environment with work that was easy and harmony with the animals. Yet, when Adam sinned, God pronounced a curse on the ground, so that Adam would have laborious work in life, Continue reading →

Suffering: What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow? Part 1

Posted on February 6, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the first part of the article answering the question, “What kind of suffering from God’s perspective does He allow?” It is part of the larger question, “Why does a loving God allow suffering?”

Suffering is a problem for everyone. A child is born blind, deformed or mentally afflicted; and the question is: Why? The child has done no harm. A good man or woman is racked with pain from a hopeless disease and we ask: Why? Continue reading →

Suffering: How can God Allow Suffering? Part 2

Posted on February 1, 2014 by shepherdbryan

This is the second part of the article posted yesterday.

The Question People Ask

When Lee Strobel was preparing to write his best-selling book “The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity,” he completed a nationwide survey asking, “If you could ask God anything what would you ask?” You can imagine the number of questions people thought to ask. However, the top response was, “Why is there suffering and evil in the world?”^{2 Continue reading →}

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