OBJECTIONSEVIL, PAIN, SUFFERING

TOP 10 OBJECTIONS• How could a good all powerful God allow evil?• How can you prove God exists?• Miracles are not possible so Christianity is false• Evolution disproves Christianity• Truth is relative• All Christians are hypocrites so Christianity is false• How could a loving God send people to hell?• The Bible is just a book filled with errors• Jesus was just a man• Jesus can’t be the only way

Creator – creature Distinction• For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Col 1:16-17 (ESV)

• One Triune Creator Personal Sovereign God– Independent Infinite Authority

• Creation– Dependent Finite Submissive

CHRISTIANITY IS TRUTH 3 TYPES OF PEOPLE

• Who is asking the question?• Believer• Atheist• Idolater

EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERINGARE REAL

• And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Gen 4:8 (ESV)

• The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, Psalms 37:12 (ESV)

• For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. Psalms 73:3-4 (ESV)

EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERINGARE REAL

• Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Job 1:13-19 (ESV)

EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERINGARE REAL

• And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32 (ESV)

EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERINGARE REAL

• And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matt 27:46 (ESV)

• Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, Mao Tse-tung

THE PROBLEM STATED

• An all powerful God would be able to prevent evil

• An all good God would want to prevent evil• Yet evil exists• Therefore there is not all powerful, all good

God

ANSWERS

• Must come from scripture• Must not come from conjecture or bias• Must be compatible with scripture– Before the fall: no evil, pain, suffering or death– After the fall: evil, pain, suffering, and death– Heaven: no evil, pain, suffering or death

EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERING“THE PROBLEM OF THE GOOD”

• Moral injustice requires an objective, universal, absolute moral standard

• “Ought” and “ought not” require an objective, universal, absolute moral standard

• If God doesn’t exist, evil doesn’t exist & everything is permissible

• Only the Christian God provides the required objective, universal, absolute moral standard

UNBIBLICAL ANSWERSFOR EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERING

• Evil, pain & suffering are not real• Determinism – no free will• God is all good, but not all powerful• Free from God free will – open theology

BIBLICAL ANSWERS

• Not the way it was– And God saw everything that he had made, and

behold, it was very good. Gen 1:31 (ESV)• Not the way it will be– 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.” Rev 21:4 (ESV)

BIBLICAL ANSWERSTHE WAY IT IS NOW

• Universal sin nature and sin after the fall– were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Eph 2:3 (ESV)– for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans

3:23 (ESV)• “The Bondage of the Will”, Martin Luther– “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave

to sin. John 8:34 (ESV)• The bondage of the universe after the fall– For the creation was subjected to futility Romans 8:20

(ESV)

BIBLICAL ANSWERS

• God holds us accountable & not Himself• Genesis 3• Then the LORD answered Job out of the

whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Job 38:1-3 (ESV)

• For the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23 (ESV)

BIBLICAL ANSWERS

• The Triune God is all good• The Triune God is all powerful• There is a hierarchy of good• The Triune God has moral, logical reasons

what He does – allowing evil, pain & suffering• The Triune God is not obligated to give us His

reasons for what He does

SOME REASONS

• Judgment of evil• Fatherly discipline• Developing believer’s character• Redemption of sinners• His glory

SOME REASONSJUDGMENT OF EVIL

• Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 17 For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you Gen 6:11-18 (ESV)

SOME RESONSFATHERLY DISCIPLINE

• “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Heb 12:5-6 (ESV)

SOME REASONSDEVELOPING BELIEVER’S CHARACTER

• Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 (ESV)

3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

SOME REASONSREDEMPTION OF SINNERS

• But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

• For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21 (ESV)

• In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time Eph 1:7-10 (ESV)

SOME REASONSGOD’S GLORY

• What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Romans 9:14-18 (ESV)

BIBLICAL RESPONSE TO EVIL, PAIN & SUFFERING

• For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)

BIBLICAL RESPONSE TOEVIL, PAIN & SUFFERING

• Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. Prov 3:5-7 (ESV)

BIBLICAL RESPONSE TOEVIL, PAIN & SUFFERING

• though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9 (ESV)

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES

• Do not be like Eve: “I wonder if God is right?”• Do not question in the dark what God has

shown you in the light.