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Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:23 pm
Well, I was bored, so I thought that I would post this answer to a question that most people ask.
Why do bad things happen to good people? That is one of the difficult questions in all of theology. God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, etc. Why should we human beings (not eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent) expect to be able to fully understand God’s ways? The book of Job deals with this issue. God had allowed Satan to do everything he wanted to Job except kill him. What was Job’s reaction? “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). Job didn’t understand why God had allowed the things He did, but he knew that God was good and therefore continued to trust in Him. Ultimately, that should be our reaction as well. God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Perhaps a better question is, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" God is holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8 ). Human beings are sinful (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Do you want to know how God views humanity? “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18 ). Every human being on this planet deserves to be thrown into hell at this very moment. Every second we spend alive is only by the grace of God. Even the most terrible misery we could experience on this planet is merciful compared to what we deserve, eternal hell in the lake of fire.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ). Despite the evil, wicked, sinful nature of the people of this world, God still loved us. He loved us enough to die to take the penalty for our sins (Romans 6:23). All we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9) in order to be forgiven and promised a home in heaven (Romans 8:1). What we deserve = hell. What we are given = eternal life in heaven if we would just believe. It has been said, this world is the only hell believers will ever experience, and this world is the only heaven unbelievers will ever experience. The next time we ask the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”, maybe we should be asking, “Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?”
Resource
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Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 7:31 pm
Medanite Well, I was bored, so I thought that I would post this answer to a question that most people ask.
Why do bad things happen to good people? That is one of the difficult questions in all of theology. God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, etc. Why should we human beings (not eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent) expect to be able to fully understand God’s ways? The book of Job deals with this issue. God had allowed Satan to do everything he wanted to Job except kill him. What was Job’s reaction? “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). Job didn’t understand why God had allowed the things He did, but he knew that God was good and therefore continued to trust in Him. Ultimately, that should be our reaction as well. God is good, just, loving, and merciful. Often things happen to us that we simply cannot understand. However, instead of doubting God's goodness, our reaction should be to trust Him. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Perhaps a better question is, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" God is holy (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8 ). Human beings are sinful (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Do you want to know how God views humanity? “As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-18 ). Every human being on this planet deserves to be thrown into hell at this very moment. Every second we spend alive is only by the grace of God. Even the most terrible misery we could experience on this planet is merciful compared to what we deserve, eternal hell in the lake of fire.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 ). Despite the evil, wicked, sinful nature of the people of this world, God still loved us. He loved us enough to die to take the penalty for our sins (Romans 6:23). All we have to do is believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 10:9) in order to be forgiven and promised a home in heaven (Romans 8:1). What we deserve = hell. What we are given = eternal life in heaven if we would just believe. It has been said, this world is the only hell believers will ever experience, and this world is the only heaven unbelievers will ever experience. The next time we ask the question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?”, maybe we should be asking, “Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?”
Resource All I can say is....Well posting, my friend
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Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 9:09 pm
Nicely written! Thanks. biggrin
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 5:25 am
I didn't write it, I got it off of a website that is linked at the bottom of my post. Really good site if you ask me. 3nodding
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:05 pm
I like that, thanks for posting it. Ive been asked that question a lot. Thats a good answer
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:22 pm
I've often thought about this myself, and I've reversed the question in my own mind, lol.
I recently (well, September...) was at a conference called 'Truth'. One of the seminars was put on by Norman Geisler, and it was entitled 'Why bad things happen to good people'. Very interesting, and very informative. There was a lot of information, mind you, but there are definately ways to answer such a question, even without countering it.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 2:45 pm
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 6:01 am
I think sometimes people get mixed up with this though. Bad people think they're doing good. Why is this? Is there no absolute to define good and bad? Or is it simply misconception.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:51 pm
During sunday service a few weeks ago our Pastor explained and answered that question in a way that is so profound..yet...eh...painful?
Little children are fasinated*sp?* with so many things. They want to touch and feel and expereince everything! Sometimes...that can get them into a lot of trouble. Every 4 year old has some obsession with touching hot objects or burning things. Why...fire is pretty sweatdrop . A little child goes to touch the hot stove..but the dad says "no johnny, don't touch that or you'll get hurt". Little Johnny runs away and plays with his toys. Another day the fire is lit and so is johnny's imagination. Johnny gets so close but his mother comes in the way to save the day! "no johnny! Fire is bad! it hurts!" Johnny doesn't understand why his parents are taking him away from the thing he wants SO badly! So finally...oneday when johnny's parents aren't around...he climbs up on to the counter and touches the fire!
OUCH!!! eek stressed
crying scream crying scream Johnny gets burned by the stove....
So many times this is what we do with God. We play with fire...and God tries SO hard to keep us away from it...but being curious creatures that are easily tempted...we get hurt. And then when we do get hurt we yell at God and say "Why did you let his happen to me?!?!!! Your mean and don't love me!!!" What was God trying to do the whole time?
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