Why Does God Allow Suffering?
How do we reconcile anguish and suffering with the Bible's portrayal of a loving God?
Introduction
How do we reconcile anguish and suffering with the Bible's portrayal of a loving God?
The Sovereignty of God
Only the Holy Scriptures reveal the true and lasting solutions for people's suffering. It is to God's Word that we must look to solve our problems.
Why Suffering?
Evil and suffering exist because God allows us to have free will.
Avoiding Unnecessary Suffering
Since sin is the major cause of suffering, much unnecessary suffering can be avoided by faithfully obeying God, by keeping His commandments in the letter and in the spirit.
Time and Chance
The Bible refers to another aspect of human suffering, called time and chance in Ecclesiastes 9:11.
God is Always Fair
Most of the inequities in life are the result of thousands of years of accumulated human customs and traditions, as well as the uncertainties of time and chance. We cannot justly blame them on God.
Learning from the Suffering of Job
The suffering of a man named Job explains much about why character is more important in God's eyes than the discomfort and pain we experience in this life.
Glossary
A brief summary of definitions for words used in this lesson.
Points to Ponder
These questions are intended as a study aid, to spur further thought on the concepts discussed in this lesson and to help you apply them on a personal level.
Help for Sufferers
Do Christ and God the Father have compassion for sufferers? Why doesn't God relieve the suffering of mankind now? What has Jesus Christ already done to relieve suffering? Following are answers to these questions and more.
Quiz
Test your knowledge if this bible-study course in this 20 question review.