Problem of Evil in God's Love and Justice
Discover biblical answers to the age-old question of why a loving and just God allows evil and suffering to exist. Explore themes of love, free will, suffering, and the ultimate hope for a world without pain or sorrow.
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Presentation Transcript
Gods Love and Justice Lesson 7 The Problem of Evil
Memory Text Revelation 21:4 NKJV "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Of all of these promises, which one are you most looking forward to?
Overview The Bible presents a picture of an all-powerful God who is absolutely holy and good. If that is the case, why does He allow sin and evil to exist? Our lesson today searches for biblical answers. Love and Free Will The Suffering of Job Banishing Sin and Evil Summary
Love and Free Will What is God s greatest relational attribute? (1 John 4:8) Is God unable or unwilling (or both) to prevent evil? [Hume s Challenge] How could a perfect being (Lucifer) in a perfect environment (heaven) fall into sin and rebellion against a perfect God? Is God responsible for a creation where evil would definitely exist or where only the possibility of evil would exist? How do we face the same risk when we decide to have children?
The Suffering of Job After calamity struck Job and his household, what does Job have to say about the day on which he was born? (Job 3:1,10,11) When God finally speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, what is the subject of the rhetorical questions that he asks Job? (Job 38:4-7) What point do you think God was making in asking Job these questions? How does Job finally respond to the display of God s mighty acts? (Job 42:1,2,6) What lesson is there for us in Job s experience?
Banishing Sin and Evil How did Peter describe God s plan to banish evil? (2 Peter 3:10-13) What does John add to describe the banishment of evil? (Rev 20:10,15; 21:1-3) How does the apostle Paul describe God s plan for ending evil? (1 Cor 15:22-26)
Summary God is love, and part of being created in His image is having the capacity to understand His love and have the capacity to love Him in response to His love for us. Since love cannot be forced, God took the risk of creating intelligent beings with the freedom of choice. Beginning with Lucifer and continuing with the human race, that freedom of choice has been used to rebel against God. The presence of sin and evil in our world has led some to question the goodness of God, the power of God, or both. The biblical view is that God is both able and willing to destroy sin and evil, but He has a purpose in allowing it to continue until Jesus returns.
Summary His purpose is to allow the fruit of rebellion to be fully manifest so that the redeemed will always choose obedience over rebellion. God s questioning of Job was designed to emphasize the gap between God s omnipotence and man s impotence. With Job, God was focused on answering the question of Who to trust rather than why Job was suffering In the end, Job acknowledged the omnipotence of God and accepted what God allowed to happen. We too have hope for the future if we trust the omnipotent God. God is working out His plan of redemption according to His timetable and has appointed a day for the Lord to come.
Summary In anticipation of that great day, He encourages the redeemed to be looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God. That day will usher in the millennial age that ends with new heavens and a new earth wherein righteousness dwells. The word of God is clear that Satan, his angels, his followers, death itself, and all that defiles will be destroyed, the earth will be purified by fire, the holy city will descend, and the redeemed will dwell with God forever. Knowing that God is both able and willing to defeat sin and evil, will you trust your future to the holy and omnipotent God that loves you and has promised to save you through Jesus His Son?
1 John 4:8 KJV He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. [R]
Humes Challenge Atheist David Hume s challenge: Is He [God] willing to prevent evil, but not able? then He is impotent. Is He able but not willing? then He is malevolent. Is He both able and willing? whence then is evil? [R]
Job 3:1, 10-11 NLT At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. ... 10Curse that day for failing to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to see all this trouble. 11"Why wasn't I born dead? Why didn't I die as I came from the womb? [R]
Job 38:4-7 NIV "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. 5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? 6On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--7while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? [R]
Job 42:1-2, 6 NIV Then Job replied to the LORD: 2"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ... 6Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. [R]
2 Peter 3:10-13 ASV But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, 12looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [R]
Revelation 20:10, 15; 21:1-3 ESV and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, ... 15And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [R]
1 Corinthians 15:22-26 ESV For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. [R]
