Apologetics - The Problem of Suffering and Evil

Have you ever asked yourself why there is so much pain, senseless violence, cruelty, and corruption in the world?  

Where is God in all this?  

Does He care?  

Why doesn’t He fix it?

For centuries, philosophers have pondered this question: If God exists, why is there suffering and evil everywhere?

We as ambassadors of Christ have to address this question – complaint really – when it is made by our co-workers, neighbors, friends and even family members.  People make judgments about the nature of God and what Christians believe by getting bad information, using faulty reasoning and listening to their emotions instead of reason. 

  

Theologian J. Gresham Machen wrote in his essay, “Christianity and Culture” in 1913, that: 

“False ideas are the greatest obstacles to the reception of the gospel”

We Christians are instructed by Peter to be apologists for God by and give a good testimony about our faith:  

1 Peter 3:15 …but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…

That word “defense” in Greek is Apologia - the root for apologist.  Being an apologist doesn’t mean saying we’re sorry we are Christians  We are also instructed to “be prepared” to give a defense.  

In Addition, Paul instructs us to oppose false ideas (polemic):

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…

I want to give you some tools to help you recognize false ideas and know how to respond to them with wisdom and compassion.

Deductive Reasoning

One way people discover “truth” and form opinions is by using deductive reasoning.  They take facts they already accept, apply them to a new situation and come to a “new” conclusion.  

The formal way to describe a deductive argument is in a syllogism. You link 2 or more “accepted facts”, or premises, and form a conclusion or a “truth claim” that logically follows from these facts.  People rarely do this deliberately, but they do it subconsciously all the time.  

Let me give you an example:

Premise 1: All unicorns have golden horns  (accepted fact)
Premise 2: Bob has a golden horn  (accepted fact)
Conclusion:  Bob is a unicorn  (new "truth" claim)

But is this new truth claim correct?  Were any unspoken assumptions made in the premises?  Notice horn here means two different things.  This is a logical fallacy called equivocation. 

Deductive reasoning is a way people take seemingly obvious truths to come to conclusions; but it can be misused to make conclusions that make absolutely no sense.  Flat Earthers are a perfect example.

 

Let’s apply this thought process to the problem of Evil and Suffering.

Premise 1:  An All Powerful, All Loving God would not permit a world filled with Suffering and Evil to exist.

Premise 2: Suffering and evil exists in abundance.

False Conclusion: An All Powerful, All Loving God does not exist.

Let me first say this syllogism is semantically and logically “valid”.  Are there any problems with the premises? 

Many who are hostile to Christ and Christianity think this is a “gotcha” unbeatable argument.  Many believers get trapped into thinking this must be true and it undermines their faith. 

Assumption 1:  If God was all powerful, He COULD create a perfect world, free of suffering and evil.

Well, God did do this once before in the Garden of Eden -- and even 

heaven was absent evil until Lucifer fell

It almost seems like evil and some suffering is inevitable if God allows moral creatures some level of genuine freedom.  The assumption is God somehow is “powerful” enough to force free will to “act right”.

How much POWER does it take to FORCE someone to do something FREELY?

Assumption 2: If God was all benevolent, He WOULD create a perfect world, free of suffering and evil.

The argument assumes there is no justifiable reason for God to allow suffering and evil, not even for a moment.

Much of the evil and suffering in the world does appear to be pointless.  From our vantage point we can’t fully measure the reasons for why God allows terrible things to happen.  Most of us have wrestled with this.  

So, why doesn’t God simply remove free agency from people and heavenly beings to solve this problem?   

Would a “perfect” world absent all natural and moral evils be superior to what we have now?

Would this “perfect”  world maximize “goodness”?

Thought Experiment

 

Let’s create a world free of all suffering and evil!  What would this “perfect world” look like?  

A world where there is no possibility of physical harm:

• No fire or electricity (no grilling or bbq!)
• No fishing or boating or swimming (especially running at the pool!)
• No sharp objects (no knives or forks or scissors!)
• No cars, motorbikes, bicycles, roller blades, skiing
• No small objects for babies to put in their mouths, oh…
• No babies – pregnancy and childbirth is painful and dangerous.

  

Now remove all potential for emotional distress or sadness:

• No dating or romantic relationships
• No friends or exclusive groups
• No families or marriages 
• No speech or thought that might offend someone

Now remove all failure and regret

• No competitions with “winners and losers”
• No decisions that might have negative consequences

Now remove all potential for sin

• No personal belongings or ownership – “haves and haves nots” can cause envy (sin)
• No physical affection (might turn into adultery)
• No personal opinions or disputes or anger (sin)

And absolutely No Golf - you can injure yourself, get frustrated, sin, and regret you went

Our “perfect world” is now free of all suffering and harm:

• No deep personal relationships that might end badly
• No negative thoughts    
• No learning the consequences for good or bad decisions
• No deep loving relationships
• No opportunities to try something and fail
• No actions that might have consequences you may regret later
• No way to learn or be tested or to mature
• No knowledge of hurtful things like sad memories
• No freedom to make choices AT ALL

Could you even live in a world like this?  Oh, and it has to be eternal so no one ever suffers the loss caused by death.  (Twilight Zone).

Is there a Purpose for Suffering and Evil?

Is there any justification for God allowing pain, suffering and evil at this time?   What about God’s perspective?

What is the chief aim of life?  Is it to be in perpetual pleasure? Are we meant to be God’s “pets”, to be coddled and in a cage?

No.  Our chief aim is to know God and grow in faith. 

What helps us know and depend on God more - pleasure or troubles?  

CS Lewis wrote in his book The Problem of Pain, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world…”

If God permits trouble to bring people to the saving knowledge of Christ is that a good bargain?  God's purposes are focused on eternity.

Romans 8:16-18 ESV  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

In a fallen world, God allows us to mature in faith:

• To have opinions
• To build character in suffering
• To learn from our mistakes
• To overcome challenges
• To experience true love

God wants us to freely choose to love Him.  

1 Timothy 2:3-4  This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

 

Luke 19:10  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

The Greater Good

God's desire is to share eternity with those who have freely chosen to be with Him:

           

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

God seeks us with eternity in view.

2 Cor 4:16-18 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.   

We have hope this will all end.  It will be worth it.  We will see the wisdom of it and thank God He fulfilled His purposes.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Does everyone choose willingly to love God?  No.  Is this God’s fault?

For more articles related to Christian Apologetics, see:

Why Engage in Apologetics?

Is Something Right Because It's Legal?

Faith or Materialism: Which is More Rational?

The Contingency Argument for the Existence of God

The Design Argument for the Existence of God

The Axiological (Moral) Argument for the Existence of God

The Kalam Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God

The Failure of the Materialist Worldview

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[1] Matt Slick,  http://carm.org/euthyphro-dilemma

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Scripture citations are from:   New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson

The Origin, Character and Activities of the Adversary (Satan)

Life doesn't happen in a vacuum.  Events unfold and we see them in the physical world, but scripture clearly teaches things are also happening in the spiritual realm -- likely higher dimensions of reality we cannot see in this life.  

One of the key features of the earthly and heavenly or spiritual realms is that there is a conflict in progress.  Besides our own fallen sin nature, there is an Adversary, arrayed against God and the Angels of Heaven, and most definitely in opposition to mortal men.   Without giving respect where it is not due, it is still important to learn about our Adversary to be aware of his methods and goals. 

Satan's Origins and Fall

Ezekiel 28:11-15 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.  Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.  You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you.  You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.

You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until wickedness was found in you.  Through your widespread trade (or: abundance of traffic – meaning going about from person to person slandering) you were filled with violence, and you sinned.  So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.

Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.

So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries.  So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.  All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more. ’”

Lucifer's 5 "I will" statements

Here is an important theological teaching about pride, the greatest of sins, to alert us to the tendency as fallen creatures ourselves to make these same false statements from a deceived heart.  A sidebar on symbolism: mountains in biblical texts when implied to be symbolic always refer to governments and positions of great authority.

Isaiah 14:12-14 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn!  You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!   You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

Those who see you stare at you, they ponder your fate:

“Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”

Analysis of the 5 'I will' statements

Satan's sin of pride had five very specific characteristics that are encoded in his 5 "I will" proclamations.  Each of these statements had heresy and error and were sinful statements:

“I will Ascend to heaven” – pride drove him to desire a higher role than that of guardian cherub, a position reserved for God only.

“I will Exalt my throne” – he strove to have dominion over the angelic hosts, deposing Michael of his role and usurping the hierarchy established by God

“I will Sit on the mount of assembly” - this meant to rule in the Millennial Kingdom and be the Messiah of Israel (in reference to Isaiah 2:2); again, usurping God's order and plan

Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. All nations will stream to it...

“I will Ascend above the heights of the clouds” - referring to Shekinah Glory, he wanted the glory reserved for God alone. 

Exodus 16:10  As Aaron was speaking to the entire Israelite community, they turned toward the wilderness, and there in a cloud the Lord’s glory appeared.

“Like the Most High” - he desired to be the possessor of creation, to have authority and control as Elohim the Creator. 

Six Fallacies about Satan

1 - That he resides in Hell

Satan will be exactly the last being thrown into the Lake of Fire.  There is no hell where demons administer punishment to tormented souls.  Forgiving C. S. Lewis for an amazing look at the sinister world of the demonic, "The Screwtape Letters" is entirely a fiction if not for the sound theological teachings served up as an allegory.

• He is not 'omnipresent' and must exist somewhere
• His first home was heaven as the guardian cherub of God's throne
• Now, he now lives in the “atmospheric heavens” of Earth (inter-dimensional) with his fallen angels (Ephesians 2:2)
• He is busy at work on Earth deceiving the nations and corrupting men (II Corinthians 2:11, 4:3-4, 11:13-15, 12:7; Revelation 2:9, 2:13, 2:24, 12:9, 16:12-16, 20:3, 20:7-10; Matthew 7:22-23; Thessalonians 2:18; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; I Timothy 4:1-3

2 - That he does not exist personally, but rather is a "concept"

Probably in this 'modern' age, this is his most effective lie.  Those who subscribe to evil actors as 'forces' tend to change their definitions of evil to suit their whims.

• Jesus believed in Satan (Mark 3:23-26; Luke 13:15-16; Matthew 4:10)
• Satan does “work” that Jesus came to destroy. A concept does not “create works” (I John 3:8)
• Satan sinned, then rebelled against God. A concept cannot sin.
• Numerous biblical references to Satan's will, intellect, emotions (Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28)

3 - Good and evil are “dualistic” making him equal to God and necessary for “good” to exist

This lie is his finest blasphemy.  His struggle since the beginning of history has been his desire to take what is not rightfully his - to be viewed as the most high.

• Satan was created perfect (Ezekiel 28:11)
• He chose to sin (Isaiah 14:12-14)

4 - That he causes all the sins of the world directly

Ironically Satan would probably like to take credit for this, but it is not true.  Much, if not most, of the sin in the world originates directly from the rebellious minds and wills of people.

• Satan is and was the first sinner (I John 3:8)
• He did cause the fall of man (Genesis 3:1-8, II Cor 11:3; I Tim 2:14)
• He sets snares for believers (I Timothy 3:7; II Timothy 2:26)
• However, man sins of his own volition and chooses to not to resist temptation

5 - That he is all powerful and cannot be resisted

Certainly this is a lie he wants to believe but it is false.  Only God is all powerful.

• With prayer and preparation, he can be resisted (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7; I Peter 5:8-9)
• The Lord's Prayer indicates we can be delivered from the 'Evil One” (Matthew 6:13)

6 - That his influence is limited and can be ignored

It is very dangerous to fall into the trap of believing this.  While Christians are secure in our salvation, forces are at work that can damage your faith, you walk with God, your witness, your relationship with family and loved ones because you did not put on the spiritual armor every day.

Ephesians 6:11-12  Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics[g] of the Devil.  For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

• He is the ruler of this world (age) II Corinthians 4:4
• He exerts influence over nations (Dan 10:13, 20; Matthew 4:8-9)
• He will introduce the Anti-Christ, the world ruler (Rev 13:2,4)
• He will lead mankind to revolt against God (Rev 16:12-14; Rev 20:7-10)

Six characteristics of Satan

1. He is extremely intelligent – he is described as “crafty” (II Corinthians 11:3), able to fool nearly the entire world
2. He is emotional – he exhibits pride, and anger (Revelation 12:12)
3. He has power and influence – the control over the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-7, Ephesians 2:2; II Timothy 2:26, II Corinthians 4:4)
4. He is malevolent – seeking to harm God, and destroy us (John 8:44, I Peter 5:8, Revelation 9:11; Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38)
5. He is totally corrupt and evil – referred to as “the Evil One” by Christ Himself (John 17:15, Matthew 6:13, I John 3:8)
6. He is very busy. (II Corinthians 2:11, 4:3-4, 11:13-15, 12:7; Revelation 2:9, 2:13, 2:24, 12:9, 16:12-16, 20:3, 20:7-10; Matthew 7:22-23; Thessalonians 2:18; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; I Timothy 4:1-3)

Six activities of Satan

1. Prince of the World (John 12:31, II Corinthians 4:4)
2. Accuser of individuals and Israel ( Revelation 12:10, Zechariah 3:1-2, Job 2:4-5)
3. Deceiver (II Cor 11:14, Rev 12:9, Rev 13:11-15, John 8:44)
4. Tempter (Matt 4:3, I Thess 3:5)
5. Destroyer/Murderer – (John 8:44, I Peter 5:8, Rev 9:11)
6. Adversary of God (Jude 9, I John 3:10-12, Genesis 3:15)

Satan's Certain Demise

• Christ came to destroy Satan's works (I John 3:8) The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
• Satan was judged by Christ's work on the cross (Luke 10:18; John 12:31, 16:11; Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15)
• Satan will be judged further in the middle of the Great Tribulation, having all access to heaven removed, and being cast out of the 'atmospheric heavens' and to Earth. (Revelation 12:7-12)
• Satan will be cast into the abyss after the Great Tribulation (Revelation 20:1-3)
• Satan will then be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment (possibly by the Church, with his fallen angels, as Paul states we will judge angels in Romans 16:20 and I Corinthians 6:2-3).
• He will then spend eternity in the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 20:10).

This is our duty; now having wisdom about the Adversary and his methods and plans.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  

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Scripture citations are from:  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson

The Perplexing Problem of Suffering and Evil

When faced with the problem of Suffering and Evil we are left with three basic philosophical explanations for our circumstances:

1 - Pantheists philosophy - affirms God but denies evil exists

2 - Atheist philosophy - affirm evil exists but deny God's existence

3 - Theist philosophy - affirm both God and evil exist in reality

Why does an all-knowing, all-loving God permit evil?

• Evil is real, but 'it' is not a 'thing', it is the absence or corruption of a good thing.
• God did not create evil, but created the conditions of evil to occur by allow sentient beings to choose to not obey - to experience the "absence" of God's holiness and grace.

The Origin of Evil

• The premise that a perfect creature with free will cannot do evil is false.
• Free will makes evil possible because it is the power to not choose good.
• God made a class of beings (human, and angels) who could choose not to do good (all people, since we are fallen, cannot even choose to do good without God's intervention through the Holy Spirit)
• Evil can occur when a free will creature chooses the finite good of the creature over the infinite good of Creator.

False Arguments About God and Evil

Often atheist objections to God come in the form of Euthyphro's Dilemma, which states:

• If God were "all" good, He would want to defeat all evil and suffering
• If God were "all" powerful, He would defeat evil and suffering
• Yet evil and suffering exist
• Therefore God is either unwilling or unable to end evil and suffering and so He does not meet the requirements to be God

But the first two assertions make unspoken assumptions

• It is logical that God may allow evil and suffering for a period of time to achieve a greater good in order to glorify Himself and fulfill His purposes (which we don't fully understand) 
• It is also promised in scripture that God will in fact achieve this purpose and separate good from evil

Colossians 2:14-15 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.  CSB 2017

So, it appears evil and suffering, for the time being, have a purpose.

Evil Has a Purpose?

• An all-good, all-knowing God has a good purpose for everything
• God knows the end of all things. Deuteronomy 29:29 and Romans 11:33

Suffering can serve a good purpose:

• Our 'disappointments' may be God's 'appointments' to accomplish something in us or through us for His glory.
• God's discipline of our sins shows us He loves us, and is in the process of perfecting us in the likeness of Christ.

Suffering and Free Will Thought Experiment

Let's do a thought experiment to test out what we know about suffering and evil in our own life experiences.  Since we are beings made in God's image, we have some limited level of Free Will.  Now, atheists (materialist determinism) will tell you we have no free will any more than molecules of dead matter.  However, materialists are right, any discussion about Good, Evil, Suffering etc. is moot. 

For those, who of their own accord, believe Free Will exists at some level for sentient beings like humans, let us examine what life might look like if all evil and suffering never existed.

• Free Will would be impossible because you would be "unable" to make choices that potentially had negative consequences.
• To remove all sources of suffering removes all choices 

Life Without Pain or Danger

Let's at least remove all physical dangers and negative consequences then:

• no scissors, cars, bicycles, machinery and dangerous jobs - you might get hurt
• no sickness, no discomfort, and no pain would eliminate the ability to feel great, enjoy physical activities, enjoy endorphins after a hard run...  A very bland life.
• No one can ever be a hero, as there is no need to ever rescue anyone, heal anyone or protect anyone.  Therefore there is no such thing as bravery.

Life Without Sorrow or Anger

OK let's set aside physical harms resulting in us living in padded cells, and remove emotional harms.  What would that world look like?

• no dating, no romance, no friendships (because inevitably you might be disappointed or emotionally hurt).  This means you can never forgive, reconcile or have learn from relationship mistakes.
• no families are allowed for reasons above.  You can't raise a child because their may be conflict and the need for discipline, and the emotional toll of parenting that comes with it.  Kids would be upset with siblings and parents so they can learn to live with one another.  
• no opinions about anything, because someone might disagree with you causing you and them distress.
• all possibilities to emotionally hurt someone else will be removed from your life, eliminating the possibility of jealousy, competition, ambition to do better than others, demanding justice or learning from others who have a different opinion (and they may be right)

You will basically have to be in a coma, floating in fluid, with nothing but happy thoughts transmitted into your brain resulting in a euphoria.  You are useless, helpless, and frankly, hopeless in this state.  No one else cares about you because they would have to be in the same situation, unaware of their surroundings or your existence.

The Purpose of Pain Is a Greater Good

If you allow anything to cause pain, you must account for 'evil' since they derive from the freedom to choose and accept consequences.

• Any discussion of suffering and evil must account for potential and actual good that comes from it. Romans 8:28
• The rewards for suffering for the right reasons outweigh pain

Christ is Glorified

To share in Christ's glory, you must share in His sufferings

• Faith must be tested to be true and of value
• We are in training to inherit a new world and need wisdom
• To appreciate our eternal future, we will remember our past sufferings. God will wipe away our tears but not memories.
• God's ultimate goal for us is not to be “happy” now, but forever.

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Scripture citations are from:  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson

Free Will and Its Consequences

Defining "Evil"

How can there be “evil” in the world if there is a God?   Let's start by defining terms. When most people ask this question, they start with the wrong definition of “evil”, or they don't even bother to define it, they just “know” what it is.  

The world's typical definition of evil is this: “anything that hurts or offends me is evil”. 

So, their real theological question is “How can there be a God when things happen in this world that hurt or offend me?”.

God's definition of evil is different.  Anything that contradicts the Nature of God, is disobedient or rebellious to His Will is evil.  So, men who by nature are rebellious, disobedient, and selfish ask “why do “evil” things happen to me?”  That's a different question that relates to punishment and the consequences of disobedience.

Free Will Has Consequences

The real theological question is: “how can God create something that disobeys Him?” Once we answer that question, the issue of the presence of evil in the universe is easy to explain.  We know God created spirit beings in heaven and men on Earth with free will.  “Free will” means these beings can make a choice; they are not compelled by their Creator to be obedient.  So, if God does have the ability to create beings with free will, then evil is a possible outcome.  It is not created by God but is a consequence of a poor decision of those beings with Free Will.  Free Will beings who sin create evil, not God.

A secondary question then is: given the fallen state of the universe as the result of free will decisions to rebel against God, why doesn't God simply erase those results and eliminate the consequences of sin?  Now that evil exists, why does God choose to work within the confines of a broken universe to achieve His ends?  This we cannot be sure of, except to know that one of God's ends is to redeem some from this fallen universe and place them in a new, undamaged, eternal home with direct interaction with Himself.  God, for His purposes, has chosen to not to come into the universe and simply 'erase' the results of our free will decisions – which in reality would negate our free wills – and eliminate the consequences of sin. 

One likely reason is that God is using this situation as “teachable moments” to help us understand the consequences of sin and our actions: to shape us into mature, spiritually “adult” free will agents.  Without the “cause and effect” nature of this universe, we would never realize the consequences of our actions. By totally shielding us from the consequences of our actions, we would thoughtlessly err again and again – and by never learning what the true effects of our decisions are, we would never fully realize our free will natures.

Growing Our Faith

Another explanation for God continuing to work within the confines of a fallen universe is to shape and grow our faith.  If you base your faith and love of God based on whether on not you personally have experienced suffering or persecution, then your faith is narrowly defined, perhaps even false. 

When we face suffering unprepared, our faith is in crisis and we don't have a contingency plan.  Suffering and evil could just as easily push you away from God as toward Him.  If suffering could cause you to deny God, then you are a hypocrite for not denying Him now, because others are and have been suffering around you.  The mature Christian understands that faith will be tested – the Father chastises those whom He loves. Hebrews 12:6.

Without testing, faith can never be trusted - and it wouldn't be worth keeping.  But faith that has withstood real trials and suffering is real faith.  The fallen universe gives us plenty of opportunities to test and grow our faith - a faith worth having.

For the Greater Good

Atheists base their argument against God because evil exists.  They state: if God were willing to stop evil/suffering, but is unable, then He is not omnipotent.  If He is not willing to stop evil, then He is not benevolent.  Here is assumptive language about what is or is not “benevolent”.  Is allowing someone to enjoy temporary relief even as they continually sin and ultimately end up in hell more benevolent than chastising those He loves so they will repent and spend eternity in heaven in fellowship with Him?  Often temporary suffering, even to death, yields spiritual blessings beyond measure.  The atheist presupposes there is nothing of value in the spiritual realm, and only judges “good and evil” based on temporal criteria.

The Bible never ignores the issue of evil – in fact, it is very blunt about the consequences of sin, and the “evils” that beset us in this world of decay.  The Bible tells us to hate evil, to flee from it, to reject it: 

1 Peter 3:10-11 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil  and his lips from speaking deceit, and he must turn away from evil and do what is good

3 John 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

Romans 16:19  The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good, yet innocent about what is evil

Amos 5:14,15a Seek good and not evil so that you may live, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be with you, as you have claimed.  Hate evil and love good; establish justice in the gate...

Habakkuk 1:13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing

If atheists were to carefully read the scriptures, they would find all the arguments they needed to explain the reasons for “evil” in the world -- and its cure.  However, when we start with the wrong definition of evil – “whatever hurts or offends me”, then we are unable to answer the question properly.

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Scripture citations are from:  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson