If God is Love . . .
Why are Sin and Suffering Permitted?
click here to control music
IF GOD IS LOVE . . . Why is sin and suffering permitted?
There is probably not a more important question to arise in human harts concerning the character of God. It is a thought-worthy legitimate question, that both demands and deserves an answer. The painful reality of sin and human suffering, when placed along side the claim of the Bible that "God is love," imposes upon our minds a most serious dilemma. "If God does really love us, why did He allow sin and suffering to come into our world? Why does He allow it to continue? Why does He allow men, women, and children to undergo so much pain and abuse? Why doesn't He just stop it all if He does truly love us?"
We have all witnessed a great deal of human misery and injustice. Uncomforted grief, heart-wrenching sorrow, starvation, deformity, crime, war, and all manner of abuse and evil cause our hearts to scream for both justice and mercy. Having a desire to relieve human suffering and to punish injustice, we find it difficult to understand why, if God is love, does He not put an end to all the pain and unrighteousness that torments our world. If God is a being of love, then we want to know and understand Him as such. If He is but a tyrant, indulgently watching the woes of humanity with no effort to help, then we must curse Him and seek peace and righteousness in another . . . or none.
There is a basic problem in human thinking about God, which makes it difficult for us to answer our questions concerning His thoughts and feelings toward us. We almost always assume that because He is so big and powerful--because HE is GOD--He can do anything He wants without answering to anyone for His decisions and deeds. With this foundational misconception, we reason that if God wanted sin and suffering to cease He would simply snap His fingers or speak a word to stop it all. And since He has not done so, we conclude that He must not care. But have you ever stopped to reason this thought through to its logical conclusion?
By creating us intelligent, free-will beings, God has chosen to make Himself accountable, for He has given us the ability to reason and judge. Suppose God were to take our advice and bring sin and suffering to an end in the way we may think He should--by either forcing all the wicked people to stop sinning and cease hurting others, or by simply destroying them. That would surely cure the sin problem wouldn't it? That's a good question. Would such a move on God's part bring an end to sin and suffering? I think not. If God were to make an attempt to stop human rebellion by forcing us all into line, or by an act of destruction, His purpose would really be defeated. This wouldn't remedy rebellion and evil at all, at least not in a way that would leave intelligent beings content and happy with God. Rather, it would perpetuate the sin problem. Allow me to explain.
In our efforts to understand the answer to our question about God's character, we must comprehend the nature of man as the Lord created him and the nature of divine love. God created man as a free moral agent, with liberty to choose his own course of life and his ultimate destination. You see, God is love, and true love is dependent on its capacity to grant freedom to its subjects for fulfillment and reciprocation (giving back what is given). In other words, true love cannot demand or force loyalty, trust, or the return of its affections and interest. Nor can true love be demanded or forced. It must spring forth from a heart that has been won, drawn, and truly convinced through clear understanding. If I truly love you, then I will allow you the freedom to choose to love me and will endeavor to prove myself worthy of your love. Any effort on my part to force, demand, or manipulate you to love me will of itself defeat my purpose and steal from me the fulfillment of my desire for your love. Thus it is with our God, and cannot be otherwise, for God is love.
God did not create us as robots to serve Him on a mere functional or mechanical level. Rather, He made us intelligent moral creatures, brought into existence for close and intimate fellowship with Him; to maintain a relationship of mutual trust and love; to serve one another from the heart. Only this could satisfy a God of love. Only this will bring true satisfaction and peace to our souls as well. Therefore, the Creator will not force men into harmony with Himself, nor will He arbitrarily destroy them when they rebel. How then will He bring sin and suffering to an end?
The Lord clearly says that He loves us, that He is heart-broken over our present state, and that He is not willing that anyone should perish, but desires that all would come to repentance. (see 2 Peter 3:9). He longs for sin and suffering to end. He is so sympathetic and compassionate that "He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Hebrews 4:15). "In all our afflictions He is afflicted." (Isaiah 63:9). Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain is felt, not a sorrow is borne, not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Father's heart. But He will not force us to stop sinning and hurting one another; nor will He force us to love Him and choose the way of righteousness and peace. Rather, He pleads with us: "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes! Cease to do evil, learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." (Isaiah 1:16-20, The Amplified Bible). "For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (Galatians 6:7).
God came to our world in the person of Jesus Christ to reveal His character toward us and His will for us. Jesus healed the sick, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk. He fed the hungry, forgave sin, and by His love and compassion He motivated and empowered human beings to cease from sin and to stop hurting one another. Finally, after patient years of ministry to humanity, He poured out His soul in suffering and death. He bore our guilt and the just wage of sin in our behalf. He gave His own dear life that, through an acceptance of His love, none need perish in sin. Abundant life and peace here, eternal life and happiness hereafter, is His gracious offer to all people. In Christ God is seen in all His blessed fullness as a Lord of love. Through the ministry and sacrifice of His Son, God made the statement, "I care about you and desire your peace and happiness more than My own--I love you."
It is the will of God to persuade men of His love, rather than force them into submission or arbitrarily annihilate them. HE is seeking to draw us to Himself by helping us to understand that He does truly love us and is worth of our love. It is only through a knowledge of His goodness that we will be led to repentance, to turn from sin and stop causing pain. He wants the companionship of our hearts and the loyalty of our wills, but He cannot be pleased with fear-motivated service or compelled obedience, nor can we.
This is the holy purpose for which Jesus came to our world. He said, "And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself." (John 12:32, The Amplified Bible). He is drawing, not pushing; leading, not forcing. He wants your heart, dear friend, and so He has given His heart to you as an offering of peace. If you will choose to love and trust Him, you will find great satisfaction and security. You will find, also, that He hates sin and human suffering and has a plan for bringing it all to an end.
You can be a part of this wonderful plan, if you will. For yours are the hands with which He longs to touch and heal; yours are the feet with which He wants to walk to do good; yours are the eyes with which He desires to look with compassion upon the world; yours is the tongue with which He would speak life and virtue to the heart-broken and the oppressed.
Why is sin and suffering permitted, if God is love? Precisely because He is love. He could simply destroy everyone who is unjust and wicked with no effort to redeem. But would He? The problem with this option is obvious. Such a plan would include the destruction of us all. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." "there is none righteous, no, not one," (Romans 3:23,10). Have not we all committed sin? Have not we all caused suffering pain? Indeed, we have--I have, you have. So why doesn't God just destroy the whole human race in order to stop sin and suffering? Because, dear friend, it is the very essence of true love to suffer long, endure all things, hope for the best, and never fail. Divine love sees the wonderful possibility of redeeming us from sin and suffering. Our God sees beyond what we are, to the noble characters we may become.
Put yourself in God's position. What if someone you love--your spouse, your child, your dearest friend--were to reject your love and turn to a life of sorrow, pain, and self-destruction? What would you do? Would you try to force this person to love and trust you? The fact is, you could not. The very nature of love and trust places them beyond the touch of force. Would you simply reject them and cut them off from you affections? Of course not, not if you truly love them. Your only real option would be patience, hope and longsuffering. The unconditional endurance of your love would be the only power capable of turning them from their rebellion t love you once again. And this is God's only real option, as long as He truly loves us.
Think of the wicked and cruel Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. If God had destroyed him while he was causing human suffering and committing great evils, he would never have been changed into the repentant, Christlike man that he became through mercy and love. (See Daniel 4). Consider the murderous, evil-hearted Saul of Tarsus. If God would have cast him off without hope while he was headstrong in the path of unrighteousness, he would never have become the wise and loving apostle Paul. (See Acts 9). And what about me? If God had destroyed me while I was practicing sin and causing others to suffer, I would not now have the peace of mind and joy of heart that makes my life worth living, and that prompts me to try and persuade others of God's love. What about you, dear reader, are you glad for His mercy and love? Have you cause to rejoice for His longsuffering?
In God's plan, when sin and suffering are finally brought to an end, its affliction and torment shall not rise a second time to interrupt our peace. The nightmare of evil will never again be repeated to hurt and destroy; not because we cannot sin, but because we *will not*. We will forever love and obey our Maker; not because we have to, but because we want to. The Lord will establish righteousness and peace in our souls while never violating or forcing our wills. He will in this way carefully and lovingly preserve in our hearts the blessed capacity to love and be loved for all eternity. Truly, "God is love." (1John 4:8).
home
Remember--God Loves YOU!
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page
