The Problem of Evil of Suffering

The problem of evil and suffering in the world is a big problem.  So a 50-minute lesson was definitely NOT going to solve this problem.  

My goal in the class was not to provide answers to every specific example of evil and suffering.  It was to help believers strengthen their understanding of who God is and how God works so we can be more compassionate (loving) and truthful (confident) in our responses to questions about pain and suffering.

Ronald Nash, in Faith and Reason, writes, "Every philosopher I know believes the most serious challenge to theism is, was, and will continue to be the problem of evil."

Randy Newman, in Questioning Evangelism, writes, "The so-called problem of evil has always been a difficult question for Christians.  Our critics have called it the Achilles ' heel of our faith."

The difficulty and challenge of the question should not make us avoid wrestling with the issue.  In the same chapter, Newman goes on to write, "The truth is, we don't have an adequate answer for the problem of evil.  No one does. We simply must have the honesty to admit it." (103)

In this post, I hope to clarify why this truth - we don't have an adequate answer for the problem of evil - is so hard and so glorious.  

One of the challenges with this question is that there are two types of conversations people have about the problem of evil.  The first is a logical, philosophical conversation. Laying out facts and points for each of the different arguments.  

The second is so much more personal and experiential.  The person in the midst of suffering and asking questions needs more than a step-by-step thought process.

We are going to look at Job 38 - 41, Romans 11:33-36, and Hebrews 11.

But let's first consider the question 

What are evil and suffering?

The question itself points to the fact that there is a good, intended way life is supposed to be.  How do you know what is evil?  By knowing what is good.  How do you know what suffering is?  By knowing there is a way that would be better than the suffering.   In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis writes, "My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust, but how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust?  A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.  What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?"

Evil and suffering occur because things in this world are broken.  Consider this: the Creator's creation has been corrupted by sin.  

This corruption can be seen at the moral level (sins committed by one person against another), natural level (original sin in all of mankind and suffering caused by natural disasters), and the supernatural level.  

 

What is the problem of evil?

The problem people have with evil and suffering exists because God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and all-good (omnibenevolent). 

Here, Alvin Plantinga introduced the theistic set, a set of propositions, to think about the problem of evil.  Here is the set.

1. God exists.
2. God is omnipotent (all-powerful).
3. God is omniscient (all-knowing).
4. God is omnibenevolent (all-good).
5. God created the world.
6. The world contains evil.

Where is the contradiction?

Is it in God's omnipotence, #2? He should be able to deliver his people from evil and suffering.
Is it in God's omniscience, #3? He should know how to deliver his people from evil and suffering.

Is it in God's omnibenevolence, #4? He should want to deliver his people from evil and suffering.

Nash addresses two different forms of the problem.  

Because there is evil in this world, the logical conclusion seems to be that this all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God doesn't exist.  This is the deductive problem of evil.

Because there is evil in this world, there is rational support for atheism.  Therefore, the existence of God is rationally improbable.

So, how do we address the problem of evil?

What is theodicy?

There are a couple of very similar possible definitions of the word "theodicy."  

One definition is "a justification of the ways of God in his dealings with men."  (TGC). 

Another possible definition is "a defense of God's righteousness in light of the reality that evil exists in the universe He created." (GTY)

Keep both of these definitions in mind as we continue to address the problem of evil.

There are many types of theodicies.  Here is the list with no explanation, but you can read more about these at TGC and GTY.

• Free Will Theodicy
• Natural Law Theodicy
• Soul Making Theodicy
• eschatological Theodicy
• Finite God Theodicy

In studying this question and thinking about theodicy, I was struck by the idea of justifying God's ways and defending God's righteousness.  What does it mean to defend God and His ways?

I am reminded of David in 1st Samuel 17.

Goliath has been coming out and defying God's people.  No one stands up to this giant. In verse 32, David says he "will go and fight [Goliath]."  David's going and fighting rests not in his strength but in God's hand (vv. 34 - 37).  He tells Saul, "The LORD who rescued me... will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine."  He proclaims to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands."

David's defense of God was not based on God's weakness and need for someone to do something for Him.

David's defense of God was based on God's greatness and David's desire to make that known.  

Apologetics is not finding the right thing to say to someone so they agree with your beliefs about God.  

1 Peter 3:15 apologetics is about making much of our great God, no matter what the circumstances.  It is sharing the hope you have in Christ in a winsome way.

Why is there evil and suffering in this world?

 

"Our response oo the problem of evil, then, may take either of two approaches. We may argue that the second premise above is false and seek to demonstrate that it is false by showing God’s reasons for permitting evil – the way of “theodicy.” Or we could argue that the second premise is unproven because unbelievers can’t rule out God’s having a good reason for permitting evil – the way of 'inscrutability.'”  - MacArthur

Inscrutability

Romans 11

Mystery/Inscrutability/ Submission:

Holds that the reasons for suffering are beyond human comprehension and must be accepted as a mystery of God’s sovereignty.

definition of inscrutability

the quality or state of being inscrutable

not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood : mysterious

 

The Gospel Coalition

"The way of inscrutability argues, more modestly, that no one knows that premise (2) is true because no one can know enough to conclude that God doesn’t have good reason for permitting evil. We just cannot grasp God’s knowledge, the complexity of his plans, or the deep nature of the good he aims at in providence. And there is no proof that God does not have good reasons for allowing evil, but because he is good we can only assume that he does. Here we don’t have to come up with ‘theodicies’ to defend God against the problem of evil. Rather, the way of inscrutability shows that it is entirely to be expected that creatures like us can’t come up with God’s reasons, given who God is and who we are."

Romans 11:33-36

Hebrew 11

Last chapters of Job

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-problem-of-evil/

Church Hurt

 Three questions

1. What is the church?
2. What is church hurt?
3. What do I need to do now?

Before thinking about church hurt, we must think about the question...
what is the church?

The Bible uses images like the body (1 Corinthians 12:12 - 31), the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22 - 24), and the family (1 Timothy 3:15).  Each of these images reference the importance of relationship.  Relationship with God and relationships with other believers. Ephesians 4:11 - 16 builds upon the reality of relationships as Paul writes about building one another up, "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God," growing up together into Jesus Christ as a body grows. 

The following statement is on tbcgr.org, our church website.

The church was not designed for your entertainment and consumption.  It is meant for the glorification of God (worship of God) and the edification of believers (building one another up).

"A group of Christians who assemble as an earthly embassy of Christ's heavenly kingdom to affirm one another as his citizens through ordinances, to proclaim the good news and commands of Christ, to display God's own holiness, and love through a unified and diverse people in all the world, following the teaching and example of [godly] elders."  Rediscover the Church

Now that we have a better understanding of what the church is, let's look at the next question what is church hurt?  

Church hurt is "pain that happens in the context of spiritual community through pastors, leaders, members, systems, and even theology used and applied wrong."  As it is talked about today, church hurt could be anything from unmet expectations to physical abuse and everything in between.

There are at least two things that make church hurt especially hard.  

1. The church needs to be working glorifying God more and more and church hurt isn't church members glorifying God.
2. Deep personal relationships that are broken cause pain.  "The closer the relationship, the greater the potential not only for joy but also for sorrow."  Donald Miller, What if I've Been Hurt by My Church?

A difficult but important lesson to learn about growth is that it happens in the midst of pain and hurt.  God uses suffering and hard relationships to help us grow spiritually.

Often, but not always, church hurt is rooted in disillusionment. 

Someone begins attending a church to make friends, but it doesn't happen.
A person whom you trusted to do the right thing didn't do the right thing.
The church should be a safe place, and yet you read about, or even have experienced, physical or sexual abuse at a church.
And there are many other examples.

Final what do I need to do to fight against church hurt in my life and in the lives of others.

• Resist the temptation to turn disappointment into opportunities for sin.
• Prepare for inevitable hurt.
• Be sure to fight against bitterness and church hurt in your life.

In Praying with Paul D.A. Carson writes...

"There is no prayer for others more fundamental this:  that God might strengthen their hearts so that they will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father on the last day."

Such A Great Salvation

This post is not meant to be an exhaustive, complete explanation of the gospel. It is a presentation of what was discussed in the Fight for the Faith class I taught on April 26 and May 3 at Trinity Baptist Church.

What is being deconstructed?

Faith.  

In today's world, faith is often more about personal preference.  This is evidence in the use of the phrase "your truth."  
Biblical faith is rooted in facts that are believed and trusted.  It is true no matter what one believes or feels about it.  Your personal faith needs to match the faith in the Bible.

The two topics  

total depravity and election.  

Our discussion on these topics went through several big words before discussing these two terms.  These word are theology (proper), anthropology, aseity, and soteriology.

Theology (proper) answers the question "who is God?"  God is creator, sustainer, and holy.  There is so much more that can be included in this answer, but for our study, we will focus on these three descriptions.  Anthropology answers the question "who is man?"  Man is created, needy from the beginning, a sinner in need of a savior.

There are connections with these words.  Creator and created.  Sustainer and Needy.  Holy and Sinner.  We need to understand that man's identity depends on God.  God's being is independent of us.  This deals with the concept of God's aseity - His self-existence and independence.  This is a key part of aseity, but there is more than independence.  "God is independent because he is the fullness of life" (Samuel Parkinson, 4 Reasons to Love God's Aseity.  Here is a podcast that explains this doctrine a little more - The Forgotten Yet Foundational Doctrine of Aseity

So, God is the one who gives life, and man needs God.

Soteriology answers the question "what is salvation?" Salvation is the decisive work of God through Christ Jesus to bring the sinner from sin and death into a right relationship with God.  HERE is a "Look at the Book" video by John Piper on Ephesians 2:4-7 that explains the decisive work of God in salvation.  This leads us to two important terms that have been debated for centuries.

The first term is total depravity.  Total Depravity is often wrongly thought to mean committing the worst possible sins.  It does not mean men will take every opportunity to commit the worst possible sins.  It does mean man is totally incapable of saving himself in his own strength.  Ephesians 2:8, 9 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."   Total depravity impacts the will (John 8:34; Romans 7:14-24), the mind (1 Corinthians 1:21), emotions (Genesis 6:3), and behavior (Galatians 5:19-21).

The second term is election.  This doctrine is often broken down into two camps: Calvinists (named after John Calvin) and Arminians (named after Jacobus Arminius).  A basic definition of election I have read but cannot remember the source is that election is the act of God by which, in his sovereign pleasure, for his glory, by no merit of men, men and women are brought into a right relationship with God.  This challenging doctrine is a pride-crushing doctrine.  It shows us that God is the beginning, the end, and the everywhere in between, of the gospel.  Pastor Brett preached a sermon on Romans 8:29-31 that talks about this doctrine and more (Click HERE for the entire Romans series).

While there any many articles and sites that attempt to logically support or refute the doctrine of election, it is important to remember that the driving force of election, and all of life, is doxological - God's Glory.  Here are some verses that remind us of this truth.

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness."  Psalm 115:1   

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16 

"for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". Romans 3:23  

"So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31  

This doctrine is hard to believe because it is at the heart of man's sin problem.  If you remember our class discussion of Genesis 3, the serpent questions whether God is doing what is best for Adam and Eve.  

Here is a good quote to consider: "We must not think that God does a thing because it is good and right.  The thing is good and right because God does it."  (William Perkins). The creator owes nothing to the creature.  See Romans 9:19 - 21.

First Timothy 2:4 states that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth," and is a verse often used to refute the doctrine of election.  However, this verse shows the revealed will of God, who invites and commands every person to repent and believe. There is the hidden will of God that we cannot know - who is saved/elect.  Those who hold to free will belief often say that these two wills of God are not true and cannot be the case.  

Here is something to think about related to the free will debate.  If one is not a universalist (everyone will be saved), then why isn't everyone saved?   
Because there are two wills.  The revealed will of God - the command and the invite, and the will of man to be saved.  

Obviously, this post will not be the end of this debate, but I pray it helps each of us think more and more about God and His glory, specifically as it relates to our salvation. 

Some additional resources:

• Misunderstandings of the Doctrine of Election (excerpt from Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, pp. 674-79)
• What is the Doctrine of Election?  (John MacArthur)
• 
  

How Lovely is the LORD

For all the Fight for the Faith class posts, click HERE.

We want to continue improving in our discipleship and serving young adults.  The following surveys are designed to help gather information to help do that. 

Young single adults, please fill out this SURVEY 
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Psalm 84:10 reads, "For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

As you read through the entire Psalm, there is a strong sense of longing for God, not just his dwelling place and his courts, but for HIM.

For those deconstructing, the challenge is that they do not see and know the beauty of God seen through Biblical theology.  They see the toxicity of the God seen through crisis, not God's Word. 
The crisis could be a very real and painful circumstance. 
The crisis could be a passage of scripture or doctrine that is hard to understand.

Here are three things we need to do to continue in this fight for the faith and love those who are deconstructing their faith.

GROW IN CONFIDENCE 

through reading God's Word.  Read with the purpose of knowing God more and more.  Read with the plan to ask questions of the passage you are reading and seeking to interpret difficult passages by looking to scripture first.  

through prayer for yourself.  Specifically pray for your spiritual growth.  Consider those areas of your faith that are not as firm as they should be.  Pray specifically about these.  Ask questions of the Bible and godly brothers and sisters in Christ.

through prayer for others.  Pray for the salvation of those who don't know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Pray that they would repent of their sin and believe in Jesus as the only way to be saved.  Pray for the sanctification (spiritual growth) of those who have been saved by grace.

ASK QUESTIONS AND LISTEN TO THE ANSWERS.

Before preparing to answer questions that haven't been asked, show care and wisdom by asking clarifying questions and then listening to the answers.  Proverbs 18:13 reads, "If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame."

SEARCH FOR ANSWERS TOGETHER.

Instead of trying to give an answer when you don't really have a correct answer is not good.  Try something like this instead.  "That is a good question.  I would love to take some time to think about it.  Would you be willing to think about it and get together later to talk about what we learned?"  This allows you to think a much better answer than a quick response in the moment.  It also provides an opportunity for you to get together again.

 

 

Young Adults and Kids Church

Today I taught two different lessons at Trinity Baptist Church.
At 9:45, it was the Young Adults Fight for the Faith class looked at 2 Timothy 3.
At 11:00, it was the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-grade children's church lesson was 1 Samuel 27 -31.

Now, the two lessons may not seem to have much in common, BUT they do.

Just read on.

One of the resources we are using in the Fight for the Faith class this quarter is the book Deconstructing the Christian Faith. Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett offer the following definition of faith deconstruction: "a postmodern process of rethinking your faith without regarding Scripture as a standard."

Today's lesson was on why people deconstruct their faith.  A couple of the reasons the authors offer are suffering,  doubt, and difficult passages of scripture.

Before getting into what we talked about as a response to these crisis events, let me share with you what the 1st-3rd-grade children's church passage was.
We didn't discuss the details of 1st Samuel 27-31.  Here they are.

In chapter 27, David flees from Saul to the Philistines.  David doesn't just find a place for a short rest among his enemies.  He lived there for a year and four months.  But he didn't just live there. According to 27:8 -12, David made many raids in which he would not leave a man or woman alive (v. 9) and report back to the Philistines.

In chapter 28, Saul disguises himself to see a medium about speaking to the deceased Samuel.

In chapter 29, the Philistine king, Achish, said to David, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. "

In chapter 30, the Amalekites took David's TWO wives 

In chapter 31, the Philistines defeated Israel, and Saul died.

In summary, David and the army killed men and women. God uses a witch to summon Samuel and get a message for Saul. David, the king of Palestine, praises David, and God uses the enemies of Israel to defeat Israel.  

These are hard accounts for even adults to understand.  "When telling their deconstruction stories, many people reveal a deep sense of disillusionment with the darker and violent stories told in the Bible"  (Childers & Barnett, 91).

In the young adults class, we looked at 2 Timothy 3.  It is a great passage to study as it relates to godly and ungodly living.  Verse 7 says the ungodly are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth."  In my teaching, no matter the age, I don't want people to merely learn more and more information.  I want people to know and live out the truth.

When telling their deconstruction stories, many people reveal a deep sense of disillusionment with the darker and violent stories told in the Bible"  (Childers & Barnett, 91).

When people approach scripture from a self-centered point of view, scripture doesn't do what the self-centered reader wants it to do.  Scripture always does what it is meant to do, whether read from a self-centered view or a God-centered view.  It shows us God's greatness, our sinfulness, Jesus' provision of salvation, and how to live life.  

We must approach scripture with a Godward focus.  Remembering there is no one like Him.  He is holy.  He is loving.  He is judge.  He is creator.  He is sustainer.  He is provider.

When we remember these truths, it impacts how we think about our circumstances and how we read His word.

The Gospel Primer has a great quote about The Cure for Distrust.

Every time I deliberately disobey a command of God, it is because I am in that moment doubtful as to God's true intentions in giving me that command.  Does He really have my best interests at heart?  Or is He withholding something from me that I would be better off having? (Genesis 3:4 - 6). Such questions, whether consciously asked or not, lie underneath every act of disobedience. 

However, the gospel changes my view of God's commandments, in that it helps me to see the heart of the Person from whom those commandments come.  When I begin my train of thought with the gospel, I realize that if God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son's life for me, then He must be guided by that same love when He speaks His commandments to me.  Viewing God's commands and prohibitions in this light, I can see them for what they really are:  friendly signposts from a heavenly Father who is seeking to love me through each directive, so that I might experience His very fullness forever (Deut. 5:29).

When controlling my thoughts as described above, the gospel cures me of my suspicion of God, thereby disposing me to walk more trustingly on the path of obedience to His commands.

Children in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade need to know and remember 2 Samuel 7:22a.
Young adults 18 - 30 years old need to know and remember 2 Samuel 7:22a.

"Therefore, you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no god besides you..."