A while back I read a Christian book in which the author talks about a question many people ask and which even stops many from coming to God. How can there be a God (a good one) with all the evil that happens in the world? There are several common answers people give.
1. There is no God.
2. God is evil.
3. God is not sovereign.
I pondered about these things and decided to write here what I know to be true since we have His Word to guide us.
First, I would like to show you that the three answers above can’t be true simply because His Word is the truth whether you agree with it or not and since the answers above contradict His Word, they can’t be true.
1. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
2. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
3. “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19).
I know that by using our human reasoning it can be hard to grasp a loving and sovereign God who allows all this mess in which we currently find ourselves in, to continue.
There is a God like that and He is the only one there is and will ever be! Because of sin that entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, we live in a cursed world where all sorts of evil things happen.
God has warned us. It is all in His Word. He said that the wages of sin is death, how’s that for the reason of evil in this world?
“For the wages of sin is death”(Romans 6:23a) but He also gave us the solution. “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).
Yes, God cares a lot about our suffering and He offered us the perfect gift. He knows that as much as we suffer and see suffering here on this earth, it is just like a few seconds compared to our eternal life. An eternal life of blessings and wonderful things we cannot fathom. Living with a wonderful God is what awaits those who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
The other side is that to those without Jesus, this suffering will become much worse and endless after death. ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).
Some people say that God is evil because He created hell and sends people there. If you are reading this think that, know that God created hell for the devil and his angels.
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41).
If God were evil, He could just send everyone there or just make this earth a hell for everyone to live in. Things are bad here, but they are a piece of cake compared of how unimaginably horrible a place hell is. If He didn’t care, then why did He die for our sins? Beyond all the physical suffering Jesus endured, can you imagine what it is like to carry the sins of the whole world on your shoulders, even the most horrid ones from everyone who has ever existed?
I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine how hard this must have been and He did it for you.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
He wants you to come to Him by your own choice and He won’t force you to choose Him. The Lord is perfect and we are not, so why can’t we just stop being prideful and trust Him? We can’t even trust Him without His help. And He will help us when we sincerely ask.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
He’s been waiting for you, so run to Him!
If you want to receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord you need to repent (turn away from) your sins and confess them to Him and He will forgive you. You don’t need to use an elaborate prayer, just pour out your heart to Him and He will hear you and heal your soul.
Laura Knops
All Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version of the Bible.