- Jun 16, 2010
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Why does God allow suffering and evil? Christians can answer:
1) It is good for God to give people freedom, but some people misuse their freedom and reject Jesus' call for forgiveness, kindness, and human dignity.
2) God also gives angels freedom. Some angels are fallen (like Satan) and cause suffering - for example bringing about natural disasters.
Satan and the Corruption of Nature: Seven Arguments – ReKnew
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Book Review: Satan and the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy - Gregory A. Boyd
Satan has suffered defeats, but he is still powerful:
Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
3) Suffering can lead to good. I'm sure we can all think of times when suffering has led to personal growth. What would life be without challenges? Should we spend our lives lounging on comfy pillows eating potato chips and watching reruns while someone tells us how wonderful we are?
4) The earthly death we suffer is not the end, but the beginning.
5) God's noble goals come intertwined with suffering.
Dr. Francis Collins: the same forces that produced a life-sustaining planet including the laws of physics, chemistry, weather and tectonics, can also produce natural disasters.
Here's John Polkinghorne: Cosmic Questions - Polkinghorne: The Problem of Evil
1) It is good for God to give people freedom, but some people misuse their freedom and reject Jesus' call for forgiveness, kindness, and human dignity.
2) God also gives angels freedom. Some angels are fallen (like Satan) and cause suffering - for example bringing about natural disasters.
Satan and the Corruption of Nature: Seven Arguments – ReKnew
-
Book Review: Satan and the Problem of Evil: Constructing a Trinitarian Warfare Theodicy - Gregory A. Boyd
Satan has suffered defeats, but he is still powerful:
Ephesians 6:12 - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
3) Suffering can lead to good. I'm sure we can all think of times when suffering has led to personal growth. What would life be without challenges? Should we spend our lives lounging on comfy pillows eating potato chips and watching reruns while someone tells us how wonderful we are?
4) The earthly death we suffer is not the end, but the beginning.
5) God's noble goals come intertwined with suffering.
Dr. Francis Collins: the same forces that produced a life-sustaining planet including the laws of physics, chemistry, weather and tectonics, can also produce natural disasters.
Here's John Polkinghorne: Cosmic Questions - Polkinghorne: The Problem of Evil
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