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Questions?
• There are difficult passages about the nature of God in the Bible
• We may not have perfect understanding of the answers, but that doesn’t mean they are not there.
• But we can give adequate answers!
Why is there evil in the world?
• Critics use evil to attack God• IF God cannot stop evil he is not all
powerful• If God will not stop evil then he is not
good
• IS this a valid premise? It assumes there are no other alternatives!
Why is there evil in the world?
• God is not evil, does not He commit evil and does not tempt us to do evil
•James 1:13, Deut. 32:42 Chron. 19:7, Rom. 9:14
•1 John 1:5
Why is there evil in the world?
• What is evil?• That which is bad or malicious• The absence of good (just as
darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat)
•Genesis 1:31 – what He created is good
Why is there evil in the world?
• Did God create evil?•Isa. 45:7, “I form the light, and
create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (KJV) Other versions use the word “calamity” (cf. Amos 3:6)
Why is there evil in the world?
• Satan introduced evil to this world•Gen. 3:1-7• Man is susceptible because he chose
to accept it! (Rom. 5:12-19)• We inherit the consequences of the
sin of Adam (not his sin)
Why is there evil in the world?
• Man is a free moral agentIf no evil, man would not have a choice.
• Man always has a choice – Josh. 24:15, 1 Kn. 18:21, etc.
• God is seeking those who will follow Him out of love (1 Jn. 4:19, 1 Pet. 1:6-9)
• Man chooses to sin! (John 3:19)
Why is there evil in the world?
• God gives us tools to deal with evil• Conscience • The Gospel• He sent Jesus to this earth – he DOES
understand! Heb. 2:14-18• He help us – 1 Cor. 10:13
Why is there evil in the world?
• Does God intervene?• In Bible times He did• Can He intervene today? He IS in
control!
Why is there suffering in the world?
• Related to evil• The product of the sin of Adam•Genesis 3:17 – “cursed is the
ground”• Suffering is a product of that “curse”• Much suffering is related to man’s sinful
behavior (sometimes the innocent suffer, even some natural calamity)
Why is there suffering in the world?
• Suffering can produce good:• It can humble us – 2 Cor. 12:7-10
• Build up good character - Jas. 1:2-4, Rom. 5:3-5
Why is there suffering in the world?
• Suffering can produce good:• It can cause us to repent – Lk.
15:11-18• Encourage us to become “other-
worldly” 2 Cor. 4:17
• It can bring out the best in us
Why is there suffering in the world?
• Why do the godly suffer?• Obeying the gospel does NOT make
suffering go away! NOR is that promised!• “Why me”? Why NOT you? • Christians are better equipped to deal with
suffering – 1 Cor. 10:13• What if God did exempt the godly from
suffering?
Why is there suffering in the world?
• How much suffering is too much?• This is the real question!• How do we know what the right
amount should be before it is too much?
• Be careful in questioning God – Rom. 9:19-24
Why is there suffering in the world?
• How much suffering is too much?• God is sovereign! BUT:
• He loves us and cares• We don’t know what is best• We don’t know His motives• His plans include the whole world (Rom. 8:28)
• He is in control – 1 John 4:4
Why is there suffering in the world?
•Rom. 11:33-36 Who knows the mind of the Lord?
• Trusting Him is where we find hope – Prov. 3:5-6
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
•1 Sam. 15:1-3 Amalek commanded to be utterly destroyed
• A question of genocide. How can a good God command such destruction.Also Canaanites, the flood, Sodom & Gomorrah, etc.
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
• BE careful before questioning God! • We do NOT know all the facts!• Were the Amalekites innocent?Genesis 15:13-16Deut. 20:16-18, 25:17-19(Cf. Exodus 17:8-16)
• NO! They were NOT innocent!
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
• Were they given opportunity to repent?• Consider Nineveh - Jonah, Nahum
To Edom – Obadiah, etc.• 400+ years from Abraham to their
destruction• Consider Rahab – Joshua 2:8-11
Righteous Lot- 2 Pet. 2:7
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
• What about the innocent children?• If innocent, actually spared eternal
destruction as a result of following the ungodly ways they would be raised in
• A lesson in divided loyalties – 2 Cor. 6:14-18
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
• One final thought?• Because Israel did not deal with its
wickedness, what happened? They rejected God and were cut off! cf. Num. 35:33-34
• Why is there so much wickedness today? Is it not a product of our failure to deal sternly and swiftly with it? Eccl. 8:11
Why did God command the Amalekites utterly destroyed?
• As humans we make mistakes in judgment! But God NEVER makes mistakes!
• Do NOT be found on the side of His wrath! Rom. 11:22
With God there are difficult questions
(and that applies to ANY concept of God)
But that does not mean there are not good
answers!