The problem under discussion is basically this: If God is all powerful, all wise, and yet good and loving - how is it that so much suffering and evil is permitted in God's world? Why does God not do more to intervene if He is so powerful and loving?
I have begun to answer this question in another article.
Here are the elements of the answer given by the astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross in his excellent book, "The Fingerprint of God". Elements in italics are my additions. I myself may not agree with every single point here but I think it is a worthwhile contribution to the whole question and therefore I put it in with the only modifications from myself being occasional additions marked in italics.
In fact I think better Scripture references can be found to support the points made, but that is another issue. It would be interesting to get comments back on this.
1. People are not robots
Man was sinless when God created him (Genesis 2-3).
If God had forceably prevented man from sinning, man's will would not be free.
Without free choice, real love is impossible.
For God, real love means more than anything else in the Universe. If God wanted free sons and lovers, He had to give man a free choice.
2. God's Ultimate Plan is to Perfect Those Who Choose to Be Perfected.
In the new creation man will retain his free will, but there will be no sin, no suffering, no death, no evil (Revelation 21:4)
Only (and all) those who overcome sin and evil by choosing to worship Christ, rather than to live for self, can enter into this perfect state (Revelation 21:7-8).
The perfecting process takes place via the interaction of our will and Christ's in opposition to Satan's will (Acts 8:23, Philippians 2:13, II Thessalonians 3:5, II Timothy 2:26).
3. All People now sin. All enter life in a state of spiritual incapacitation.
Through Adam's trespass, sin has been imputed to each human (Romans 5:12-21).
We are sinners, by nature, from conception (Psalm 51:5).
Without God's restraint and influence we would be totally depraved (Jeremiah 17:9; John 16:8-11).
On our own, nothing we do is righteous by God's standard (Isaiah 64:6; John 15:5).
4. What is spiritual is eternal
All spiritual beings are created to exist forever. They cannot be annihilated (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46).
Man's conscience confirms that his existence continues after physical death (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
Spiritual death refers to man's incapacity to do good and, unless he entrusts himself to the goodness of Christ, results in eternal separation from God (Romans 5:12-21).
5. Life on earth has an eternal purpose.
This is roughly analogous to a school course with a final examination.
This life is intended to prepare us for the eternity that lies ahead (1 Corinthians 6:2-3, I Peter 2:9).
Only one chance and only so much time is needed for an individual to choose (or reject) God's offer and to choose (or reject) God's training (Luke 16:19-31, Hebrews 9:27).
Neither too much nor too little time would be good for us (Isaiah 38-39, Isaiah 57:1-2, Acts 5:1-10).
6. Physical Death has a good purpose.
God gave us physical death so that we might have the possibility of being rescued from spiritual death (Genesis 3:22-24).
Death seals and protects the righteousness of the one who chooses God (I Kings 14:12-13, Isaiah 57:1-2).
Death limits the degradation and punishment of the one who rejects God (Romans 1:32).
Death limits the spread of wickedness in society (Genesis 19).
7. Suffering Has a Purpose
Suffering alerts us to potentially destructive problems - physical, emotional, and spiritual (2 Cor. 7:8-13)
Suffering restrains us, keeping us from committing evil (Hebrews 12:5-13)
Suffering humbles us, reminding us of our weaknes (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Suffering teaches us about ourselves, our values, our choices (Matthew 13:20-23)
Suffering teaches us about God - the magnitude of His love for us in His willingness to suffer and die in our place (Hebrews 12:2).
8. Man's short lifespan and suffering bring spiritual protection.
Long life-spans promote the wicked, not the righteous (Genesis 6:3-8).
Absence of suffering promotes the wicked, not the righteous (Genesis 3:16-19).
9. Innocence is available in Christ alone.
Man's conscience speaks to him of a God whose standard is perfection - perfection in love, perfection in obedience to His moral code, obedience in action, word and thought (I Samuel 6:20, Isaiah 59:2-14, Habakkuk 1:12-13).
Only a perfect being can meet the standard (Deuteronomy 32:4; I Samuel 2:2).
Through His life, death, and bodily resurrection, Jesus Christ proved Himself to be the perfect one, the one and only redeemer of sinful man (Hebrews 2:9-15).
10. Huma
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