6. Concerning a man born blind, his apostles asked Jesus, ?who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?? 8. C. S. Lewis wrote that the problem of pain, in its simplest form, is this: “If God were good, [God] would make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty, [God] would be able to do what He wished. Even of we can provide some sort of an intellectual answer to such suffering in the treatment below, it seems somehow cruel to provide a cut and dried explanation to such suffering. He is not sufficiently righteous to be able to charge God with not being fair. We will not be able to dismiss such things with a wave of the hand. The problem of pain and suffering is a subject that demands more than what can be fairly expressed here in such limited time and space. What is suffering, anyway? This Audio presentation is an attempt to address these issues. Which is correct? The entrance of this phase of human existence occurred when man disobeyed God’s command according to … Part II, The Problem of Pain and Suffering Part III, The Problem of Pain and Suffering (Entire Essay), The Problem of Pain and Suffering: An outline. In this essay, we will attempt to give a reasonable explanation of the nature of this suffering and the cause of it from God?s perspective. Is it because God lacks the power to prevent pain, suffering and evil? For example, if Adam continued to disobey God and commit acts of evil, and then ate from the Tree of Life, he would live in sin forever. Those who continue to claim that the Bible is full of scientific errors have either not bothered to research the subject or bring a very strong bias to the question. First, in Ezekiel 18:4 God tells his people, ?For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son?both alike belong to me. Again, the answer is a resounding yes. Even sincere, intellectually honest Christians often find this question to be very troubling, despite their willingness to put their faith in God. Master Christian apologist C.S. Who is right? Even if we can understand the nature of suffering, the question remains: what will our personal response be to those we find in pain and suffering around us? The question is whether God is both all-powerful and loving. We want to give and to receive love freely. Are all to be considered equally? I have a master. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.? None of us are exempt from the touch of sin in this world. Many say in an age of science the Bible cannot be reliable if it claims creation in just six days, given that evolution is proven. The punishment for this transgression was banishment from the Garden of Eden. In The Problem of Pain he wrote, “The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word ‘love’, and look on things as if man were the centre of them. There is another version of the Problem of Evil that has not yet been covered. It is beyond my ability to explain. The agnostic asks the believer two questions. Disappointment, feelings of failure, loss of hope, loss of a job and others. APOLOGETICS – The Problem Of Suffering Undoubtedly, the existence of suffering in our world is the most common objection to Christianity raised by skeptics and the biggest stumbling block for those genuinely seeking to understand and know God. Having read a fair amount on the subject, I have found that most writers deal either with the intellectual or with the human problem. After banishment from the Garden of Eden, people began to experience the effects of Adam’s rebellion. This is the practical and existential problem of suffering that affects, and is affected by, our world view. It … How can you distance yourself from your granddaughter in the same room when she needs you? He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”. Why do Christians say that the earth was created 6000 years ago? We will discuss a better response to suffering in the second part of this essay. How did Matthew learn about the dream that Pilate's wife had? I certainly have not had any sort of extraordinary suffering in my life. When God conceived of and created the physical universe, it was extraordinarily well designed so that life can exist. Have You Been Living a Disempowered Life? . I say that God is so loving and so powerful that he created beings who have both the capacity and the freedom to love or to not love their Creator. In delineating different sorts of human suffering, we will eventually have to ask two questions. He did not try to force people to follow him. Neither does my granddaughter. In this life, selfishness, drunkenness, violence, sexual abuse will cause suffering, both in the life of the one who commits the sin and in the lives of others. What is the cause of all this suffering, and what is the explanation from God?s perspective? One version of this problem includes animal suffering from natural evil, such as the violence and fear faced by animals from predators, natural … I believe the opposite is true! The Problem of Pain & Suffering. Like most people, I too, have pondered the difficulties people face regarding the issue of Pain and Suffering. Isn't the teaching of the Catholic Church about Mary just a "Christian" version of mother goddess worship? This is as true today as it was in the days of Moses. Acute pain, boken bones, etc., chronic and debilitating pain, cancer, etc. In the meantime, I lift my arms while inhaling like I am gathering all the breath she needs, and have her visualize the germs slowly exiting her body as she breathes out. For example, when she feels short of breath, and after taking her emergency inhaler, we sit facing each other. Second, is this suffering truly evil? Does the Bible show us conclusively that human beings possess this freedom of will? When I attempted to clarify pain in those terms — all of creation suffers — my granddaughter began to understand, just a little bit, the problem of suffering. I know unless there is a medical miracle cure or a divine intervention, that the pain will never cease entirely. Of course, there is a sense in which all suffering is, by definition, God?s fault. in pain you will eat from it every day of your life.” Our tradition has a long and complex relationship with pain and suffering. This physical judgment will obviously cause emotional pain as well. If God is the benevolent creator and sustainer of life depicted in Christian tradition, then he should be able and willing to eliminate our pain and suffering. What kind of person was Pontius Pilate? That being true, we need to be very cautious to give pat answers to our friends as to why they are suffering. Before we move on to the next cause of suffering, I want to emphasize an important point. We have considered free will and subsequent sin as well as natural causes of suffering. There are kinds and examples of suffering for which we will simply be unable to provide an explanation which will satisfy the heart. This seems to be the case when God hardened Pharaoh?s heart and when he urged Judas to do what he planned to do quickly. Selfishness, greed, anger, jealousy; these sins hurt innocent people. We apply the verse personally so it can become a part of us. We all want to avoid pain and suffering. The last and most important section will be on the human response to suffering. Even all pain and suffering has a purpose, and that purpose is determined by God. Is the God of the Bible a completely loving God? We all participate in it. God created us as companions with free will to choose our actions. “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. Let us consider two Old Testament passages which discuss the consequences of sin. Plate tectonics, a necessity for life, also produces earthquakes. In the final analysis, any conceivable natural system for sustaining advanced living beings will be dangerous. Of course without the unique properties of hydrogen, stars would not produce massive amounts of energy necessary to support life on the earth. The POE is concerned about the type of pain that is a result of emotional suffering. The possession of free will only leads to suffering if people choose to disobey the will of God. The Problem of Pain and Suffering. If I drive a car into a tree at 120 miles per hour, I do not blame God for the consequences of such an action. Those who have suffered … We need to be very careful about playing the sin card as it relates to the suffering of those around us, including ourselves. In the Bible, God takes the issue of suffering head-on. The Bible never tells us to expect this law to be broken, whether we are saved or not. This is the universe which he created. My granddaughter asked me why she suffers, and that it is not fair. Let each person reach their own conclusion in the matter (but be thankful for being able to reach your own conclusion!). T he Problem of Evil can be a broad and intellectual subject while at the same time being an extremely personal matter; as such we will look at this issue from two different vantage points. Scientists inform us that the force of gravity, the electromagnetic force and the nuclear strong and weak forces are all ?fine tuned.? Introductory. Cuddling her hand in mine, I implore her to not fight pain, but to embrace the pain to overcome it. Remember that this essay is on the biblical theology of suffering and evil. God gave us free will and we abused it. The intellectual quandary raised above is based on the assumption that suffering itself is inherently an evil. Pain. He gave us emotions, the ability to create, and a freedom of will not unlike his. When I received the request my first thought was to wonder why they thought I might be qualified to speak on this topic. A 150-meter-wide ball of fire engulfed the center, 3. I do not like pain. If we are able to deal with the intellectual challenge of the apologetic question raised above (and that is a big if), this alone does not solve the problem. Would anyone like to live in a world without bacteria? As stated more than once already, no single answer can explain all suffering, but I believe that by far the greatest part of human suffering is caused by sin on the part of individual people. The answer is that none of the participants in this debate is correct, unless we count God as a participant. In other words, if any of them were changed even very slightly, the universe would not have the properties to allow life to exist. Pain and suffering is an undeniable burden that humans bear. Does the existence of suffering in the world prove that God, if he exists, is evil, or at least that he is not totally good? In Deuteronomy 30:15-20 God tells his people through Moses that they are being given a choice between life and death, blessings and curses. What are some good arguments to support the claim that evolution needs to have an intelligent creator in order for it to work? I stand with those theologians who contend that the problem of pain is the only good argument against the Judeo-Christian concept of God. Not all our pain can be traced to sin, but consider the amount of suffering, on an individual, family, community and even nation-wide level is produced by sin. Forms of the same bacteria which are absolutely essential to life cause disease. Recently, I tried to maintain some semblance of social distancing during her recent five-day hospital stay but it was not happening. In fact, it tends to be counter productive. The physical pain associated with death can be intense, but the pain of those left behind is often greater and longer lasting. In the words of David, ?The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 4. Join me and let’s find an oasis in the middle of our brokenness! If so, then is the Old Testament not reliable? Be careful, we are about to back ourselves into a corner. When you encounter the inevitable experience of pain and suffering, try deeply breathing the verses of the Bible. When I practice breathing the Word of God, I choose verses that deal with my particular issue. Suffering is part of creation. The alternative is much worse. God has also created and revealed moral laws. and his heart was filled with pain.? This is the At the end of this emotional appeal, God pleads with his people, ?Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.? Disease, both acute and chronic. Genesis 3: 22–23 NIV “And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. When an earthquake happens or when outbreak of an infectious disease occurs, the victims seem random. Only naturally, he asks, ?why me?? However, the one comfort I receive is that God helps me in the middle of my sickness. There is some biblical evidence that in certain special situations, God will step into a person?s life temporarily when his sovereign will trumps that of the individual. What makes the difference is our response to pain. Without the magnetic properties of iron, highly energetic charged particles from the sun would destroy all life on the earth. PAIN AND SUFFERING: AN INTELLECTUAL RESPONSE. Obvious examples include earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Anyone who pours their life into a person with free will risks being rejected and hurt. Although suffering and pain came about as a result of sin, God sovereignly uses pain and suffering to accomplish good in His people. However, that’s not to say we must suffer to gain favor or get in God’s good graces, as some theologians would have us believe. Jesus made the same point as recorded in John chapter nine. To suffer means to experience emotional and/or physical pain. ), a consideration of human suffering will be sufficient to show that there is no dysteleological pain. It was God?s will to create persons who, of their own will, reciprocate his love of them by rejecting pride and selfishness; freely choosing to love and to serve God. Do they raise different kinds of questions? Is God to blame for this pain?this suffering? Free will is, by definition, the possession by a conscious individual person of the ability to exercise their will freely in order to make choices about the direction of their lives. Lewis asserts that pain is a problem because our finite, human minds selfishly believe that pain-free lives would prove that God loves us. The soul who sins is the one who will die.? It is a problem of the heart. E ither God is very loving, but not all-powerful?he would like to eliminate such evil from the lives of humans but is unable to, or he is all powerful, but not completely loving toward the humans he created. Before we jump in we should first understand what it means to “suffer”. This is the real (intellectual) question. Is this because God was not powerful enough or not loving enough? Take a look. When I’m lying in bed because moving is too painful I cry out is this ever going to stop? He is not being punished for his sin. The problem of pain exists because of the belief in God. 7. Life exists in a delicate balance, but it exists. It is also a human problem. Does the one who chooses to criticize God prefer to live in a world in which they are automatons? Pain and suffering is also a human problem. If pain and suffering is not evil then the apparent contradiction raised by the skeptic or even by the sincere seeker goes away. Not only that, but we know from experience that the children of the victim of abuse also suffers. Job suffered an inordinate amount. Does the existence of sin, and suffering brought about by that sin prove that God is either not sufficiently loving or not sufficiently powerful? God has created the physical world with natural laws. Some of the suffering which comes into people?s lives is caused by natural phenomena. Does this mean God is weak or not loving or not intelligent enough to solve the problems? How does this dichotomy apply to the creator of everything? The Problem of Pain answers the universal question, "Why would an all-loving, all-knowing God allow people to experience pain and suffering?" The combination of deep breathing, speaking, and visualizing helps the pain to subside for both of us. If the force of gravity was a miniscule fraction smaller, galaxies, stars and planets would not have formed. Pain and suffering is also a human problem. How should we think, how should we feel and how should we respond to the existence of evil and of suffering around us? iii.31,33).” I hope this article has helped you to gain a better understanding about the problem of pain and suffering from a … I recite the following verse while she silently repeats after me. I say that love? There is only one element? Chronic fear, much of which is created by the items in point #5. As soon as their perfect health is secured there will be an end of all suffering. I explained that God held Adam responsible for his deeds. It seems that something has to give. Consider the alternative. Let us note something in Job which may help us to understand how to deal with suffering. She will be healed spiritually and emotionally by God. God created a spectacularly well-tuned universe, solar system and earth. In fact, there is little if any discussion of what we call free will in the Bible. Broken relationships, unrequited love, lost friendships. Your response. We find in Exodus 20:5 the statement that, ?I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.? In The Problem of Pain, Lewis grapples with the problem of suffering in a world creating by an ultimately good and powerful God. Without the natural heat distribution systems in the oceans and the atmosphere, the earth would be uninhabitable to advanced life forms due to the extremes of temperature. ?If anyone chooses to do God?s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.? The very existence of advanced life forms on the earth is completely dependent on bacteria. The agnostic asks the believer two questions. We learn from this that God may not answer our question ?why?? The Problem of Pain and Suffering:? The point when Adam disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. No, weather is a blessing. I believe that for the open-minded person who is willing to put in a little effort, these questions are answered fairly easily. Let us consider some of the kinds of suffering which are common to the human condition. The problem of evil has also been extended beyond human suffering, to include suffering of animals from cruelty, disease and evil. Bereavement, mourning. heaven or hell?the son is not held accountable for the sin of the father. Consider Adam and Eve. Violent crime, rape, sexual abuse, terrorism, genocide, political crimes. The Problem of Pain is a 1940 book on the problem of evil by C. S. Lewis, in which Lewis argues that human pain, animal pain, and hell are not sufficient reasons to reject belief in a good and powerful God. I am motivated to make God not regret giving me a choice to do good or evil. It is fair to broaden this out to say that those around the sinner do not suffer the consequences for the acts of the sinner. Ezekiel 18 tells us that as for eternal consequences? Is lack of freedom of choice an improvement? to Josephus John the Baptist died 5 years after Jesus and that the gospel writers rewrote history to fit the Jesus narrative? Jesus answers, ?Neither this man, nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.? Seven Helpful New Books on the Problem of Pain and Suffering Sep 18, 2018 Suffering is a perennial problem and we are all affected by it at least to some extent. I'm always uncomfortable whenever people call it and they'll say you know some moral evil happened. Loving parents, like a loving God, train their children to make good choices. Next, consider another passage which, at first glance, seems to contradict Ezekiel 18. AN APOLOGETIC PROBLEM AND A HUMAN PROBLEM. world which God made, and which he said was very good! Cancer, meningitis, lupus, leprosy, heart disease. Before we fault God for causing earthquakes, we better propose a universe and an environment in that universe which does not include plate tectonics. Is it because God is aloof?because he does not love us enough to step in and prevent the suffering that happens in the world which he created? In each case God temporarily violated a person?s free will in order to bring about his sovereign will: the salvation of his people. This moral law of suffering brought into lives because of sin is not eliminated altogether even if the daughter of abuse comes to Christ. The woman suffered in childbirth. Who are we to speak for God in this matter? Psalm 41:3, NIV “The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.”. Humans suffer because of earthquakes. God took a risk with them. e have just seen, sin cannot explain all suffering. How do you respond to the claim that acc. The Gabriel inscription predicts a Messiah who would resurrect on the third day. There is only one magnetic element; iron. First, is this suffering God?s ?fault?? Is it Gnosticism? human suffering results from some condition that is necessary in God’s purposes in creation. W e will question this assumption. Encounters with Mr. If a father sexually molests his own child, that child suffers for the sin of their father to be sure.