If God is Loving, Why Does Evil and Suffering Exist?

In one of life’s hardest questions, we explore why with a loving God, pain, evil, and suffering exists in this world. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture shows us that suffering wasn’t God’s design but the result of humanity’s sin—and yet, God steps into our pain through Jesus Christ. Drawing on the wisdom of Job, the Psalms, Paul’s letters, and the words of Billy Graham, this episode unpacks how free will, love, and God’s greater plan of redemption give us hope in the midst of brokenness. Ultimately, we find assurance that in Christ, suffering is not the end, but the path to victory and eternal life.

1. 1. The Holy Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011. (Job, Psalms 13, Genesis 1–3, Romans 5, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15, Hebrews 4:15, Isaiah 53, Revelation 21).
   2. Augustine, St. The City of God. Translated by Marcus Dods. New York: Modern Library, 1950.
   3. Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Brothers, 1947.
   4. Lewis, C. S. The Problem of Pain. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009.
   5. Piper, John. Suffering and the Sovereignty of God. Wheaton: Crossway, 2006.
   6. Wright, N. T. Evil and the Justice of God. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.
   7. Carson, D. A. How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
   8. Graham, Billy. Answers to Life’s Problems: Guidance, Inspiration, and Hope for Daily Living. Waco: Word Books, 1988.

Transcript

Speaker 00: 0:00

You're listening to the Cornerstone Perspective Podcast. Be sure to hit that subscribe button and share with your friends. This is episode three. If God is loving, why does evil and suffering exist? Now that question is one of the most pondered questions in the world and in Christianity. And the reality is, is that we live in a world where there really is pain and there is suffering and there is injustice. And the answer to the question of why that's reality, it isn't just a philosophical deep thought that comes from a textbook. It's a very deep and personal question that is typically asked in moments of personal and even national tragedy and loss. So from a biblical perspective, what is the answer? If God loves us so much, why does evil and suffering exist? Well, let's answer this question, but first, let's be honest. The Bible doesn't hide the reality of suffering. In the book of Job, a righteous man loses almost everything. And in the Psalms, David cries out, “How long O Lord”. Scripture doesn't mislead us and tell us that in this life we will not have struggle and that we will not have sorrow and loss. In fact, the Bible highlights stories of victories in the face of great evil and in the face of great suffering and loss. And throughout the entirety of Scripture, there's a theme that is present in every circumstance and situation written about in its pages and that theme is this in a world that has fallen and broken by sin God by his love and grace and through his son Jesus has provided the keys to hope and joy in a world where yes there definitely is suffering and loss Okay, but back to the question. If He loves us, why does evil and suffering exist? And it's a great question. And to begin, we must first understand this very important fact, that evil and suffering are not God's design, and they are not God's plan. In Genesis 1, God declared creation is “good”. But by Genesis 3, humanity chose really to deviate from God's plan, opening the door to sin and brokenness in this world. In Romans 5, Paul explains it this way. He says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men because all sinned”. Evil and suffering in this world are not God’s design, but a consequence of humanities sin against God. Now, of course, one could say, couldn't God have just stopped humanity from sinning? Couldn't he just stop me or others from choosing wrong? I love the insights that the Reverend Billy Graham gave us on this question. The Reverend Graham said this, "...the opening chapters of the Bible tell us what happened when Adam and Eve committed the first sin, but they don't tell us exactly why God allowed it to happen. We must be careful, therefore, not to blame God for something that is ultimately beyond our understanding." At the same time, the Bible does tell us two very important truths about Adam and Eve's sin. First, it tells us that they were completely free to love God. Or, to reject Him. In other words, they weren't robots. God's warning was clear. You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For when you eat of it, you will surely die. Genesis 2.17 But what if they had been robots? That is, what if they didn't have any will of their own? And all they could do was love God. Then their love for God wouldn't have been love at all. Because love always involves a choice or a decision on our part. God took a great risk in creating them with a free will. But only then could their love for Him be real. The other truth the Bible tells us, however, is that while sin's consequences were great, God's love is even greater. And I love what Billy Graham did here, which he always did. He said this, "'The proof is that He sent His only Son into the world "'so we could have our sins forgiven.'" So here's the key that the Reverend Graham is emphasizing. Love requires freedom. If God created us like robots, programmed to obey, unable to choose, then would our love be real? For love to exist, the possibility of rejection must also exist. And with man's rejection of God comes sin. And with sin comes suffering and evil. And it's in that sin and suffering that man introduced to this world that God displays his love for us in this. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. That's of course, John 3 :16. But then in Romans 5:8 it says this, “but God demonstrates his own love for us in this. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. And what's the result of that? Well, 1 Corinthians 15. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God. He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I love Paul's shift in the middle of this passage where he said, “but thanks be to God”, Why? Why thanks be to God? God didn't stay distant from the pain and the suffering. In fact, he did the opposite. He stepped into it. Isaiah 53 calls Jesus the “man of suffering and familiar with pain.” On the cross, he suffered betrayal and injustice and agony. And more than that, he bore the weight of our sin. So God's word doesn't just offer an explanation of suffering. It offers a God who suffers with us and for us. Hebrews 4.15, it reminds us, “for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with out weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” So again, what's the answer? If God loves us, why does evil and suffering exist? Because He created us with the dignity and freedom of choice. Because man opened the door to sin and death on the earth that God gave him dominion over and stewardship of. But in the pain and in the suffering, he did not step away, but he stepped in. And through the death of his son Jesus on the cross, sin, suffering, and evil have been completely defeated. And he will return again to receive us unto himself. And until then, we hold on, we hold on to his presence. We trust in his promises and we look forward to the day when his kingdom comes in full. You know, I love what is perhaps one of the greatest promises and one of the greatest encouragements that we have in God's word. And I think it speaks to us in this question of evil and suffering in God's love. And it's in Revelation 21 and it says this, “and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, look, God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and they are true.” Hey, thank you for listening to the Cornerstone Perspective podcast. Remember to hit that subscribe button and share with your friends.