Suffering? Since evil and suffering exist, then a loving God cannot

Written by Ed Allen and John Mallela
 Sunday, 30 April 2006 09:29

The Evidence: Is Christianity Believable?

The Evidence - Is Christianity Believable?

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Sermon Notes

Today, we will be looking at the intellectual problem that suffering presents. There are several arguments that philosophers and skeptics present:

The primary argument 

  1.  If God exists, there would not be evil.
  2. There is evil.
  3. Therefore, God does not exist.

The argument restated

  1. A good, all-powerful God would not permit evile.
  2. There is evil.
  3. Therefore, a God who is good and all-powerful does not exist.

 Definitions

  • Evil: undeserved and horrific pain
  • Good: characterized by love and mercy
  • All-powerful: sovereign over creation

Many people conclude that God is not good, or all-powerful, or that He does not exist. Charles Templeton, a former evangelist turned atheist/agnostic is one such person. Lee Strobel interviews him for his book A Case For Faith.

A restatement of the argument from a skeptic's viewpoint

  1. A good, all-powerful God would not permit evil, unless there is a reason that would justify Him permitting it.
  2. There is evil.
  3. There is no reason that would justify Him in permitting it. (new premise)
  4. Therefore, a God who is good and all-powerful does not exist.

To bring about a greater good, evil may be permitted.

For consideration:

  • God cannot make it rain and not rain in the same place at the same time.
  • God cannot lie.
  • God cannot break a promise.

What greater good might justify God to permit evil? Self-determination (also known as free will)

In Christ, we know how the game ends. That gives suffering its context and its meaning. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Paul makes a choice to fix his eyes on what is unseen.

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