S*ff3ring and 3vil

May 14, 2010 in Books, Leadership, Mission, Uncategorized with 2 Comments

I have been reading about a couple of topics lately that not many people in the United States and the western world do not like to discuss. In fact, I couldn’t even type the words. I think my computer is having problems and wouldn’t allow the letters to be put together to spell the words.

Several months ago the I began to sense the Lord leading me to learn more about what it means to “share in the suffering of Christ”. Here are a few of the books I have been walking through as a read and try to digest. I haven’t completed all of them but I am in process.

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper and Justin Taylor

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

If God is Good by Randy Alcorn

Any words you would like to add to this discussion I would love to hear them.

I would love to hear from you about passages of scripture that help you explain suffering to others.

  • Joey

    I've been studying theodicy (answering the problem of evil) a lot recently. I get the opportunity to interact with several atheists who use this problem in particular to defend atheism. I can't say I'd blame them. If I were an atheist, I would certainly use evil as my biggest argument against the existence of God. The problem for us Christians is that while it is certainly possible to defend how evil and God can both exist logically, those arguments tend to not be very compelling or satisfying, even for people who are genuinely seeking answers.
    The only scriptures that can really be used to defend it underscore God's sovereign authority (i.e. Romans 9:18) over evil. But this comes across as callous and inconsistent with a “loving” God. Of course it is easy for us to see how evil can exist 'logically' with a merciful and loving God, as long as it is possible that evil exists necessarily in order bring about a greater or at least more intentional good.
    Often times, the acts of God in Old Testament scriptures (i.e. the commands to exterminate entire nations including slaughtering women and children) are pointed out as completely inconsistent with the modern view of God as gentle, loving and merciful. I typically try to turn such discussions into an examination of hermeneutics, looking more carefully at the interpretation of the scriptures. For example, it's important to understand the prophet Samuel was not really the same kind of prophet as Isaiah or Daniel, and the authors of those books used very different literary styles, writing to different audiences in a different time period, meaning they should be interpreted in very different ways.
    No matter how hard we try, this is always going to be an issue that is met with cold answers to warm questions.

  • http://kylegoen.com kylegoen

    Joey,
    Thanks for dropping by and joining in discussion.

    Tim Keller has some good stuff concerning some of the issues you address. Specifically, abandoning belief in God because evil exist doesn't make evil go away. You still have to account for it some how. The scripture states that that the God-man, Jesus, came to earth to take on our suffering and face evil so that we one day will see all of creation (mankind and earth) redeemed. We now have hope because of Jesus. If no God exist then there is no hope.

    There has to be a reason for evil and suffering that is bigger than my limited understanding that begins and ends with me. Therefore, I must begin with a view from God's perspective…though I can never fully understand I must start with Him and not me.