Why does God allow suffering?

Suffering can appear very sanitised on TV adverts with nice Kate Bush music on in the background and a dramatic tear on a dirty child’s face.

But suffering can be seriously nasty – people who are racked by pain while cancer eats their bodies; children who are raped repeatedly and kept in cellars for years; people dying in completely unnecessary starvation while we in the west celebrate obscene profits made by huge food companies who throw tons of food away each day.

These things are clearly not God’s doing but why does he allow them to continue? If he’s acted in the past (rescuing Jews from Egyptian oppression, Jesus miracles etc) why not now?

As we know the powerful miracles or works Jesus performed were done on a small scale or to a limited number of people. Jesus was demonstrating what he will do on a LARGE or GRAND scale during his Millennial Rule over earth for all peoples. Rev 22:2.

If God had acted immediately to do away with Adam and Eve we would not be here.
They pulled the plug, so to speak, by severing themselves from their Creator.
They chose independence from God to be successful. Bad world-wide conditions of today is the sad result of their setting up self rulership over God as Ruler.

Time has allowed all of us to be born, and mankind to try all forms of rulership or government, businesses, religions and has now established that such freedom apart from God's guidance or direction only ends in suffering to the point that our day can be identified with the 'last days of badness on earth' before Jesus takes action on that large scale to end all suffering on earth. 2nd Tim 3:1-5,13 describes the selfish distorted form of love that the world now displays in behavior and actions, and not the Christ-like love of 1st Cor 13:4-6.

According to Daniel 2:44, 7:13,14; Isa 9:7 God's kingdom government is the agency that has Jesus as the crowned king of God's kingdom that will not only usher in Peace on Earth toward men of goodwill, but will bring an end to all suffering- Micah 4:3,4; Isaiah 33:24

Because of Jesus composite sign with many features and events that are occurring on a global scale as never before, such as the 'great' earthquakes mentioned at Luke 21:11, along with the Good News of God's kingdom (Matt 24:14) being proclaimed earth wide,
is showing that the action Jesus will take (Isa 11:4; Rev 19:11,15) will soon be at hand.
Jesus will fulfill his promise that the humble meek will inherit the earth Psalm 37:11,29,38 and remove all wickedness- Proverbs 2:21,22- but also fulfill the promise to Abraham (Gen 12:3; 22:17,18; Rev 22:2) that all families of the earth will be blessed, and all nations of the earth will be blessed.

URAVIP2ME said:

Bad world-wide conditions of today is the sad result of their setting up self rulership over God as Ruler.

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Bad worldwide conditions today are the result of Adam and Eve's actions? Can you list scripture to back up this claim?

Sidon said:

If he’s acted in the past (rescuing Jews from Egyptian oppression, Jesus miracles etc) why not now?

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I wonder about that as well. For people who believe God acted in the past, has He stopped? If He did stop, when? If He didn't stop, what has He been doing?

God allows suffering because he too endures the suffering of man. He suffers them LONG. Its called longsuffering.

If God is real, and if God allows suffering, the only conclusion can be, because God is completely beyond our understanding. What we think is black could be white, what we think is good could be bad, etc...

The idea as taught by the bible is that the part of our mind called "discernment" can and should be developed. It is this discernment for things that will get us closer to understanding the God of the bible. Specifically between what is good and evil.

On the other hand, it could send one to the asylum by trying to figure that stuff out.

If you do any looking into philosophy of religion, you can find most of the common arguments for which god allows suffering, as well as the counter-arguments.

Augustine argued that since god is both omnipotent and omnibonevolent, there must be a good reason for suffering which we simply can not understand due to our inferior intellects.

Almost all of the arguments attempting to explain suffering (human and other) are some variant of that basic idea.

It's a load of bunk if you ask me. It makes no sense. Even if some suffering were useful, it makes no sense that it would be so great in amount, and so unfairly distributed. I challenge you to look a 9 year old rape victim in the eye and tell her there's a good reason for it. If you can, you have no concept of reality IMO.

God allows suffering because of the fall of mankind and also because of our free will. Our own free will sometimes causes us to cause suffering.

Ba'al said:

Bad worldwide conditions today are the result of Adam and Eve's actions? Can you list scripture to back up this claim?

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In Genesis disobedience to God Rule started in Eden and from that time onward bad conditions started to develop such as with Cain. Adam and Eve did not have to listen to Satan. It was their choice to listen or not. That bad start in Genesis has ended up with bad or worsening world-wide conditions surrounding us today.

URAVIP2ME said:

In Genesis disobedience to God Rule started in Eden and from that time onward bad conditions started to develop such as with Cain. Adam and Eve did not have to listen to Satan. It was their choice to listen or not. That bad start in Genesis has ended up with bad or worsening world-wide conditions surrounding us today.

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Let's quote exact scripture from Genesis then so we can analyze it. Does it even make sense that our problems today stem from something that Adam and Eve once did? Would God let the entire human history be plagued with suffering because of that? What kind of God would do that? Didn't God know that would happen? URAVIP2ME, how do you honestly reconcile this?

Ba'al said:

I wonder about that as well. For people who believe God acted in the past, has He stopped? If He did stop, when? If He didn't stop, what has He been doing?

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Didn't God rest on the 7th day? God rested from his creative works, but according to John (5:17;6:28,29,38) Jesus Father works and so does Jesus.

God is working out his purpose through Jesus to have the earth inhabited with upright people (Prov 2:21,22) Jesus put emphasis on the great work ahead of his followers at Acts (1:8) that the great work would be spiritual in nature.
Matt 24:14,

So God is making sure the Good News of God's kingdom is being proclaimed world wide as a witness to the nations before the end of all badness on earth comes, and Jesus, as king of God's kingdom, will usher in Peace on Earth toward men of goodwill.

URAVIP2ME said:

Didn't God rest on the 7th day? God rested from his creative works, but according to John (5:17;6:28,29,38) Jesus Father works and so does Jesus.

God is working out his purpose through Jesus to have the earth inhabited with upright people (Prov 2:21,22) Jesus put emphasis on the great work ahead of his followers at Acts (1:8) that the great work would be spiritual in nature.
Matt 24:14,

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Does this mean God intervenes in human affairs and events? If yes, then why is it when something very good happens on a large scale, a christian will thank God, but when something horrific happens did God not intervene? Was it because of the Devil?

URAVIP2ME said:

So God is making sure the Good News of God's kingdom is being proclaimed world wide as a witness to the nations before the end of all badness on earth comes, and Jesus, as king of God's kingdom, will usher in Peace on Earth toward men of goodwill.

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Could God be doing this through other philosophies and religions as well as Christianity?

Ba'al-

According to Jesus: he is the only way, truth, life.
Jesus also forewarned us that many would come "In His Name" but prove false.
So even among so-called Christianity or Christendom there would be false followers.

Doesn't 2 Cor 4:4 refer to Satan as the 'god' of this world of badness ?

Now is not yet the time, it did not happen yet, that Jesus comes in 'glory' (Matt 25:31,32; 16:27) to separate people. It is not until that time that there will be actual divine intervention into mankind's affairs. For now we are to seek God and he will let himself be found (Acts 17:27; Isa 55:6). So the main purpose now is a spiritual purpose with the benefits of Micah (4:3,4) becoming an actual reality during Jesus coming Millennial reign over earth.

There is intervention, so to speak, through the pages of the Bible. Jesus recorded words forewarned us at Matthew 24 and Luke 21 that his composite sign would have many features to it, and many events taking place earth wide before he takes action against the wicked.
Psalm 92:7.

URAVIP2ME said:

Ba'al-
According to Jesus: he is the only way, truth, life.

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Ok, but many religions recognize Jesus as a great spiritual leader and teach a similar lifestyle. Is that not enough?

URAVIP2ME said:

It is not until that time that there will be actual divine intervention into mankind's affairs. For now we are to seek God and he will let himself be found (Acts 17:27; Isa 55:6). So the main purpose now is a spiritual purpose with the benefits of Micah (4:3,4) becoming an actual reality during Jesus coming Millennial reign over earth.

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So you are saying that God stopped intervening in human affairs? When?

itwillend said:

On the other hand, it could send one to the asylum by trying to figure that stuff out.

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It did not send Jesus nor his apostles to the asylum. The world values a well-balanced secular education as something good. By age 12 Jesus had a well-balanced scriptural education to the point he amazed his elders.

Since the Bible is not written ABC like a dictionary in order to put it in order one needs to compare verses or passages by subject or topic arrangement. A comprehensive concordance will show where each word is located (minus words like the and a), and in that way one can look up what the Bible writers had to say on each word such as: Earth.

The humble Ethiopian Official of Acts (8:28-31) admitted he could not understand it all without someone to guide him. Jesus wants us to share what we know with others besides being like the people of Acts (17:11) who each day searched or researched Scripture to see if things heard are really so.

James (4:8) says to draw close to God and he will draw close to you.
We draw close to God through prayer (Luke 11:13 b), and through Jesus teachings in Scripture. -1st Cor 2:16.

Ba'al said:

Ok, but many religions recognize Jesus as a great spiritual leader and teach a similar lifestyle. Is that not enough?
So you are saying that God stopped intervening in human affairs? When?

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But are they really doing God's will or their own will?
What the religious leaders of Jesus day taught was not enough. See Matthew chapter 23 to see the reasons why Jesus pronounced many woes against them. James (2:19) shows even devils believe but shudder or tremble. Many, instead of listening to the words that came out of Jesus mouth instead put words in his mouth, so to speak, in order to actually further their own agenda "In His Name".

Romans (15:4) says the things written aforetime (Hebrew OT Scriptures)
are to instruct us. The account of the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of past divine intervention. Isaiah (11:4) and Rev (19:11,15) is showing future divine intervention this time by Jesus words.
So God is still intervening in that nothing nor anyone can do away with the Bible, and no one can stop the proclaiming of the Good News of God Kingdom (Matt 24:14)

Also, notice the divine protection or spiritual protection of John (10:27-29).
None of Jesus humble sheep-like ones can be removed [plucked] out of his hand. Only we then can be the one to choose to remove oneself from his hand. No one else can pry one loose from that protection because as Jesus said in verse 29 that his Father is greater than all.

actual it says in your own bible that god is the doer or all good and evil so this god is allowing all this to happen, this god is not good or merciful, well your god is not.

god does make suffering happen, for the reason of even creating other beings and know the out come is a very evil thing. if you were all knowing then it will be no reason for you to create anything because you already know the outcome, but to do it anyway and know that these beings will suffer is a cruel and evil thing.

harmony999 said:

actual it says in your own bible that god is the doer or all good and evil so this god is allowing all this to happen, this god is not good or merciful, well your god is not.

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Evil in Scripture is not always synonymous with wrong doing.

If God did not allow Adam, as our family head, to have descendants we would not be here. Time has allowed mankind to be born and make choices.
Job 2:4.

After the wicked are warned there is calamity for them in the way of destruction. This includes Satan being destroyed as Hebrews 2:14 B says.

So calamity is used as an evil to rid the earth of the wicked.
Proverbs 2:21,22; 10:30; Psalm 92:7; 27:38; Rev 11:18 B.

harmony999 said:

god does make suffering happen, for the reason of even creating other beings and know the out come is a very evil thing. if you were all knowing then it will be no reason for you to create anything because you already know the outcome, but to do it anyway and know that these beings will suffer is a cruel and evil thing.

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But the outcome, except for destruction of the wicked, is that Jesus can and will undo all the wrongs during his coming 1000-year rule over earth.
Rev 21:4,5; Isa 65:16.17.

When Isaiah (46:10) wrote God knows the end he was talking about God's original purpose for the earth to become a beautiful paradise like Eden will be fulfilled. As to who will be there during Jesus Millennial reign over earth, it is not up to God because he gave us a free gift. That free gift is the gift of voluntary free will. So, except where some prophecies were concerned, God does not use foreknowledge as to each one's choice. There would be no point to 'seek' or be seeking God if we could not do so.
- Acts 17:27; Isa 55:6; Deut 4:29.