Brad Alles

In the last two blogs, I talked about why suffering occurs.  Pain and suffering is a part of our existence due to humanity’s choice to violate God’s will.  Disease, disaster, and death occur around us because of Adam and Eve’s fall.  When the first humans rebelled against God’s decree, they brought suffering into the human experience.  There will never be a perfect planet on this side of Judgment Day because of that. 

But suffering also occurs because of sinful choices that we make.  While nature is imperfect because of Adam and Eve’s transgression, our sinful nature continues to make things unbearable for our life and those around us.  Just watch the news on TV, online, or in the paper.  Everyday is filled not only with natural disasters, but man-made onesas well.  Murder, rape, theft, adultery and the like permeate the daily news.

This reality of sinful people living in a sinful world must be understood: until Judgment Day, God will not remove free will.  We often ask, “Why didn’t God stop the ______?”   Whether it was murder, rape, or abuse, we can’t grasp why God didn’t supernaturally intervene. 

But for God to stop every evil that man perpetrates on man would mean that it is Judgment Day.  On the Last Day, no one can commit another sin against God and others because Jesus will return and commence judgment on all.  This is why Revelation 22:11 says, “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.”

In the end, there are only two paths: God’s or man’s.  One leads to damnation due to sin; the other to salvation due to Jesus’ perfect life and atoning sacrifice.  While there is suffering here due to the imperfection of nature and the sinfulness of humanity’s nature, there is comfort in heaven due to the redemption of Jesus Christ.

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).