"THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING"
Who Or What Causes It?
INTRODUCTION
1. In the previous lesson, we saw through the eyes of one suffering
Christian that SUFFERING can often bring about very positive results:
a. It keeps the world from becoming too attractive
b. It can bring out our best
c. It gives an occasion to silence the enemies of God
d. It makes us appreciative for things often taken for granted
e. It makes us depend on God
f. It can purify us
g. It makes us sympathetic
h. It teaches us how to pray
-- In light of these, perhaps we can begin to understand why God
would allow suffering to exist
2. In this lesson, we shall cover an even more difficult question: "Who
or what is responsible for the suffering which God allows to exist?"
a. Is it the work of God Himself?
b. Is it Satan?
c. Or is it simply natural consequences in a world of cause and
effect?
3. In dealing with this, I do not propose to have all the answers; but
I share with you those thoughts which I believe are in harmony with
the Word of God...
I. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE RESULT OF OUR OWN ACTIONS"
A. GOD HAS CREATED A WORLD GOVERNED BY NATURAL LAWS...
1. Laws of cause and effect
2. Laws of action and reaction
3. Laws of sowing and reaping
B. IF WE VIOLATE THESE LAWS, THE CONSEQUENCES ARE OFTEN GRAVE...
1. Like stepping off a ten story building
2. Or running out in front of a truck
3. Or feeding one's body constantly with "junk" food
4. Or exposing oneself to contagious diseases, dangerous chemicals,
pollution, etc.
C. IN SUCH CASES, SUFFERING IS EXPERIENCED...
1. Because, whether knowingly or unknowingly, some natural law has
been violated
2. It is not because we are evil or because we are good (i.e.,
there is no moral significance to this suffering)
D. WHAT REALLY HURTS, HOWEVER...
1. Is when we suffer because SOMEONE ELSE violates a natural law
2. E.g., a car wreck caused by someone else's carelessness
2. E.g., child abuse by an alcoholic parent
[This explains much of the suffering endured in our lives. Some would
say that ALL suffering is the result of violating natural laws, and
that God or Satan have absolutely no hand in suffering whatsoever.
I believe the Bible teaches otherwise...]
II. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE WORK OF SATAN"
A. THE BIBLE PRESENTS SATAN AS A CAUSE OF SUFFERING...
1. As in the case of Job - Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6
2. As in the case of persecuted Christians - 1 Pe 5:8-9
3. Satan's objective: that we might curse God (as some do when
they experience suffering)
B. BUT WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SATAN TO TEST US SO?
1. Because God is able to use such suffering to make us better!
a. E.g., Paul & his "thorn in the flesh" - 2 Co 12:7-10
b. Remember Ja 1:2-4, that the trying of our faith can
produce good results
2. Also, consider God will do for those who endure Satan's
"shenanigans": "But the God of all grace, who hath called us
unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen,
settle [you]." (1 Pe 5:10)
C. WE CAN ALSO TAKE CONSOLATION IN KNOWING THAT SATAN HAS HIS LIMITS...
1. As in the case of Job, God will let Satan go only so far
2. As promised in Paul's letter to the Corinthians: "...but God
[is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to
escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]." (1 Co 10:13)
[So Satan is often permitted to bring suffering upon the righteous. His
purpose: to devour us, to get us to curse God. But by the grace of God
we are able to use that suffering to perfect, establish, strengthen and
settle ourselves as the children of God!
Is there ever a time when God Himself may bring suffering upon His
children? I believe the Bible teaches there is...]
III. SUFFERING MAY BE "THE CHASTISEMENT OF GOD"
A. THAT GOD CHASTENS HIS CHILDREN IS TAUGHT IN BOTH TESTAMENTS...
1. In the Old Testament:
a. "Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man
chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee."
(Deu 8:5)
b. "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be
weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he
correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he
delighteth." (Pro 3:11-12)
2. In the New Testament:
a. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent." (Re 3:19)
b. "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto
you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the
chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of
him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the
father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not
sons." (He 12:5-8)
B. WHAT WOULD BE GOD'S PURPOSE IN CHASTISING HIS CHILDREN?
1. Certainly not because He delights in doing so - cf. Lam 3:31-33
2. But because it may be necessary...
a. To correct - He 12:9
b. That we may be partakers of His Holiness - He 12:10
c. That we may yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness
- He 12:11
3. Only so we will not be condemned with the world - 1 Co 11:32
C. WHEN WOULD GOD CHASTEN US?
1. Only when we do not correct ourselves! - 1 Co 11:31
2. Only when we are in danger of being condemned with the world!
- 1 Co 11:32
D. HOW DOES GOD CHASTEN HIS CHILDREN?
1. Consider how God tried to correct the erring nation of Israel
- cf. Amos 4:6-12
a. These were not miraculous or supernatural events
b. But acts of nature brought on by the providential working
of God!
2. If God would use His Providence in an attempt to get the nation
of Israel to repent before it was too late...
a. Would not the same loving God use His providential workings
to chastise His erring children today?
b. Does He love us any less? - cf. 1 Co 11:30-32; Re 2:20-23
3. I know of no scriptural reason why God could not or would not
use His Providence to bring about events in our lives which can
hopefully serve to:
a. Wake us up
b. Cause us to reflect on our lives and our relationship to God
c. Encourage us to repent and turn back to Him if we are
straying
CONCLUSION
1. The gist of what I am saying is this: When we experience suffering
in our lives...
a. IT MAY BE WE HAVE VIOLATED SOME LAW OF NATURE
1) In this case, there is no moral significance involved
2) It is not because one is good or bad
b. IT MAY BE THE WORK OF SATAN
1) In this case, it is because we are righteous in God's sight
2) And Satan is trying to devour us, to get us to rebel against God
c. IT MAY BE THE CHASTISEMENT OF GOD
1) If so, it is ONLY because...
a) He loves us
b) He sees that we are heading in a direction which if left
unchecked would result in the damnation of our souls!
2) God won't stop us from sinning, but through His providential
workings in the affairs of this world He might try to get us to
reflect upon what we are doing!
2. CAN WE DETERMINE when any particular suffering is from God, Satan or
neither?
a. I don't believe we can
b. Unless, of course, one's sin is so blatant...
3. HOW THEN SHALL WE REACT TO SUFFERING?
a. IF in every case of suffering we approach it from the viewpoint
that it MIGHT be God in love chastening us...
b. And IF we use the occasion of suffering to:
1) Examine our lives and our relationship with God
2) Draw closer to God...
c. THEN...
1) If it is from God, it FULFILLS His purpose!
2) If it is from Satan, it FRUSTRATES his purpose!
3) If it is neither, it still brings us closer to God!
Our final study will consider how we can best prepare for suffering...
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