Thursday, January 25, 2018

How could a good God allow suffering?

If that’s the Christian’s God who allows suffering I don’t want anything to do with him/her or it.

There are other similar responses to suffering by unbelievers and believers alike, but I think this will suffice for you to get the picture. Some of this responses are often laced with a heavy, thick coat of vile, foul profanities so as to either foment a froth of real substance or to incite and intimidate Christians. These responses to the problem of suffering serve a multi-purpose to deny, indict and condemn God, but also they are also not much more than a pretext to exalt oneself to a higher more noble, moral plane than, for unbelievers of a would-be God, and for believers of God who allows such suffering. It is not likely that those who espouse these responses to suffering would argue that these are well thought-out viewpoints. Mostly these are in the manner of a hit-and-run tactic. They are a means to push aside that whole God thing. It is hardly a solution to the problem of suffering much less the willingness to confront the struggle to understand suffering.

The defamation and moral indictment of God as being either a weak God or an uncaring God who is unable to stop suffering plays well. It may seem like a death blow to God, but it is hardly any such thing. It purports to make a moral judgment, but on what basis? A hit-and-run? Just as one might have empathy for the person whom they see suffering unjustly at the hands of their tormentor should one assume or expect that the same observer would be inclined to extend the same empathy for the tormentor when the tables are turned and the tormentor becomes the tormented? In the court of justice one person’s whims or prejudices against another are not the substance upon which a judicial process renders its verdict. The court will not hear charges without the presentation of an argument and evidence against the accused. However merely making a charge appears to be sufficient to content those who rail indictment and condemnation against God.

Suffering is not a philosophic debate for God. It is an ugly reality. Suffering is just one of many fractures of all human and animal life experience. Suffering ought to suggest to anyone who ponders the question of suffering, not just to look for someone to blame for the suffering, but to ask why is there suffering. This is where God demonstrates, unlike human beings, that he is not petty. He is quite willing to have to do even with that person who does not believe in him and who despises him. Cain knew God. He interacted with God. Yet Cain chose to defy God. Even after the first ever one-on-one counseling session with God [1] Cain went ahead and murdered his brother Abel. This marked the first act of violence, of suffering, in the extreme form in the death of Abel. The murder of Abel happened well after the beginning of suffering, that is, sin, the transgression of Adam and Eve to the commandment of God. Much later God, according to what he purposed before the foundation of the world willingly humbled himself to step into the world in the form of a man. [2]

There was no grandstanding. There was no trumpet blowing to announce for all the identity of Jesus. He did not submit proofs of anything to anyone. Those who were more discerning and without guile discerned and understood. What he did submit was himself to suffering. It was through what the Begotten Son explained (John 1:18) that God has put his trust, hope and desire for all men to understand about God. It is a matter for every man, woman and child to realize and discover for themselves though not necessarily, as though it were a requirement, by themselves. It was after the fact of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus that the disciples learned of the reason for his suffering. It was in order that all who have seen or experience suffering and believe in him might have a high priest who has been tempted and can sympathize with them in their every weakness. [3] It is a fitting and appropriate question to shout out:

How could a good God allow his own son to suffer?

Let’s make that a little more personal. How could a father allow his son to suffer? Let’s make this a little more personal. How could the Father allow Jesus his son to suffer?

Typically, what the would-be moralist fails to examine or consider is why there is suffering or that there is unjust suffering (such as when no wrong has been committed) and unjust suffering. (such as when a wrong has been committed) This is a broken world. Every one of us incurs some of our suffering as the result of our actions and whether or not those actions are witting or unwitting or right or wrong these are merely different ways of referring to the root of the problem, sin, the transgression against the will of God.

However, in the case of Jesus the scriptures attest repeatedly that he did no wrong and there was no sin in him. The depth and degree of the suffering of Jesus was such that the apostle Paul states that God made Jesus, who knew no sin to BE SIN. [4] Conversely, Paul states, we have BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS of God. When you look in the mirror you may not look anymore than righteousness than Jesus looks like sin, but that is what the disciple of Jesus has BECOME and that is what Jesus was MADE TO BE. It raises another fitting and appropriate question:

How was Jesus made to be sin?

It is of no consequence whether or not you believe in God or whether you choose a preferred term other than the word sin for that which is wrong. The most practical approach would be to identify something which you did, thought or said which by your own terms, not anyone else’s terms, is wrong. The process by which you came to do, think or say that which is wrong begin with a desire to want to do, think or say what, in accordance with your own standard, was wrong. This is what the scriptures call temptation. You can call it by whatever term you prefer.

Then, came the consequences after you succumbed to do, think or say what you knew was wrong. No one may know about it, but you do. This is what the scriptures call suffering. You can call it by whatever term you prefer.

Lastly, with the suffering comes death. This is not necessarily a physical death. Let’s refrain from calling it a spiritual death and in that manner obscure the reality of the wrong which afflicts us through our own doing. The eventual outcome of life for all is physical death.

So, how was Jesus made to be sin? He, like us, was tempted, but unlike us there was no desire in him to indulge in the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh or the pride of life. This is what is said of Eve. [5] This is what is said of every believer. [6] This is what the scripture attests of Jesus. [7] The only desire in the heart of Jesus was to do the will of the Father. He did not succumb to temptation.

Yet even though he did not succumb to that by which he was tempted (in all things as we are) he suffered. He suffered unjustly. The suffering of Jesus was not limited to his verbal abuse, beatings and crucifixion.

Lastly, just as all men who have died, Jesus died. This is the ultimate reality which all men can expect. Death does not know or care whether or not you resisted temptation or suffered unjustly. Certainly, death made no special concession for Jesus, the Son of God. Death was the ultimate reality which was to be confronted and defeated through what Jesus foretold openly in the presence of friend and foe alike, the resurrection from the dead. This is how Jesus was made to be sin. Just as we are tempted Jesus was tempted, too. Just as we suffer, Jesus suffered, too. Just as we die, Jesus died, too.

This is why a good God allowed his Son to suffer.

The writer of Hebrews (5:8) declares of the Son, that is, of Jesus,

8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

And again, the apostle Paul testifies,

32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all,how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 

18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 
And

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 

15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14, 15)

conclusion
There is little merit in merely protesting suffering and casting blame. This reflects neither a desire to understand the reason for suffering or a response to that suffering. If we are to look at suffering in this world and pin it on God let’s look at the suffering of his Son. It is not philosophic debate. It is a reality that Jesus, like us, was tempted, suffered and died. Yet, he rose up from the dead through the power of the resurrection to defeat death, the ultimate enemy of every human being. This is why a good God allowed his Son to suffer.

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