One of the most prominent red herrings offered by sceptics concerning God goes like this: "If God is good and all-powerful, why does he allow bad things to happen?" What this question suggests is because "bad" things happen God is not good, is not all-powerful, or He does not exist at all. Better than trying to answer this ill-founded question, logic can be employed to illustrate the folly of it. If the person asking is convinced God is an imaginary construct and the Bible filled with fairy tales, there is no value to entertain hypothetical questions. God's love compels us to engage, not so we can win an argument but ultimately so Jesus can save a soul.
Considering the aim of the question according to the claims of God in His Word, respond to a genuine seeker with questions along these lines: should we doubt the reality of light because darkness exists? Is it right to blame an upstanding judge because criminals commit crimes? Is the law wicked because people insist on breaking it? Is a good shepherd at fault because there are wolves that seek to prey on the flock? "It is not the same thing," some may protest. Well said, for nothing can adequately be compared to God! But reality proves the presence of darkness does not negate the existence of light, for we cannot know one without the other. An honest person will admit it would be silly to blame a good judge because people do wickedness. Whilst we may not agree with laws made by men, God's law is perfectly righteous and our inability to keep it reveals our wickedness: there is none good, no not one. A good shepherd should be commended for putting his own life at risk to save the sheep, not blamed for the existence of hazards.
God is light, and in Him is no darkness. The Bible teaches and assumes God was, is, and will ever be. God graciously formed man in his own image with a conscience, the ability to reason, and the power to choose. God allowed man to sin with the aim of providing redemption through His own death on the cross in the person of Jesus Christ. His love was revealed in dying for us on Calvary, and His power revealed in the resurrection from the dead. God is indeed all-powerful, and He will display this power openly when He judges the world in righteousness. But God is also longsuffering, patient, kind, gracious, merciful, and compassionate. Those stricken with doubt and racked with pain struggle to accept this in difficult times. Yet those trials are the proving ground of our faith, to reveal to us clearly if we love and trust God or if we will deny Him. Doubts, cares, and fear are all swallowed by faith when we breathe in the truth of God's Word.
Let us join in the song with the angels and elders around the throne of God today and always as we read in Revelation 7:12 "...saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen." Our God is good, and let us always ascribe all honour and power to Him!
Considering the aim of the question according to the claims of God in His Word, respond to a genuine seeker with questions along these lines: should we doubt the reality of light because darkness exists? Is it right to blame an upstanding judge because criminals commit crimes? Is the law wicked because people insist on breaking it? Is a good shepherd at fault because there are wolves that seek to prey on the flock? "It is not the same thing," some may protest. Well said, for nothing can adequately be compared to God! But reality proves the presence of darkness does not negate the existence of light, for we cannot know one without the other. An honest person will admit it would be silly to blame a good judge because people do wickedness. Whilst we may not agree with laws made by men, God's law is perfectly righteous and our inability to keep it reveals our wickedness: there is none good, no not one. A good shepherd should be commended for putting his own life at risk to save the sheep, not blamed for the existence of hazards.
God is light, and in Him is no darkness. The Bible teaches and assumes God was, is, and will ever be. God graciously formed man in his own image with a conscience, the ability to reason, and the power to choose. God allowed man to sin with the aim of providing redemption through His own death on the cross in the person of Jesus Christ. His love was revealed in dying for us on Calvary, and His power revealed in the resurrection from the dead. God is indeed all-powerful, and He will display this power openly when He judges the world in righteousness. But God is also longsuffering, patient, kind, gracious, merciful, and compassionate. Those stricken with doubt and racked with pain struggle to accept this in difficult times. Yet those trials are the proving ground of our faith, to reveal to us clearly if we love and trust God or if we will deny Him. Doubts, cares, and fear are all swallowed by faith when we breathe in the truth of God's Word.
Let us join in the song with the angels and elders around the throne of God today and always as we read in Revelation 7:12 "...saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen." Our God is good, and let us always ascribe all honour and power to Him!
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