why do bad things happen to good people

[jpdinar]

I would say that none of us are truly good. That is why we need Jesus to cover our sins. Surely, I cannot argue that some are really evil and some are really good but when compared to God none is good. I think just as good is allowed to happen to evil people that bad is allowed to happen to good people. The rain falleth on the just and the unjust. But.....eventually what you plant will grow up. Eventually, what you sow you will reap. jmho

Romans 3 9-19

No One Is Righteous

9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;

11 there is no one who understands;

there is no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.”

13 “Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit.”[c]

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[d]

14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[e]

15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and misery mark their ways,

17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[f]

18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g]

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Psalm 14:3

3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;

there is no one who does good,

not even one.

Matthew 5: 43-48 Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Very nicely said Colt.

Edited November 15, 2011 by jpdinar

[KrispyKreme]

It is a simple answer: S I N

This is not the world that the Almighty created or wanted or His creation. SIN entered and all creation morns. Rom 1:1ff; Rom 8:18-23,

Good will triumph over evil - Rev 20:10-12.

Be enlightened: Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1

[Charles A]

"Why do bad things happen to good people?" contains a false premise: That there are "good" people.

[Goldeelox]

...it rains on the "just" and the "unjust" alike.

[Nelg]

When I see God I'm going to ask Him why he allowed pain, suffering, injustice, when He could have done something about it!

Of course he might ask me, "Why didn't you do something about it?"

[Nelg]

WHY DOESN'T GOD STOP ALL EVIL, AND LET US LIVE IN PEACE?

This question involves another very telling assumption. A loving God should completely control the world, in order to stop pain and suffering. But, the control of our lives should be left to us.

If we look at this assumption, we see it uncovers a basic fallacy in our belief system. We believe that life without pain and suffering is good, and that life with pain and suffering is bad.

Looking at any tragic situation, it is extremely difficult (sometimes impossible) to see how it can turn out to be good. But, God is an expert at taking something very bad and turning it into something very good. Because, God is all wise and knowing, because He can work in the future, as easily as in the present, He knows exactly the kind of good He can bring out of any tragedy.

But, why should I think He can do something with my difficult situation? I can tell you. He took the very worst thing that has ever happened in human history, and made it into the very best thing that has ever happened in human history.

The worst event in history was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. God, the creator, suffered and died the most horrible of deaths.

Down through history God had worked in many ways to bring man back to Himself. His final, grand effort culminated in the coming of Jesus Christ. But, this seemed to have failed. There He was, in agony, hanging on a cross (pain and suffering at its height). His words even sounded pitiful, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me." "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." (Isa. 53:3) "We considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted." (Isa. 53:4)

Nobody watching the crucifixion could call it good. No one could see its value. In His agony, He experienced every pain that anyone would ever suffer. So, He can completely sympathize. But, nobody saw that happening. It was simply a terrible ending to a very good thing. Satan must have been laughing hysterically. The victory was his. He had won.

But, Satan could not have been more deluded. When Christ said, "It is finished," it was an announcement of total triumph. Satan had been defeated. Our sins had been paid for. And, on that first Easter morning, the truth of triumph became evident, He walked out of the tomb. Christ understands all our pain, because He entered into it completely, and He gained victory over it for us.

In the most dramatic way possible, we see God changing tragedy into triumph. This is a model of how God so often works in our lives. Jesus illustrated the two essential elements, moving from tragedy to triumph when He said,…

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds" (John 12:24). Through death, one seed produces much fruit and many seeds. That one seed can be a person, whose loss brings a new perspective and a great change in loved ones, or it may be our own ego and dreams. It is usually through pain that our own plans and dreams (those made independently of Him) die, but through that, God can give us a truly productive life.

I can't tell you how any specific tragedy will produce good. In fact, if we bathe ourselves in anger and self-pity saying, "Where was God?" it probably won't. But, many highly effective Christians tell us that God used a time of suffering to bring the very best out of them. After years of confinement, Solzhenitsyn wrote "Bless you prison, for having been in my life."

The ironic thing about wanting God to stop all evil, pain, and suffering, is that we want Him to do it without interrupting our plans and pursuits. It could be done, but in order for God to stop all evil, He would have to be in control. He would have to rule the life of everyone. So, the question is, in exchange for being rid of all evil, pain, and suffering, what percentage of earth's population would willingly submit to His authority? If the love and compassion of God's heart ruled ours, there would be little reason for pain and suffering. The sticky issue is reflected in a cartoon, in which two turtles are talking about God.

But, the idea of God ruling is not far-fetched. In fact, one day Jesus will return, and He will literally destroy all evil and injustice, including those who will oppose His right to rule (1Thess 1:8-10). This is the consummation of human history. It may come very soon, but God is delaying it for only one reason. There are still souls to be saved.

In the mean time, God uses our tragedies. C. S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

[kliklok00]

But, the idea of God ruling is not far-fetched. In fact, one day Jesus will return, and He will literally destroy all evil and injustice, including those who will oppose His right to rule (1Thess 1:8-10). This is the consummation of human history. It may come very soon, but God is delaying it for only one reason. There are still souls to be saved.

My question---What are the souls being saved from?

My answer---From one of God's creations.

And that makes no sense...especially since the very place they are going to go when saved is a place where bad things do not happen. If we can have an existence (in heaven) where nothing bad ever happens, why are we waiting for that place to arrive? Why not just put us there from the beginning instead of allowing so many people to suffer---some eternally? And don't tell me everyone has a choice---there are BILLIONS of people who are born, live a life, then die, and they NEVER know Christ existed. Those folks are doomed for eternal hell why???? Because their Creator kept them in the dark? Where is the love in that?

[ems]

When the Christians try to convert the whole world they bring western Greek-Roman corruption, loss of family values, political re-writing of history etc................look at the church and pedophilia!

You’re making a lot of generalizations about Christians, Bubbe. Are you referring to Roman Catholics or evangelical Christians? Your mention of the church and pedophilia has me thinking about the Roman Catholic Church and its leadership that covered up or allowed many perverted priests to do the unthinkable with children. However, not all priests acted in that manner and it would be wrong of us to accuse them of that. Furthermore, the RC Church has also been a big proponent of the pro-life movement and traditional marriage, both solid family values.

While some pastors in the Evangelical Church have been caught in adultery (and probably pedophilia as well in some cases), it would be wrong to bring your accusations against the Church as a whole. Similarly, some Jewish Rabbis have been caught in pedophilia (one site lists 87 of them: http://groups.google.com/group/nyc.general/msg/47836435a6b55c60? ), but it would be wrong to accuse all of the same crimes. Additionally, some Jews are big players in Hollywood, which is guilty of “destroying family values and re-writing history.” Furthermore, as a voting block, Jews have traditionally voted for Democrats, which are pro-abortion. Are they guilty of Greek-Roman corruption?

The common factor in RC churches, the evangelical churches and synagogues is that they are all filled with humans. And as humans, we are all guilty of sins. We aren’t guilty of the same sins, but the sins we each have keep us separated from God, because He is holy. He cannot look upon corruption.

If you consider the evangelical preacher Billy Graham and the deceased Roman Catholic nun Mother Theresa, we may hold them in high esteem for their exemplary lives, but God looks upon their most righteous acts as if they were filthy rags. “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags…” (Isaiah 64:6) Imagine that, filthy rags! Them?!! Who would have associated them with filthy rags?

You mentioned King David. Not only did he not try to kill Absolom, he never tried to kill King Saul, despite David having been anointed king by Samuel. God even called David “a man after My own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:21) And yet what is David also guilty of? Adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah! David was human. We are human. David sinned. We sin. We are separated from God because of that sin. And that is why He sent His Son, Jesus: to make permanent payment for our sins so that we would not be separated from God. The blood sacrifices in the Temple that were performed 2,000 years ago simply covered sins and had to be repeated annually. Jesus, however, ended that practice by sacrificing Himself. As He said on the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

Final thought: Jesus was a Jew. He was highly regarded as a rabbi. He was the Christ, from which Christians get their name. Was Jesus guilty of spreading Greek-Roman corruption and the loss of family values? Of course not! However, humans who claim to be Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and other religions unfortunately bring shame upon their religion because of their giving in to temptation and sinning against God and their fellow man. The only generalization we can safely make is that humans sin and will continue to sin until God destroys entropy and establishes perfect order in His new kingdom. Only then will we cease entirely from sin and only then will we cease to disappoint our fellow man.

[Nelg]

But, the idea of God ruling is not far-fetched. In fact, one day Jesus will return, and He will literally destroy all evil and injustice, including those who will oppose His right to rule (1Thess 1:8-10). This is the consummation of human history. It may come very soon, but God is delaying it for only one reason. There are still souls to be saved.

My question---What are the souls being saved from?

My answer---From one of God's creations.

And that makes no sense...especially since the very place they are going to go when saved is a place where bad things do not happen. If we can have an existence (in heaven) where nothing bad ever happens, why are we waiting for that place to arrive? Why not just put us there from the beginning instead of allowing so many people to suffer---some eternally? And don't tell me everyone has a choice---there are BILLIONS of people who are born, live a life, then die, and they NEVER know Christ existed. Those folks are doomed for eternal hell why???? Because their Creator kept them in the dark? Where is the love in that?

I don't understand! There are people that have died because of disease all over the world! From the beginning of time sickness and death have been rampant. And all the time doctors have had cures for their disease. How unjust for these doctors to not give them the medicine they needed then and now! We have the production capabilities, the correct formula of antibiotics, and still people are dying. These doctors and pharmaceutical companies are totally unjust and prejudicial. Why don't they just just medicate everyone and save everyone from these sicknesses? I have seen people all over the world die because of hunger and sickness! Where is our love for mankind? We just want to let them die! Where is the love in that???

[F35VTAIL]

THAT'S EASY.......ECCLESIASTES 9:11

[Parman]

First post but had to comment on this one. Through various teachings I have received from Pastors and others I believe that the reason bad things happen to good people is that we live in a fallen world and bad is going to happen regardless of what we do.