Discusion: Why do?

[The Punisher]

Why do bad things happen to good people? Especially Christian people?

Wanted to know what everyones thoughts were on this subject?
Let the discusion begin!

[speedpro50]

There are several reasons:

I have read some books and spoken to many Godly knowledgeable people about this subject. There is a book I have not read but will soon (Why Christians get Sick) and I have spoken to several people (a scholar) that have read it and they all liked it.

It breaks it down into 3 reasons why bad things happen:

1. The fallen state of the world

2. Disobedience

3. Trial of Faith (Purging - training)

There is so much to say about this, but the above text is a brief overview!

Lee

[StangTamer]

Originally posted by 281R
Why do bad things happen to good people? Especially Christian people?

Wanted to know what everyones thoughts were on this subject?
Let the discusion begin!


First off I want to say that God doesn't make bad things happen to people. Because, I hear people say that God will make someone sick or give them problems to help put them on the right track.

A good example is Paul. Many people think that the "Thorn in his side" was really a thorn. The "Thorn in his side" was a figure of speech. Example: That guy is a thorn in my side, because he always makes things harder for me. The Bible says Paul went to God three times about his thorn in his side and God said his Grace was sufficent. The thorn was accually pursecution. Paul went through alot of problems. He was stoned, beaten, whipped, thrown in prison (unjustly), shipwrecked, ect. Each time something would happen bad to him he would come out of it Glorifying God.

People think that once you become a Christian you won't have anymore problems. But, it is quite the opposite. You will have more problems. The people that aren't saved and are walking in sin the Devil doesn't have to work on them as much, because they aren't a problem. But, a Christian is going to get the works. The Devil will come at you every way he can. If he can't get to you directly, he will try to go through a friend or family member in order to get to you.

Though we may get more problems. God pulls us out of them. God always makes good out of bad situations. Plus, the problems become smaller to us as we grow in our faith. So something like a large debt might terrify a nonbeliever. But a true believer knows that God is going to pull them out of it.

I think that saying "good people" is kindof a hard word anyway.lol Because we have all fallen short and nobody is perfect. Though I get what you are saying. I think sin in general causes these problems. Wether it is a sin that you did that put you in a certain situation. Or a friend, family member, or an enemy that did. Reguardless it was an unwise choice somebody made that caused the problem. God gave us choice. He is not going to do something to harm us for any reason. But reguardless of what your problem is, it's never to much or to little for God to handle. It just takes faith in God to take care of it.

[speedpro50]

Originally posted by StangTamer

First off I want to say that God doesn't make bad things happen to people. Because, I hear people say that God will make someone sick or give them problems to help put them on the right track.


StangTamer...your the man and I really appreciate all of your comments. I agree with most of them as well. The above statement I believe is incorrect. Maybe you want to clarify it for me, because the rest of your statements seem to somewhat nullify the one above.

Take Job for example. The Bible says he was a righteous man and he always sought after God. Then the Devil comes to God in heaven and says (paraphrasing), "Hey God, if you take away all Job has he will deny you!" God says, "Let's find out". Although God knew Job would not deny him all along. God knew that this experience (or trial - or purging) would build his faith and draw Job closer to God. It did! Job was then blessed (twice as much)!

Also in 1st Peter 1 it speaks of "the trying of your faith is more precious than gold..."

Jesus said he would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. Fire in the Bible represents purging. Gorwth in the Christian life from HARD experiences. We don't grow nearly as much in the easy good times as we do in the tough hard times.

God DOES use bad things, events, situations, sickness, death, etc. to bring His people into obedience and a closer walk.

Remember, God says if you do not receive chastisement (sp?) from Him, you are a bastard and not a child.

Lee

[The Punisher]

Originally posted by 281R
Why do bad things happen to good people? Especially Christian people?

Wanted to know what everyones thoughts were on this subject?
Let the discusion begin!
This is a good discusion so far. My views on the subject are what people are good people? We have all fallen short of God and we continue to fall short. I believe the question more likely is, why do good things happen to bad people? I believe God has his hands in everything that happens on this earth, even Sept 11. Dont know what His involvment was in the matter, but being God over everything, He permissed it to happen. But everything dose work for the good of God's glory. And since God is good, God can bring what we think is good to us, or He can bring His wrath down on us. Which ever one it may be, it all works for His purpose and good. :D

[StangTamer]

Originally posted by speedpro50


StangTamer...your the man and I really appreciate all of your comments. I agree with most of them as well. The above statement I believe is incorrect. Maybe you want to clarify it for me, because the rest of your statements seem to somewhat nullify the one above.

Take Job for example. The Bible says he was a righteous man and he always sought after God. Then the Devil comes to God in heaven and says (paraphrasing), "Hey God, if you take away all Job has he will deny you!" God says, "Let's find out". Although God knew Job would not deny him all along. God knew that this experience (or trial - or purging) would build his faith and draw Job closer to God. It did! Job was then blessed (twice as much)!

Also in 1st Peter 1 it speaks of "the trying of your faith is more precious than gold..."

Jesus said he would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. Fire in the Bible represents purging. Gorwth in the Christian life from HARD experiences. We don't grow nearly as much in the easy good times as we do in the tough hard times.

God DOES use bad things, events, situations, sickness, death, etc. to bring His people into obedience and a closer walk.

Remember, God says if you do not receive chastisement (sp?) from Him, you are a bastard and not a child.

Lee


When I said that God makes good out of bad situations, that is what I mean with Job also. Though God did not kill his family, God did not give Job Boils, ect that was the Devil. God just said that Job had great faith and would not deny him. God just told the Devil that Job would not fail. The Devil pics on everyone. He just couldn't beat Job and God told him so.

Yes, God DOES use bad things, events, situation,sickness, death,ect. to bring his people into obedience and a closer walk. Yet God does not put those situations on people, the devil does. Our God is a good God.

If God was ever going to kill someone, don't you think he would have killed Eve before she ate the apple? That would have solved all our problems. God gave us a choice. I just don't see how it would help anyone if God killed them.

The trying of our faith is more precious than gold. That is true. But again, the Devil is the one who "tries" us, and God stengthens us and gets us through it.

[speedpro50]

Ahhh, But the devil cannot do anything without God's permission. The devil is just a tool God uses to bring us to repentance and a closer walk with Him. Just as God used armies in the OT to defeat His people due to sin, God uses things (and the devil) to bring us to our knees.

Lee

[StangTamer]

Originally posted by speedpro50
Ahhh, But the devil cannot do anything without God's permission. The devil is just a tool God uses to bring us to repentance and a closer walk with Him. Just as God used armies in the OT to defeat His people due to sin, God uses things (and the devil) to bring us to our knees.

Lee


Well, I guess I can agree with you that the Devil is a Tool.:D


When Eve ate the apple it gave the Devil permission to have dominion over the earth. I just think that if you believe that God does bad things to you to teach you a lesson or get you on the right track, that is flat out bondage. God loves us and will never do anything to cause us harm. God is good and the Devill is bad, there is no crossing the line.