One of the most critical questions in Christian religion. Not just unbelievers, but doubting and even some believing Christians ask this question a lot.
God is one phenomenon we will truly never be able to fully comprehend. Not entirely in our lifetime. Seeking to study God is a daunting endeavor that can make one depressed, especially in the light of a fallen world with all the chaos and wickedness going on around us. But God, no matter what we've known or yet to know, is still God. We can only learn what he has revealed to us through His creation, His Son, Jesus Christ, and through the Bible.
Bro Eli Soriano has been very meticulous in bringing up these questions, and providing helpful and useful insights that help us understand the ways of our God better and clearer. Honestly, we can't thank him enough.
The one major reason we suffer, despite God's love – which is eternal everlasting – is CHOICE. We make our own choices just like Adam and Eve did. What we have consistently failed to understand is that there is a Justice system by which the whole universe is governed. We cannot break God's justice system without breaking ourselves. God didn't create us to suffer. He didn't set up this system to punish us. We cannot possibly tell how many years the heavens with all the angels have been before God created the earth, and all therein.
But we can clearly see from the Bible that God's justice system is not only enforceable on earth but also in heaven. The Bible tells us that even the angels in heaven who broke the righteous law of God faced the consequence.
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 1:6 (KJV)
These angels left their place in heaven, came to earth to have illicit affairs with female humans. That was a breach. An act of rebellion. Justice was meted on them. They were sent out of heaven, including Lucifer (Satan). Only the angels who maintained their place in obedience and loyalty to God's righteous order are ever in the presence of God. They have seen the consequence, they dare not disobey.
However, for humans the opposite is the case. We've seen the suffering on earth. The Bible reveals how suffering came into the world. Science confirms it. Yet, man is perpetually living in disobedience. Satan is still instigating rebellion in the hearts of humans through every available means: government policies, economic inequality, religious dogmas, social media etc.
But in all this, God is still calling men into His rest. Still calling us through His love.
But sadly, people don't want God's way.
We cannot keep insisting on our own ways and think it will be good with us. It won't. God’s Justice system cannot be downplayed. We are not that smart.
Thanks for reading.