Many in this world are quick to point out that “if there is a good God, why is there evil and suffering in the world?” Why can’t God just get rid of evil? Why does God allow the innocent to suffer? Dr. Norm Geisler makes this defense of God.

First of all God is all-powerful. God is the creator. He made everything perfectly. We have order in the universe. If God is not all-powerful then we could not set our clocks, build anything, breathe each day, and have consistency in the atmosphere, temperature, seasons, water, gravity and even mathematics. If God is not all-powerful then we would not have any real hope that the sun would come up tomorrow. God is all-powerful.

Secondly, God is all good. God created everything good. God created man good. But God, in His goodness, gave man freedom and choice. God won’t force man to follow Him, nor will He force man to make good choices. That’s up to each individual. No person ever says, “Down with freedom. I hate freedom. I will do everything my mother and father say.” No one wants that. So freedom and choice is a good thing from God.

But unfortunately, God kicked man out of the Garden of Eden because of His choice to do evil. Therefore all of creation has been placed in a fallen state. That’s why we have tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and floods. The Bible says that the world is in upheaval because of sin, man’s choice to do evil.

But even in man’s fallen state God allows a person to choose to follow Him or thumb his nose at him. God loves mankind, but forced love is not love. If a young man says to a young lady, ”I love you and I want to marry you.” She says, ”I like you, but I don’t love you, and I don’t want to marry you.” The young man says, ”I will make you love me!” Is that love? No, that is forced love and forced love is rape. God loves us and offers His love to us, but He will not force anyone to love Him or serve Him.

Remember Jesus said, “Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, How I would have gathered you as a Hen gathers her chicks but you would not.” It’s not God’s fault that men won’t turn to Him and have chosen evil.

This fallen world gives us murderers, terrorists, wars and fighting among people. People choose evil. We have children and adults suffering tragedies and diseases because we are in a fallen world. If you are suffering right now, know that God, the divine architect of the universe, doesn’t build a staircase that goes to nowhere. Your life and your suffering are not going unnoticed by a loving God. God is using your suffering and pain to bring everything to a good purpose.

God allows the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust. He allows the events of this world to unfold as they will. That’s the freedom God gives to his creation and to each of us because He is good and loves us.

In defense of God, we know that God is all-powerful and is all good. Since He is these two things, we know He will bring all things to a good purpose. Therefore this is the best possible world to bring about a perfect world one day, where no one will choose evil and every man will get what he has chosen in this life.

Choose wisely, my friend.

Watch sermons and read sermon texts and other articles at www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Watch his sermons on Facebook by going to his page, “Jack Ward.”