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Note: Each week we will post a brief excerpt from an article that deals with some of the BIG issues of our faith. We do not intend to stir up arguments or controversy, but rather to engage in a healthy discussion of relevant issues.  So please act respectfully as we dive deeper into the Scriptures. 

CURRENT TOPIC: Good and Evil - Why is there suffering?

From: Evil Redux: Revisiting An Old Question by Malcolm Murdock - Relevant Magazine
In the book of John (chapters 12, 14 and 16), Jesus refers to the devil as “the prince of this world,” and in Mark chapter 3 He likens this world to a “strong man’s house,” with the devil as the “strong man” who owns it. In essence, the message of the Scriptures is that, due to humanity’s sinful rebellion, God has temporarily ceded “rule” of the Earth over to the devil.

When wrestling with the problem of suffering and evil, it’s helpful to take this broader view. A person can go crazy trying to figure out why some specific bad thing has happened to some specific individual, but in light of our living in enemy-occupied territory, suffering begins to make a bit more sense. In enemy-occupied territory, everyone suffers. Some more than others (and some vastly more), but no one gets out unscathed. According to Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians this world is quite literally a spiritual war zone (Ephesians 6:12), and if there’s one immutable fact about a war zone, it’s that anyone caught in the middle is going to have a hard time of it. Unfortunately, if you live on planet Earth, there’s nowhere you can go to escape the war.

Over the next several weeks, we will be continuing this discussion with updated posts & viewpoints.

Verses to consider:
1 John 3:19-20
Job 1:21b
1 Peter 4:19
Ecclesiastes 7:1
Isaiah 55:8-9

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