Facing the Question Honestly

Evil is not an abstraction. It is the diagnosis that explains graveside tears, shattered trusts, persecuted churches, and the ache that groans in creation itself. Scripture never hides this. It opens with a world God made good and ordered: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Every word of Scripture is God-breathed and true, historically anchored, and literally trustworthy. The Bible tells us how evil invaded the world through sin (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12), and how death spread to all. God is light and there is no darkness in Him (1 John 1:5). He tempts no one (James 1:13), and all His ways are just (Deuteronomy 32:4).

The Bible’s Diagnosis: Sin and a Broken World

Scripture locates suffering within a fallen order. The curse touches creation, relationships, and the human heart. Pain is real because rebellion is real (Genesis 3; Romans 6:23). The world is not as it should be, yet God has not abandoned His world.

Suffering typically flows from overlapping sources:

- The fracture of creation under futility and decay (Romans 8:20–22)

- The sins and injustices of others (Genesis 4; Psalm 10)

- Our own sinful choices and their consequences (Galatians 6:7–8; Proverbs 14:12)

- The malice of the evil one and his schemes (1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10)

Yet the Lord uses trials to purify, discipline, and advance His purposes:

- Refining faith more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:6–7)

- Fatherly discipline that yields holiness (Hebrews 12:5–11)

- Advancing the gospel through hardship (Philippians 1:12)

- Equipping us to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3–5)

God Is Good, Sovereign, and Not the Author of Evil

God reigns absolutely. He never sins, and He is never indifferent. The story of Joseph frames this mystery clearly: “As for you, you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20) Job testified through tears, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21)

Scripture holds together human responsibility and divine sovereignty without apology. Wicked hands crucified Jesus, yet it unfolded by God’s definite plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27–28). He works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11), and yet He remains holy, just, and good.

Consider the contours Scripture gives us:

- God ordains without being the author or approver of sin (James 1:13; Habakkuk 1:13)

- Human choices are real, accountable, and morally significant (Romans 2:5–11)

- God brings good from evil without making evil good (Genesis 50:20; Isaiah 5:20)

- Nothing can thwart His purposes for His people (Job 42:2; Romans 8:31–39)

The Cross: God’s Answer in Blood and Glory

God’s ultimate answer to evil is not a syllogism but a Savior crucified and risen. The gospel is historical fact and saving power: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). The cross is the place where justice and mercy meet, where wrath is satisfied and sinners are reconciled.

At the cross, God shamed the powers that tyrannize humanity: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 2:15) The serpent’s head is crushed, even as the Man of Sorrows is pierced for our transgressions (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53; Hebrews 2:14–15).

The cross accomplishes what nothing else could:

- Love displayed for the unlovely (Romans 5:6–8)

- Justice satisfied and sinners justified (Romans 3:21–26; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

- Satan defeated and his works destroyed (Hebrews 2:14–15; 1 John 3:8)

- Peace made and all things reconciled in Christ (Colossians 1:19–20)

The Cross and the Healing of Our Questions

The cross answers the fear that God is distant. Christ entered our suffering, bore our sins, and triumphed over death. He declares, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

The cross answers the protest that God is unjust. In the death of Jesus, God displayed His righteousness so “as to be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:26) He does not sweep evil under the rug; He bears it.

The cross answers the suspicion that God is against us. “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32a) will also keep us to the end. Therefore, “we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

How the Cross Reframes Suffering for Disciples

Discipleship is cross-shaped. Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23) This is not stoicism; it is love that chooses the narrow road because Christ is worth it.

We walk the same pattern our Lord walked. “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Our light and momentary afflictions work an eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:16–18), and the testing of faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–7).

Practices that train the heart to live this way:

- Lament truthfully before God, without pretense (Psalm 13; 42; 62)

- Pray boldly and persistently, trusting the Spirit’s help (Philippians 4:6–7; Romans 8:26–27)

- Obey in the ordinary with resilient love: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

- Stay embedded in Christ’s body for mutual care (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24–25)

- Serve the suffering with tangible mercy (Luke 10:33–37; James 1:27)

- Fight sin and resist the devil with God’s armor (Romans 13:14; Ephesians 6:10–18; 1 Peter 5:8–9)

Equipped for Mission in a Hurting World

The problem of evil is a doorway for gospel witness. People carrying unspoken pain seldom need quick fixes. They need the crucified and risen Christ, shared by cruciform servants.

A simple, faithful approach:

- Listen with patience and tears (Proverbs 18:13; Romans 12:15)

- Connect their story to the Bible’s story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration (Genesis 1–3; Revelation 21–22)

- Speak of Christ crucified and risen with clarity and gentleness (1 Corinthians 1:23; 15:3–4; 1 Peter 3:15–16)

- Call for repentance and faith, the path of life (Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30–31)

- Walk with them in community, not merely in counsel (Acts 2:42–47)

This is Spirit-dependent work. He convicts, comforts, and creates new hearts (John 16:8–11; Acts 1:8).

Guardrails for the Soul

Suffering can deform or deepen the soul. Scripture gives wise guardrails for the narrow path.

- Beware unbelief and a hardened heart (Hebrews 3:12–13)

- Refuse bitterness and repay with forgiveness (Ephesians 4:31–32; Colossians 3:13)

- Shun glib explanations and receive God’s mystery in humility (Job 38–42; Deuteronomy 29:29)

- Never call evil good or good evil (Isaiah 5:20)

- Keep sowing good seed, even when you feel weak (Galatians 6:9; Romans 12:21)

Remain in the Word, at the Table, and among the saints. Christ sustains what He commands.

The End of Evil: The Sure Horizon

Evil’s days are numbered. The Lamb will return, judge with righteousness, and renew all things. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Resurrection is not metaphor but promise secured by the empty tomb (1 Corinthians 15:20–28, 50–58). Until that day, we take courage in Christ’s victory and live as people of unshakable hope (John 16:33; Romans 8:18–25).

Conclusion: The Narrow Road and Living Hope

The problem of evil meets its match at the cross. There, God’s holy love answers sin, secures justice, defeats the devil, and opens the way to glory. Therefore we trust, obey, serve, and proclaim, confident that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:31–39).

Scripture affirms both divine sovereignty and human accountability. The crucifixion is the clearest instance: human agents sinned freely, yet their deeds fulfilled God’s set purpose (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27–28). God “works out everything according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11), and humans are truly responsible (Romans 2:5–11).

Helpful anchors:

- God ordains ends and means, including prayers, preaching, and perseverance (2 Thessalonians 2:13–15; James 5:16–18)

- Providence never excuses sin or cancels repentance (Luke 13:1–5)

- Mystery remains, but Scripture’s pattern is consistent and trustworthy (Proverbs 16:33; Isaiah 46:9–10)

Natural Evil and the Adamic Curse

Earthquakes, cancers, and famines echo Eden’s rupture. Creation was subjected to futility and longs for liberation (Romans 8:20–22). The cross secures that cosmic renewal, reconciling all things and making peace by the blood of the cross (Colossians 1:19–20).

Pastoral implications:

- Lament the brokenness without blaming sufferers (John 9:1–3)

- Hold out the sure hope of new creation bodies and a healed world (1 Corinthians 15; Revelation 21–22)

- Serve creation-care and neighbor-love as gospel fruit, not substitutes for the gospel (Titus 2:11–14; Micah 6:8)

The Emotional Problem of Evil

Logic matters, but tears often speak louder than syllogisms. The Psalms authorize honest lament, even from the lips of our Lord (Psalm 22; 69; Matthew 27:46). Christ is a sympathetic High Priest who knows grief from the inside (Hebrews 4:14–16; John 11:33–36).

Wise practices:

- Give space for sorrow and silence before offering counsel (Job 2:12–13)

- Pray Scripture back to God when words feel thin (Psalm 42–43; Romans 8:26–27)

- Rehearse God’s unbreakable promises amid pain (Lamentations 3:21–24; Romans 8:31–39)

Why God Delays Justice

God’s patience is salvation. He delays final judgment to gather the nations through repentance (2 Peter 3:9, 15; Romans 2:4). His timing is perfect, and His justice will be done on the last day (Acts 17:30–31; Revelation 20:11–15).

Hold these together:

- Confidence in God’s righteous retribution (2 Thessalonians 1:5–10)

- Commitment to love enemies and leave vengeance to God (Romans 12:17–21)

- Urgency in mission while the door of mercy stands open (Matthew 24:14; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21)

Atonement: Penal, Substitutionary, and Triumphant

The cross is many-faceted, but it is not ambiguous. Christ bore wrath in our place, fulfilling the Law and securing our justification (Romans 3:24–26; Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53). At the same time, He crushed the serpent and triumphed over principalities (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14–15).

Clarity that serves proclamation:

- Penal substitution grounds assurance and peace of conscience (Romans 5:1; 8:1)

- Christus Victor grounds courage in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10–18)

- Both are held together in the apostolic gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

The Church as a Cross-Shaped Community

Local churches embody the answer to evil by practicing cruciform love. We carry one another’s burdens, restore gently, and persist in good works (Galatians 6:1–10).

Concrete habits:

- Hospitality to the weary and wounded (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9)

- Church discipline that protects and heals (1 Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1)

- Mercy ministries that adorn the gospel (Matthew 5:16; James 1:27)

- Suffering borne with integrity as a witness to the world (Colossians 1:24; Philippians 1:27–30)

Perseverance Under Fire

When trials intensify, Scripture calls us to entrust our souls to God and keep doing good. “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:19)

Strength for the long haul:

- Fix your eyes on Christ and His promises (Hebrews 12:1–3; 10:35–39)

- Feed on the Word and prayer daily (Matthew 4:4; Acts 6:4)

- Lean on the Spirit’s sufficiency when weak (2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Galatians 5:16–25)

Living and Speaking the Better Story

Evil says life is meaningless and might makes right. The cross says God is just and justifies sinners through the blood of His Son. It gives a sturdier story to live and to share.

Simple gospel flow in conversations:

- Creation and dignity under God (Genesis 1:26–28; Psalm 8)

- Fall and universal guilt (Romans 3:9–23; Ephesians 2:1–3)

- Christ crucified and risen for sinners (1 Corinthians 15:3–4; Romans 5:6–11)

- Repentance, faith, and new life in the Spirit (Mark 1:15; John 3:16–17; Titus 3:3–7)

- Hope of restoration and judgment with mercy (Revelation 21–22; Acts 17:30–31)

Until the trumpet sounds, we live under the banner of the cross, steady in hope, zealous in love, and confident that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).