Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, Q&A session #1

[@waynegrobler7432]

Thank you for posting these genuine preachers. 🙏

[@tonimontgomery4048]

I miss him. Dr. R. C. Sproul has blessed my life immensely. I could listen to his teaching all day. 😔🙏🏽❤️💙💚💜💚💝💖💯

[@thomasspringer5738]

I was diagnosed with a terminal illness at birth called life. Every sentient being has an appointment with life's first death of the flesh. And only by God's grace can we be saved ! I finally understand what Jesus meant when he said " my grace is sufficient. " And I thank God for even considering grace I certainly can't even hope to be given me by my nature. Thank God for his glory, Amen !

[@mpullman2739]

Thank you for this videos. They bring consolation to the grieving soul

[@hannahrosa5485]

A little girl is tortured and we ask, Where is God? He is there. He picks her up in his gentle arms and sings a love song. And when it's over, he wakes her up with no memory of the horrible experience. God keeps her close and when she grows into adulthood she begins to remember the experience and the pain she experienced. Her healing comes as she remembers the song and the comfort she felt in his arms. I am that girl.

[@themedialies6613]

Flower girl.. that's very very moving. Wow!!

[@pollyscookies9180]

Beautiful. @Jnia

[@gryndkommeted1362]

RIP sir. Just found out of your passing. You gave me many different ways to view God. Thank you

[@stephaniec.2520]

This was fabulously helpful. Thank you to Ligonier Sorry if name icon comes up 2x. Some sort of computer glitch. RC is very missed and the emphasis on the gospel is so core and thought provoking.

[@5crownsoutreach]

The problem we have is the connection EVIL has with SUFFERING. Evil has real consequences on undeserving bystanders. There is evil both morally from people and evil in the world under which the creation continues to labor that was not originally there. We cannot accuse everyone who suffers as having committed some evil, as Sproul has pointed out with the example of the book of Job. Little doubt that all evil originally comes from unbelief of truth, but not every human who suffers has unbelief.

[@arakseepoom5784]

fair point. it, however, doesn't exactly solve the problem of evil/God, does it?

[@franklinhuwe4353]

Evil exists because of sin! Genesis 3:17 ".....:cursed is the ground for thy sake;.... Sin is the immorality/disobedience of man against God. Evil is the result of the curse upon man's sin/immoral behavior against GOD.

[@zachleroux8410]

Evil exist because of sin, sin exist because of the law, the law exist because of God.

[@zachleroux8410]

Evil exist because of sin, sin exist because of the law, the law exist because of God.

[@almamoore8446]

Remember in the garden of Eden were trees for fruit, the tree of life and the tree of good and evil, the only tree which they were not to eat was the tree of Good and evil'

[@brianmgrim]

Am I correct that it was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

[@imboss3879]

Evil comes from demons, our hearts and Satan. All three are bad. All things are His servants and tools. God uses are things as raw materials to build what he chooses. For example, kingdoms to discipline, deaths to change the course of history, martyrs to glorify himself and as a proof of their faith, etc.

[@tybuzz67]

both speakers seems to have a hard time trying to explain why we suffer, still I am thankful GOD that they both tried tto answer that as truthfully in relation to the Scriptures and to the Sovereign and merciful GOD.

[@Xxxxxx19-p1c]

SpideySpeaks They explained it perfectly. Their manner of speaking represents discerning thought necessary when explaining a divine doctrine to unbelievers or to new Christians. Please don’t allow their verbal hesitations to distract you from the Truth they explain.

[@Xxxxxx19-p1c]

A study of the book of Job can bring clarity for you.

[@LiezlVN]

Because it is a trigger topic. We don't know what people are going thru😢

[@maryjaneferris9212]

I have always been told that children under a certain age go to heaven. I can't even imagine that only elect infants go to heaven. That is ludicrous!

[@brianmgrim]

Who told you this? Did they give you scriptural validation of their teaching? Or did they exercise temporal authority?

[@john1-29_aka_LHT-LFA]

wheere is the difference between the elect child, the elect teenager and the elect adult?

[@howardmanley3388]

I don't think anyone knows where evil comes from.

[@nojustno1216]

Howard Manley Well, God created lucifer. God knew he would turn on him with 1/3 of the angels, so why? I don't get it...

[@aprilholton1150]

Here is a thought: It comes from the evil one!!! Better known as satan the deceiver, or lucifer.....

[@marcomx323]

Gods always present. The thing is He is in control of all things and all of us as his creation are under His rule. According to Jesus Christ himself there are no good or perfect individuals only God is holy and perfect and, Gods wrath/judgement is held back by his own will on a naturally rebellious and disobedient people. God if he would choose, would have all and only right to wipe the slate clean. But he hasn't. For reasons of His own pleasure for he is the only truly correct and perfect being not created but creator. Gods in control of all things including himself and he judges not on humanistic terms but on ultimate and eternal and personal aspects of his being which are never changing and wrath as also love and patience as justice are within his being. Jesus as God the son shows us a reason for even suffering. God has a purpose for all things past present and to come in our finite time. God gave us the opportunity to exist and ultimately to view His awesome power in times to come. We believe that were the ultimate but were just fooling ourselves. God does and has all and only right to do as he wants. All glory and power to the never changing loving holy righteous sovereign all mighty eternal true God. I did not choose to believe in Him I denied the mere concept of God from a young age. But now I believe because He opened my eyes I did and do not deserve salvation but judgement yet through Christ Jesus not through me I have pardon and everlasting life. I and all are law breakers deserving Judgement from the ultimate and perfect being yet he shows mercy to the enemy.

[@brettgarandza683]

It is true that God created Lucifer. However, God did not create evil. It is said that God is everything which is good. Evil is the absence of good. Lucifer CHOSE to be absent from God due to free will. He is incredibly narcissistic and that is what led him to think he was better than the Almighty God. Be humble brothers and sisters! And may God bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

[@Orangeokie7]

Although Calvinist theology brings up some interesting points I still can't understand how God would not be the author of evil if he decrees and controls everything. When Joseph says "I know you meant it for evil but God meant it for good," if God decreed Joseph's brothers to perform an evil act how is that not God doing evil and then making something good come out of it? That makes God kind of sinister in my opinion.

[@RZI1016]

He does it by removing His restraining grace. Imagine turning off a light bulb, everything gets dark. Light itself doesn't cause darkness, but the absence of it. When God stops restraining, evil emerges without Him creating/authoring it per se.

[@AtWarWithShadows]

God is not the author of evil because He does not produce evil. He is in total control of whatever it is that Satan does and Satan is evil and he produces evil.

[@nojustno1216]

Alyx This is the one thing that I struggle with the most. God knows all, so why place Satan in the perfect, sinless garden of eden to tempt man when he knew what would happen? Why torment Job, a righteous man, who suffered the loss of his children, wealth and his very health. Then when he asks why, God basically tells him that he has no right to question him. I don't think I'll ever come to understand this.

[@chernowitz]

God is not the author of evil for exactly the same reason He is not the author of your sin and mine. Apart from Him we don't even have power to do moral evil or sin. God doesn't stop us even thou He can. This doesn't make Him the author of it. Remember the elusive God particle scientists are trying to find? Think about that. We can't blame that for the chaos in this world when that brings order and holds everything together, without which we won't even know what chaos is

[@chernowitz]

Ultimately the story of human history will be a testimony of how God destroyed evil for good by good. And then we will understand more clearly

[@maryjaneferris9212]

I have listened to sermons that all those aborted fetuses have a soul therefore the go to heaven!

[@LiezlVN]

The guy besides RC answered stuttering. As if he was unsure of his answers. 😮

[@Legacy4K]

Very rare for Sproul to be wrong. God created evil - ra. See Isa 45:7. This is the same word, ra, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God created it, but is not the source when people or dark spirits employ it. Both men mis-spoke, but not on substance. The same principle of capability to both bless and judge us applies. God created both good and evil and is fully sovereign over both.

[@horatio2715]

oops....."you're" only talking about yourselves

[@howardmanley3388]

Just a guy: I just read in Isaiah 45:7 God created evil in the King James Version ! Nkj verison says calmity kjv say evil!

[@charlesdesigns9798]

TRUTH is TRUTH... Understanding will Make you Free...Don't Judge God...Ask for the Spirit of Understanding...Shalom

[@The_True_]

Translated from the Hebrew "ra" as sorrow, wretchedness, adversities, afflictions, calamities, but never as sin. God created these "evils" only as the sure fruits of sin.

[@holdon2829]

I don't agree that some are called to be sick . what glory does God get out of that? none!

[@jesuschrististruth3731]

h John 9:1¶And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3¶Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but->>> that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

[@Xxxxxx19-p1c]

h Who’s wisdom/truth are you using when you say you don’t agree? God reveals to us in Scripture how he is glorified in sickness, tragedy and death. “Lean NOT on your own understanding, but in ALL things acknowledge Him. “. It is God who decides what glorifies Him, not us. Therefore whether we agree or not, it doesn’t matter. We are not to know the expanse of the meaning of God’s will. If we choose what is truth, that is idolatry; making ourselves the god of our lives, instead of the one true God being sovereign.

[@nancykathryntieger8893]

I am seeing your comment 3 years later and wonder if you still believe that. If so, let me tell you that God has used suffering and disease in my life in amazing ways. I am thankful for this suffering because it causes me to be dependent on him and point others to Him in my weakness. My testimony is a great story of God at work. And he was at work in and through difficulty. This is a theme all through scripture. When you hit suffering in your life, I pray you see the hope in suffering and our Perfect Father.

[@john1-29_aka_LHT-LFA]

he blseed me too through suffering, illnesses, diseases. can you tell me more about your situation? @@nancykathryntieger8893

[@christophertaylor9100]

Tough to hear RC Sproul talk about his vocation possibly becoming one of dying in grace when in just a few years after this was made, he did. The biggest flaws with the "every baby goes to heaven" theory is that we are not just ethically but emotionally compelled to make sure no baby lives long enough to lose their salvation -- something God clearly states cannot happen in scripture. Its a horrible theology disguised as compassion.

[@almamoore8446]

Look at Job.

[@jasonamor4785]

"We can't make the conclusion that people suffer in direct proportion to their sinfulness." Child abuse.