Where Does Suffering Come From?

Jesus is not allowing suffering. Man is. God gave the earth to man and man gave it to the devil through sin. Jesus came to save men, not destroy them. He is not allowing or sending destructive natural disasters or viruses. They are a result of sin in the earth. He has empowered the church to stand against the works of nature and the enemy. Sadly, only a small percentage of believers really believe this. Most believe in a distorted view of God that lays human suffering and tragedy at His feet. That is NOT the gospel.

“For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”

Luke 9:56

The heart of God for humanity is abundant life, not death and destruction. Until we understand this, we will misrepresent the nature of God and make Him a perpetrator of evil and suffering.

“The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

John 10:10

The Father is judging NO ONE. Suffering is not God’s judgment. Sin carries its own corruption, but the consequence of sin is not divine judgment.

“The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.”

John 5:22

Judgment has been given to Jesus, and only His Word will judge in the last day, not before.

“If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him. The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”

John 12:47-48

We are in a time of grace in which sin is NOT being imputed against mankind. Judgment preachers say that God IS imputing sin and judging. This is a lie. We have a message of reconciliation, not judgement.

“That God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.”

2 Corinthians 5:19

God has sent His church into all the world to proclaim the Good News of reconciliation. It would make no sense for God to bring destruction to the very people to whom we are sent with the gospel.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Deuteronomy 31:8

By Barry Bennett