7.6 Summary
Freedom, Suffering, and God’s Ultimate Victory
The problem of evil is one of the greatest challenges to faith: If God is good and almighty, why then does evil and suffering exist? This lesson highlights biblical answers to this question and shows that love, freedom, and God’s justice are closely connected to this issue.
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“Lord, How Long?” – The Question of Suffering (7.1)
📖 Job 30:26; Jeremiah 12:1; Psalm 10:1
In the Bible, believers repeatedly ask: Why do the wicked seem to triumph? Why do the righteous feel abandoned?
• God does not provide an immediate answer, but He shows that His plan is greater than our current understanding.
• Hope: Evil will not last forever – God will ultimately defeat it.
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There Is Much That We Do Not Know (7.2)
📖 Job 38:1–12; Job 42:3
God shows Job that man sees only a small part of reality.
• Our knowledge is limited, but God sees the whole picture and has everything under control.
• Faith means trust, not complete understanding.
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The Skeptical Theist – Trust Despite Unanswered Questions (7.3)
📖 Isaiah 55:8–9; Psalm 73
God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. We cannot understand everything, but we can trust Him.
• The skeptical theist acknowledges that God has good reasons for His actions—even if we do not see them.
• Psalm 73 shows a change in perspective: The psalmist doubts God’s justice until he realizes that the apparent prosperity of the wicked is deceptive. Ultimately, God’s justice will prevail.
• Our task: Hold fast to God in difficult times, even if we do not have all the answers.
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The Apologetics of Free Will – Why Love Needs Freedom (7.4)
📖 Genesis 2:16–17; Joshua 24:15
God gave man free will because love can only exist in freedom.
• Adam and Eve chose disobedience – the abuse of free will brought sin and suffering into the world.
• Every day, we make decisions that affect our lives and the lives of others.
• Our responsibility: Use our free will to serve God and our neighbors in love.
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Love and Evil – The Divine Risk (7.5)
📖 Romans 8:18; Revelation 21:3–4
Why does God allow evil? Because He cannot force love without freedom.
• Jesus knew that granting us freedom would lead Him to the cross – yet He still granted it to us.
• God will not allow evil to endure forever. Revelation 21:4 promises a future without pain or suffering.
• Evil is temporary, but God’s love is eternal.
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Conclusion – Why Can We Trust in God’s Goodness Despite Evil?
1️⃣ God is just – even if we do not always see it immediately.
2️⃣ Free will is necessary for genuine love, but it also brings the risk of evil.
3️⃣ Suffering is real, but it is not the end – God’s glory will ultimately outshine it all.
4️⃣ Jesus Himself suffered to grant us freedom and eternal life.
💡 The problem of evil is challenging – but the Bible gives us hope: One day, God will defeat all evil and reveal His love and justice completely.
The problem of evil is not merely a philosophical or theological question—it affects our daily lives and our faith in very practical ways. We all experience suffering, injustice, and difficult decisions. Yet what we have learned in this lesson helps us gain a deeper perspective and live with trust.
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Suffering and Injustice in Daily Life – “Lord, How Long?” (7.1)
👉 When confronted with suffering or injustice, we can ask, like Job or the psalmist:
Why is this happening? Why does God sometimes seem distant?
• Why do the wicked seem to succeed while the righteous suffer?
💡 What Can We Do?
✔ Bring our laments and doubts before God – the Bible shows that this is allowed!
✔ Remember that God has not forgotten us—even when we do not understand Him.
✔ Hold on to the hope that evil will not last forever.
🔎 Practical Application:
• Instead of despairing, we can pray and entrust our suffering to God.
• When we experience injustice, we can stand up for God’s justice – with patience and courage.
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Limited Knowledge – Trust Instead of Control (7.2 & 7.3)
👉 Sometimes we do not understand why something happens.
Why do good people die young?
• Why do some prayers seem unanswered?
📖 Isaiah 55:8–9: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.
💡 What Can We Do?
✔ Accept that we do not need to know everything – but we can trust God.
✔ Embrace “skeptical theism”: Just because we do not see the meaning doesn’t mean there isn’t one!
✔ Faith means trusting even when we do not understand everything.
🔎 Practical Application:
• In difficult situations, we can trust God instead of being overwhelmed by worry.
• Rather than focusing on “why,” we can ask: “How can I draw closer to God in this situation?”
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Free Will – Our Decisions Shape Our Lives (7.4)
👉 Every day, we make decisions:
How do I treat other people?
• Am I guided by fear or trust?
• Do I use my free will for good or for evil?
💡 What Can We Do?
✔ Make conscious, good decisions—even when they are not always easy.
✔ Recognize that God gives us freedom – along with responsibility!
✔ Love can only exist in freedom – which is why our relationships (including with God) are so valuable.
🔎 Practical Application:
• Ask yourself daily: “What decision am I bringing before God today?”
• When we make mistakes, remember that God always gives us a second chance.
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Hope Despite Evil – The Best Is Yet to Come (7.5)
📖 Romans 8:18: “For I am convinced that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
👉 Even though life is hard, we know that:
Evil does not have the final word – God will overcome it.
• Every suffering and every injustice will ultimately be transformed by God’s justice.
• Revelation 21:4 promises a future without pain or sorrow.
💡 What Can We Do?
✔ Preserve hope—even when the world seems dark.
✔ Encourage others with this hope.
✔ Do not give up – our faith is not in vain.
🔎 Practical Application:
• When you suffer, remember that God promises a future without pain.
• Use your freedom to bring love and hope into the world.
Conclusion: What Does This Mean for Us?
✅ We can honestly bring our suffering and doubts before God.
✅ We do not need to understand everything—but we can trust God.
✅ Our decisions matter – we have the freedom to do good.
✅ Evil is temporary – but God’s love endures forever.
💡 Our Task: Live each day with hope, despite all the questions. God is faithful, and He will turn everything to good.
Even if we do not have all the answers, we can trust that God’s love is greater than any suffering—and that one day He will overcome all evil.
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