Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
Why do I struggle to do the right thing even when I know what I should do?
Since God is good, why is the world so broken?
Everyone has questions like these. The secular answer is entropy. Everything breaks down. Evolution depends on death. For one creature to survive, others must die. Apart from God there is no afterlife, so this pain-filled world is all there is, and then you die. Not a lot of hope there.
But the Christian worldview is different. The Bible not only gives hope for the next life, it gives answers for this one. To learn why there is disease, suffering, pain and evil in the world you only have to get to the third chapter of the Bible. In the original creation there was no evil. God pronounced everything “very good.”
But there was one rule – one tree Adam and Eve were commanded to avoid, “for in the day you eat of it, you will surely die.” The garden was filled with trees and fruit they were free to eat and enjoy. There was only one tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – that God told them to avoid.
But the serpent deceived Eve, and Adam made no effort to intervene as his wife chatted with the devil. Both were taken in by the enemy’s three favorite lies: 1) Did God really say…? 2) No one will get hurt… 3) Look what you’ll get!
As soon as the fruit was in their mouths, the world cracked on its foundation. Nothing would ever be the same.
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned… Because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man.”
Romans 5:12,17
When Adam sinned, the consequences did not just affect him and his wife – sin and death spread to all people, and evil was released into the world. “Death reigned.”
The rebellion of Adam and Eve is called “The Fall,” not just because they fell into sin, but because the whole world fell. What was very good was suddenly corrupted, polluted and chaotic.
This Sunday (9/26/21) we will study Genesis 3 and the consequences of the Fall. Every worldview must answer the question, “Why are things the way they are?” It is important to answer this question correctly so we don’t let the brokenness of the world twist our understanding of the goodness of God. God did not bring evil into the world. The devil (a fallen angel) brought the first temptation. Adam and Eve committed the first sin. From there sin and death spread.
God is not the author of evil, He is the conqueror of it. Genesis 3 sets in motion the central problem of history – what is the remedy for sin? As soon as God confronted Adam and Eve for their rebellion and pronounced their consequences He also gave them hope; a hope that still applies to us today.
- God promised to “crush the head” of the serpent through the offspring of Adam and Eve. He did this in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
- God clothed Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal, providing the first animal sacrifice to atone for their sin and cover their shame.
- God sent them out of Eden so they would not live forever in their sinful condition. And since that departure from the Garden, people have longed to get back to the peace, security and blessing of the original creation. The brokenness of our world is one more indication that we were made for a better place – a place the Lord will open for us again soon!
Understanding the Fall and the nature of sin in our own hearts should give us great compassion for those who do not share the clarity and hope of our Christian worldview. Coming alongside friends, neighbors and family members in times of grief and loss often presents the best opportunity to share the hope that we have.
For more perspective on world events right now check out What’s Going on?