WHY DO WE SUFFER: A THEOLOGY OF SUFFERING I. INTROI. INTRO  To begin with, why even bother to talk about it? ~ But, unfortunately, ignoring or avoiding it really does nothing in preventing us from experiencing it. ~ Why? Because suffering is a fact of life! ~ Jn 16:33~ Jn 16:33

 But the truly strange thing about suffering is that it is really more positive than most people would care to understand and accept about it. ~ There is a real reason behind the inescapable fact of suffering. ~ Therefore, it behooves us to seek a correct understanding of it that we might be able to deal with it rightly whenever it comes our way.

II. WHERE IT ALL BEGANII. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN  To begin to understand the dilemma of suffering, we need to go back to Scripture and seek to see this from the eyes of the Creator.  In the creation account of Genesis 1, we see God extremely pleased with what He had created. ~ See vv. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31.~ See vv. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31.

~ In Genesis 2:15-17, we read of God’s very first mandate to the creature He had created “in [His] own image…” ~ Everything up to this point was still “very good” (1:31).  And then it happened: Gen 3:6.  This first act of disobedience and rebellion ushered in the very first sin committed by man against God. ~ Unfortunately, it also incurred the promised consequence from God (Gen 3:16-19).

~ Suffering had now entered into the world. ~ Worst of all, however, was the ultimate penalty for that rebellion: separation from God – the source of all true life, peace and joy: Gen 3:23.  With sin came the curse of sin and all its attendant consequences. ~ Rom 5:12, 15~ Rom 5:12, 15 ~ Eph 2:1, 12~ Eph 2:1, 12 ~ Eph 2:3~ Eph 2:3

~ Therefore, the first answer to the question “Why do we suffer?” is because of sin!  If sin is the root cause of suffering, then there can only be one solution to the problem: go back to God and be reconciled to Him. ~ And the only way this will happen is by going to the cross of Christ. ~ Rom 10:13; Eph 2:8-9; Acts 3:19; Rom 5:1

~ This is the ultimate answer to the ultimate problem.  Unfortunately, the dilemma of suffering still remains… III. WHY BELIEVERS?III. WHY BELIEVERS?  And as if to add insult to injury, in many instances suffering is actually not just multiplied but intensified in the lives of many believers.

 John MacArthur: “The atmosphere surrounding today’s evangelical church, with its emphasis on easy believism and ‘feel-good-about-yourself’ Christianity, has fostered an unbiblical attitude among believers toward the existence of suffering and persecution in their lives. In addition to the natural aversion to pain and difficulty, many Christians have acquired the notion that hardships should not even cross their paths.

When various difficulties do come their way, they believe these difficulties are not from God…. If there are confusing thoughts and misplaced expectations among believers concerning persecutions, there is also much misunderstanding concerning the more general role of trials, sufferings, and troubles in the Christian life. We tend to forget even the basic fact that all people live in a fallen world – we are

sinful creatures living in a corrupt, sin- cursed society. Believers should not be surprised, perplexed, or resentful when they encounter difficulties throughout this life.”  The reason many Christians struggle with this issue is that they forget that “they are still in the world” (Jn 17:11) and still in the flesh which “…sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another….” (Gal 5:17).

~ To add to the confusion, some have not forgotten but have chosen to be in doctrinal denial of the truth about suffering as in the case of “hyper-faith theology”.  Just a cursory glance at the lives of some of the great men in Scripture would immediately dismiss the falsity of this teaching. ~ Job (cf., Job 1:8)~ Job (cf., Job 1:8) ~ Jeremiah (Lam 3:1)~ Jeremiah (Lam 3:1) ~ Paul (2Cor 4:8-9; 2Cor 11:23-33)~ Paul (2Cor 4:8-9; 2Cor 11:23-33)