A Biblical View of Suffering

A Biblical View of Suffering

Marg Hutchison

A Biblical View of Suffering

Marg Hutchison

BURMA May 2008

BURMA May 2008

A Suffering World?Where is God in

A Biblical View of Suffering

A fallen world

The world is not now functioning according to the designer’s

original plan God created everything good. There was perfect harmony – in nature and in relationships

A fallen world

Man and woman rebelled and chose their own desire over God’s will and plan for them

Sin and suffering entered into a perfect world.

The result (See Genesis chapters 1 & 2)

Humankind are now in fundamental rebellion to their Creator

Sin has invaded every aspect of personality

Fear and insecurity has flawed our judgment and our relationships

We are emotionally fragile and susceptible to physical disease.

The result (See Genesis chapters 1 & 2)

The natural creation is also out of tune in ways we don’t completely understand. but clearly it is also affected by sin, mismanagement, exploitation and greed of human beings.

How do these realities impact on the situation we have just explored?

Examples: environmental issues such as overpopulation and over use of land...poverty and lack of amenities caused by mismanagement ...exploitation and neglect of people due to sinful greed and lack of love...fear, insecurity and pride, preventing acceptance of aid and support from other nations

The Good News

A rescue plan (Genesis 3:15)

Its fulfilment in Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Restoration to come!

God understands our pain

1. We have a Saviour who went before us as a pioneer in suffering. (Hebrews 12:2-3)

...looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

God understands our pain

1. The Holy Spirit is our comforter and strengthener in the midst of our suffering. (See Romans 8)

2. The Father of all comfort not only comforts us but helps us to comfort others in their suffering (2 Corinthians 1)

God understands our pain

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

(2 Cor 1:3-4 NRSV)

God will ultimately redeem our suffering and this whole suffering world for his glory.

Romans 8:19-21The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

God will ultimately redeem our suffering and this whole suffering world for his glory.

He can use our suffering to bring good to us and glory to him.

When suffering becomes personal we can respond in may different ways. Most of these are seen in the characters in the Bible also

What insights do we gain from the Bible about personal suffering?

• The focus has changed (compare OT &

NT)

• Christians are not immune to suffering

• Christ’s followers should expect to suffer

for him

• God uses suffering to bring about specific

good in

our lives and the lives of others

• God identifies with us in our suffering

What insights do we gain from the Bible about personal suffering?

Nicholas Wolterstorff, in his book

Lament For a Son: “God is love. That

is why he suffers. To love our

suffering world is to suffer...The one

who does not see God's suffering

does not see his love’.

A Suffering World?So where is God in

One day...Our God will renew his

creation and transform our broken

world.

Right now... he is transforming broken

people who live in a broken world, into

the likeness of his son the Lord Jesus.

A Biblical View of Suffering

Notes for this session

Please email marghut@bigpond.n

et