Your relationship with God is so important. It will determine your eternal destiny.
Additional Q&A written by the staff of Good Shepherd's can be reached through the drop-down links under "Questions" on the red navigation bar (top of each page). You are invited to submit a question to Good Shepherd's, and we will provide a Biblical answer. AskQuestion
Why is there pain and suffering in the world?
What is God's answer to pain and suffering?
What happens at the end of the World?
I've never read the Bible before. (Where is the best place to start?)
Why is there pain and suffering in the world?
In the beginning pain and suffering did not exist. God had created a perfect world without pain, disease, or death. Gen 1:31 Deuteronomy 32:4 Many of the Bible passages quoted in the following paragraphs reference the loss of this perfection and the cause of death.
Adam and Eve were the first man and woman. They are the ancestors of every human being. Gen 3:20
Adam and Eve lived in complete joy and contentment without pain or suffering of any kind. They had a perfect and close relationship with God. That relationship with God was the center of their lives, their very purpose for living. Everything changed when Adam and Eve rebelled against God. This corrupted their entire thinking. They now had evil thoughts and desires. Their rebellion and corrupt thinking (sin) separated them from God. We, as their descendants, have inherited this will of rebellion against God (sin). Just as it did with Adam and Eve, our sin separates us from God too. Isaiah 59:2 Romans 8:7
We are all sinners. Ecclesiastes 7:20 1John 1:8 Romans 3:10 Psalm 53:3
A consequence of sin is death. Romans 5:12 Romans 6:23
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What is God's answer to pain and suffering?
As mentioned above, pain, suffering, and death are a result of our rebellion against God. Our rebellion breaks our relationship with God. God answers our rebellion (our sin) with love, by carrying out His plan to restore creation to its original state of perfection (with no pain, suffering, or death) through Jesus Christ. Revelation 21:4 Romans 8:21 Acts 3:21 1 Corinthians 15:26
God's plan is this: He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live a sinless perfect life in our place, to die an innocent death on the cross to pay for our sins, and to rise from the dead. Jesus did all this. Jesus offers everyone an exchange. Jesus gives us his perfect life and innocent death (His righteousness) in exchange for our sins. Everyone who trusts in Jesus as their Savior receives that free gift of righteousness in exchange for their sins. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 1 Peter 3:18 Romans 5:19 John 3:16 Romans 3:21-24 2 Corinthians 5:21
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What happens at the end of the World?
God is the definition of perfect and total love. God is love. 1John 4:7-10
God is also the definition of perfect fairness and justice. Job 34:12 Deuteronomy 32:4 Deuteronomy 10:17 Jeremiah 9:24
God is the lawgiver. He is not under any law, since His very nature and being define right and wrong, justice, fairness, and love. God cannot be held to any standard, for He is the highest standard, the standard to which everything is compared. Isaiah 40:25 Job 4:17 Job 21:22 Isaiah 33:22
Matthew 5:48
God must punish sin in keeping with His fairness, justice, and righteousness. Nahum 1:3
Daniel 9:14 Psalm 5:4-6 Ezekiel 18:23
At the end of the world, everyone who has ever lived will face God the Righteous Judge. Hebrews 9:27 2 Corinthians 5:10 Romans 2:5 Hebrews 4:13
Those who trust Jesus and have received Christ's righteousness as their own will be judged sinless. They will spend eternity in heaven with God where there will be no pain or suffering, only happiness and great joy. Those who have not received Christ's righteousness will receive the just punishment for their rebellion (their sin). They will spend eternity completely separated from God in hell. John 3:36 John 5:24 Mark 16:16 Matthew 25:46
2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
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I've never read the Bible before. Where is the best place to start?
One recommendation would be to start by reading the first three chapters of Genesis, then read the entire books of Luke and Acts. The important thing is to start reading the Bible and continue to do so. Set aside a time each day for Bible reading, such as during lunch, when you first get up in the morning, or just before bed. To read the entire Bible in one year, daily readings are available at DailyReading.
Your Bible probably has an index listing the order of the 66 books in the Bible. The 39 Old Testament books are first. Genesis is the first Old Testament book, so it is also the first book in the Bible. Luke and Acts are the 3rd and 5th books of the New Testament. They are located about 1/5 of the way from the end of the Bible.
Genesis chapters 1-3 contain the historical account of creation and the fall into sin. Here is found the reason why there is pain and suffering, and why we need a Savior from sin who will restore creation to its original perfection. You'll see why we wear clothes, the origin of marriage, and why a week is 7 days long. Moses wrote the book of Genesis in about 1,450 BC.
Luke is the historical account of the 33-year earthly life of Jesus Christ. It was written by a physician named Luke in about 61-63 AD.
Acts is the historical account of the Christian church covering about 30-62 AD. It is a continuation of the book of Luke. Luke wrote Acts around 62-64 AD.
Many people, books, and websites may have told you conflicting stories about God and what the Bible says. Why not go to the source and read the Bible yourself? The Bible tells us everything we need to know about God and His great love for everyone. The central theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ. You can be like the 1st century Christians living in the city of Berea, who checked the Bible to see if what they were told about God was true. Acts 17:11
Good Shepherd's would be glad to give you a printed Bible as a gift. Just stop by our church and request one.
Two other sites with Bible based answers are: WhatAboutJesus.com and welsQ&A
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