Krystal Smith poses this question at STAPLER CONFESSIONS and states: “You might hear an atheist bring up tragedies, people starving, genocide, or any example of immense suffering of the innocent and ask why. Theists believe that God gave man free will, and that god only intervenes in day-to-day life through miracles. Atheists question the logic of the conditional role God chooses to play in this scenario.”
Christians and Jews are realists. We know perfectly well that we find ourselves in a broken world. Indeed, those who minister view themselves as wounded healers. We believe that what God creates is necessarily good. The disharmony in the world is attributed to the sin of our first parents. It is a tenet of faith that suffering, sin and death enter the world through sin. God allows as part of his passive will both natural and moral evil. However, God in his direct or active will desires only the good for us. While we have brought our troubles upon ourselves, God gave his people a promise of a Messiah and redemption. Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that as the “innocent one” he has made himself a sin-offering for us. He takes our suffering upon his shoulders and suffers and dies on the Cross. Doing so makes satisfaction for sin, redeems us, and offers us the gift of salvation. He rises from the grave and offers us a share in eternal life. It is in Christ that LOVE is stronger than DEATH. Sin and death are conquered by Christ, but the effects have yet to be undone. Such awaits his second coming. The problem of pain is answered within the solidarity of Christ. He commands us to take up our crosses and to follow him. We can add our struggle and pain to his and thus know transformation in Christ.
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