When we finish considering all the types of bad things that happen to people (both good and bad), we find ourselves wondering if there is a purpose to these bad things. We look for a worldview (a way of viewing life and the world) that gives meaning to all that happens. Some religious philosophies, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, offer some consolation regarding suffering for this lifetime. Neither of these offers a God who becomes human to redeem a fallen humanity and provide eternal life. These, and other worldviews, do not give much in the way of eternal judgment for intentionally committed bad things.
Most worldviews, and especially those subscribing to atheism, give no purpose to bad things. They can only ask why a good God would allow bad things. They ask it in unbelief, knowing that they cannot answer the more appropriate question, "Why do bad things happen?" And, indeed, if their philosophy teaches that there is no God, they have no basis for determining what is good or bad, other than one's own self interest. We can think about this in the extreme: serial killers thrive on their crime, so from their point of view, the murder of a victim is a good thing; however, from the victim's point of view (and his or her family's view point), it is a bad thing. The same can be said of radicals who commit homicide bombings to take their own lives and as many others lives as possible.
Rejection of the one true God (the Judeo-Christian God) leaves no basis other than individual, or, as in some cases, societal, for determining good or bad, right or wrong. That leaves us in the conundrum expressed by Ravi Zacharias: "In some societies, people love their neighbors; in others, they eat them. Which do you prefer?"
What it comes down to is that there is a good God, a God who loves His creation so much that He sent His Son, also God, to die for us so that we could, by believing in Him and accepting His substitutionary death for us, have a new life, full of purpose, meaning, and direction. This new life enables us to avoid the kind of bad things that come from poor choices and wrong behavior, because we can follow God's will and word and live a holy life.
This new life also guarantees that God will protect us from harm or deliver us from harm or keep us through the harm, all the while working in us for an eternal good and blessing, regardless of what happens on earth. The Judeo-Christian faith is the worldview that offers this hope and meaning.
Since our God sees the "end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46: 10), we can trust Him with our lives. We can be satisfied knowing that the end is going to be wonderful, so we can take one step at a time, walking by faith, not sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7), fully persuaded that God is able to keep that which we have committed to Him, (2 Timothy 1: 12), and knowing that God "works all things together for good to them that love Him, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8: 28).
So for us, "why bad things happen" is not as important as what is accomplished in our lives as a result of the bad things.
If you are just now joining us in the blog, please refer to the previous posts which consider the question in depth and deal in detail with five different kinds of bad things and why they happen. The series runs from Feb. 22, 2014 to Apr. 19, 2014 (this post).
Next week, I'll start a new topic.
Three M's of Christmas
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Silenced and Silent
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The Right Way
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"Let Freedom Ring"
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Caring and Sharing
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One Race -- Two Creations
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An End to Racism
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With One Voice
5/24/2020 3:38:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Trust in God
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A Firm Foundation
5/9/2020 6:35:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
No Fear!
5/2/2020 3:35:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Author of Peace, Not Confusion
4/28/2020 2:44:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Too Timid to Tell
4/24/2020 8:52:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Resurrection Promise
4/11/2020 3:54:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
God's Mercies
4/2/2020 11:04:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Yet I Will Rejoice
3/18/2020 11:22:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Slow Suicide—Part 2
3/5/2020 6:00:00 AM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Slow Suicide—Part 1
3/2/2020 6:00:00 AM by: Vicki Dorshorn
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y
2/6/2020 6:14:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
A Stable and an Empty Tomb
12/24/2019 6:01:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Do Definitions Matter?
12/17/2019 3:08:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Darkness Creeping In
11/26/2019 10:17:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
The Presence and Purpose of Pain and Sorrow
8/31/2019 9:27:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Salt and Light
8/21/2019 8:15:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Real Rainbows and True Light
8/17/2019 3:17:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
The Light of Life
8/7/2019 9:20:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
A Giant Eraser
4/23/2018 3:09:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
He Is Risen
3/30/2018 2:57:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Rejection
7/22/2015 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Liberty Bell & more
7/4/2015 3:32:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Breaking News
6/22/2015 11:26:00 AM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Cracked Foundations
6/12/2015 1:50:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Power Transformers
6/5/2015 12:27:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Transformers
5/28/2015 by: Vicki Dorshorn
What is my name?
5/20/2015 by: Vicki Dorshorn
What age is Jesus for you?
12/21/2014 8:41:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Part 2 - Stories of Sovereignty from England
11/21/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Stories of Sovereignty from England
11/15/2014 7:28:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Coincidence or Sovereignty?
11/3/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Time to Care
8/24/2014 10:59:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Lion on the Loose"
8/16/2014 5:29:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Lessons from My Garden - Part 6
8/10/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Lessons from My Garden - Part 5
8/3/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Lessons from My Garden - Part 4
7/27/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Lessons from My Garden - Part 3
7/20/2014 3:33:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Lessons from My Garden -- Part 2"
7/12/2014 8:54:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Lessons From My Garden - Part 1
7/7/2014 7:23:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Dreams, Revisions, and Renewal
6/29/2014 10:30:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
A Dream that is Reality
6/21/2014 9:13:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
The Return of the Swallows
6/14/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Part 2 - Where will I go when I die?
6/7/2014 2:30:40 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Where will I go when I die?
5/31/2014 9:05:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Truth or Deception
5/24/2014 5:34:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Deliverance from Falling
5/16/2014 2:30:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Deliverance from Tears
5/10/2014 8:03:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Deliverance from Death
5/3/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
The Significance of Death
4/27/2014 5:45:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Conclusion of Why Bad Things Happen
4/19/2014 8:35:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Good and Bad, Relatively Speaking
4/12/2014 1:18:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
The Potter and the Clay
4/5/2014 9:10:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Bad Things" - Part 5
3/29/2014 1:47:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Bad Things" - Part 4
3/21/2014 12:52:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Bad Things" - Part 3
3/15/2014 12:18:00 AM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Bad Things" - Part 2
3/8/2014 1:56:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
"Bad Things" - Part I
3/1/2014 7:14:00 PM by: Vicki Dorshorn
Who are "good" people?
2/26/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
Why do bad things happen to good people?
2/22/2014 by: Vicki Dorshorn
