WHO IS GOD?
(& Why Doesn’t He End Suffering?)
Here are some considerations:
In our video “Why and How to Become a Christian” we begin the video with: God and Christ are real! We all already know this. In God’s Holy Bible, also known as the “Word of God”, in the Book of Romans, chapter 1, verses 19-20, The Holy Spirit of God, speaking through the Apostle Paul says, “19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. In other words, we can see the handiwork of God and Christ all around. We already know in our hearts there must be a Creator God, whether we try to suppress it or not.
But this God also gave us the choice to friend, trust, and love Him or oppose Him. Everything was perfect until humankind chose to oppose God. There was no suffering. God had warned us that death would begin if we opposed Him. But we opposed Him anyway. Now we ask “Why would a good God allow suffering?” when suffering was our own fault. We act like our Creator must take the blame for our sins—like He answers to us.
We try to excuse God away, like someone needs to prove He even exists. We try to act like something else created everything from nothing—like that approach is the intelligent way to go. And sometimes we cheat, starting with something physical already being in existence, like gases or something. We falsely call that “science”. Not to be hateful or hurtful, but to let you know what the Bible says about this, Psalm chapter 14, verse 1 says: The fool has said in his heart “There is no God.”. And the wisest man to ever live, Solomon, gives this advice in Proverbs chapter 9, verse 10: The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
To those not just looking for excuses to keep going their own sinful way, to those sincerely asking about God, I give a little insight. Let me start with The Bible. Much of the information you need is recorded in it. I have studied its reliability. You need to know it is reliable, despite recent attempts to again discredit it. For that, please see the free video “Why and How to Study The Bible”, among much else. There is too much to cover about the reliability of The Bible here. For those without time to watch that video and do an honest study, just know The Bible is reliable. The Bible is one great source regarding who is God and what kind of things He says. In fact, it is sometimes called “The Word of God”.
The Bible doesn’t question the existence of God. It just starts out explaining things—you know, reducing it to our level. This is the portion called, “Genesis”. The first thing it says is, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”. Then it elaborates on that a little. It explains the creation of the plants, fruit, birds, and animals. When it comes to men and women, it keeps things simple, but gives needed detail many don’t want to hear. That doesn’t make those details any less true. It’s not just all “figurative”. Up to this point everything is perfect. There is no death. There is no suffering.
But God wanted a loving relationship with His created men and women. God wanted this friendship to be voluntary on their part. In order to accomplish this, God had to give them the choice to love and work with Him or not. So God gave them the choice to respect His wishes to leave a certain fruit tree alone. And God specifically warned them through the man that death would begin if they did not respect this. Death was theirs.
This is plainly recorded in Genesis chapter 2, verses 16-18 as follows: Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.” Of course, just like we would today, the man (and his wife) eventually gave in to temptation and ate from that tree. We, humankind, started the death process and suffering we now see. We, not God, are responsible. And, many of us make it worse.
God has a solution. Again, much of mankind is unwilling to work with God on this solution too. But to those who are willing to work with God, God offers a new body and a new place to live without suffering. To those who are willing to work with God, God knows you can’t be perfect on your own, so God offers a perfect substitute—a perfect eternal scapegoat, to pay the penalty for your sins past, present, and future. That scapegoat is Jesus the Christ, God’s only Son through a woman. Those who repent of their sins and allow Jesus to be their scapegoat are forgiven, and will eventually find relief from their suffering in eternal Paradise. This is called “The Gospel”, which means “Good News”.
God gave Jesus to us. Jesus lived a perfect life. (Don’t let bad entertainment tell you otherwise.) No one except Jesus is good enough to atone for your sins. Then Jesus offered Himself as the perfect scapegoat for us on the death cross, where He offered His blood and body to atone for our sins before coming back to life and going back to Paradise. Will you repent of your sins and take God and Jesus up on that atonement? Jesus said to the criminal on the cross next to Him who admitted sin, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. Luke 23:43.
Shortly before the sacrifice Jesus made of Himself for us on the cross, a disciple of Jesus asked Him to show them God, who God is. Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and you do not know me, Phillip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake….” John 14:8-11 (Jesus had done many miracles, including healing folks who were suffering, that fact also recorded by secular historians.) So, if you are wondering what God is like, study Jesus. Read your Bible, especially Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
When you repent of your sins, and give your heart to Jesus, God’s Holy Spirit comes to live inside you. This assures you that you are forgiven and on your way to Paradise. This is not some spooky, scary thing. It is a peace that is not dependent on your circumstances. It is a friendship with God that is what we all wanted in the first place, if we knew then what was best for us. This Spirit is a spiritual thing that, although real, cannot be “proven” in the natural, but felt inside, and is evidenced by a changed life.
Perhaps that is why so many look for Christians who have made big mistakes and sins, in an effort to disprove God and Christianity. Sure, some Christians do make big mistakes and sins. Hopefully they will repent, help those they’ve hurt if possible, receive forgiveness from God through Jesus, get up, and do the best they can from there. Their mistakes and sins don’t make God, God’s Son Jesus, or Christianity any less real. So, repent of your sins, give your heart to Jesus, let God and Jesus forgive you, work with God as best you can, and I’ll see you in Paradise! Till then, May God Bless You!