How Does The Bible Show That God Is Not The Cause Of Suffering.

It's because, Tony, (a) contrary to popular opinion She cannot do the impossible. Thus to get the humanoid She had to provide a spherical rock with molten core rotating at 1000 mph and orbiting--at 17,000 mph-- a gigantic hydrogen bomb that will eventually burn out; and

(b) given free will of course...

...such suffering, what with crime, volcanoes, disease, etc inevitable

But how the bible confirms this is debatable

Actually you make 3 errors in how you state that question.

1) Jesus accepted the suffering of humanity as a way to lead us out of it. Suffering ultimately comes from bad behavior so it is our behavior that needs help and Jesus did just that at great cost. So you are wrong to make a separation like that.

2) When you say 'cause' you must realize that there are 4-5 causes. God is not the effective cause of suffering. The Creation was created with NO suffering. If you accept only parts of the Bible you will have to tell us why we should reject Genesis.

3) If the Bible is the Word of God then we have simple declarations that God intends our welfare but -- and here is a serious error -- If it is the Word of God why would you accept only part and call the other into question.

God allows as your eyes show -- but 'CAUSES'? You need to establish why that is even plausible. God can bring good from evil, that is the message of the Crucifixion, but one shouldn't invert common sense.

Thank you for response. My apologies if I gave you the impression that I accept only portions of the Bible and reject others. My belief is that what
2 Timothy 3:16 says is true in that: "16 All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness," Thus the entire Bible is the Word of God and is true.

But that the Scriptures show that the Creator is not responsible for the suffering experienced today is found harmoniously in both the old and the new Testament. For example, in the Old Testament at Deuteronomy 32:4, 5 God inspired Moses to write down the true cause of human suffering while at the same time showing the he is not the cause. Then, in complete harmony with what was stated in Deuteronomy, the Bible books of 1 Corinthians and James both are in agreement with Deuteronomy 32. Please compare Deuteronomy 32:4, 5 with 1 Corinthians 10:13 And James 1:13. Fantastic harmony is found in theses texts.

At 1 John 5: 19 it states that "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." And that wicked one is Satan the Devil.

Revelation 12:9, 12

Some JWs came to my door the other day. One of them was a hot young lady called Jocelyn. Do you know her?

What did this little Chick want?

I think she wanted my soul...

Are you sure, it wasn't your wallet that she wanted?

Maybe, but I didn't let the conversation get that far. Even though she was a hottie I had to send her on her way.

Too bad! She may have a real winner!

I know I have replied before, but I have more information from the Bible to share on this topic.
If you have a Bible read Job 34: 10.

God is never the cause of our suffering. Rather , suffering comes from the Devil, from humans who make bad choices, and sometimes from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When we suffer, God is there to support us. He really cares about us.

I understand that what I'm going to say doesn't apply to all blind in general, but is a blind man is reading this topic, please tell us about it. (uh?)

Suffering might have a "purpose", which means, it is between us as part of our lives. I don't think that suffering is caused by the Devil, or from us because we commit sins, or because bad luck, or whatever.

There is the story of the dude born blind. According to others around him, it was because one of the parents committed sins, etc., but Jesus said no, that the poor fellow was born blind for the glory of God. And later Jesus performed a miracle.

Of course, this is one case alone, we don't see Jesuses around returning back the vision to blind dudes. But their suffering of being blind, because they lack of this essential sense of sight, is not because someone did something wrong or, because the Devil caused it.

There are a number of reasons why God allows hardship and adversity to befall people. Even the genuine believers experience hardship and adversity at some stage in their lives in accordance with God's wisdom and Grand Plan. I know that this thread is more focused on biblical view of human suffering but let me share my understanding from Quranic perspective.

1- It is God's design to subject people to various tests entailing hardship and adversity so as to test their faith, their resolve and their trust in God:

Do the people think that they would be left to say, "We believe", without them being tested? (Quran 29:2)
We have tested those before them, so that God would know the truthful ones and He would know the liars. (Quran 29:3)

also:

We will surely test you through some fear, hunger and shortage of money, lives and crops, so give the news to the patient ones. (Quran 2:155)

To pass the test, the believer must maintain his belief that only God can relieve his hardship. The believer will always maintain his prayer and call unto God:

Who is the One who responds to the one in need when he calls upon Him, removes the adversity and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a god with God? Rarely do you take heed. (Quran 27:62)

2- Hardship and adversity is also decreed by God as a cleansing of our souls for sins we have already committed. As a result, some of the bad things that happen to us are a direct result of sins we have committed:

Whatever disaster strikes you is but a consequence of what your own hands have earned. Still, He pardons quite a lot. (Quran 42:30)

It can also be said that God, being the Most Just, would not punish us twice for the same sin. This means that the punishment we are given cleanses us and no further punishment is due.

The concept of cleansing the human from sins in this life is a Quranic truth. It can be achieved through the experiencing of hardship and adversity (as 42:30).
It can also be achieved through the giving of 'sadaqa' (charity) for the specific reason of cleansing the soul from sins which have been committed:

Take a 'sadaqa' (charity) from their money to cleanse and purify them with it and support them. Your support provides them with tranquillity. God is Hearer, Knowledgeable. (Quran 9:103)

3- Suffering through hardship and adversity is also a reminder for people who tend to take things for granted and forget all of God's blessings. Despite all the blessings given to the human by God, the human being is unappreciative. A little reminder in the shape of hardship or adversity may hopefully remind the human not to take God's blessings for granted:

If you count God's blessings, you can never encompass them. The human being is indeed transgressing, unappreciative. (Quran 14:34)
If We grant the human being a blessing he turns away and distances himself, yet when adversity touches him he implores profusely. (Quran 41:51)

4- Adversity and hardship is also a very effective reminder for those who are too much absorbed in this worldly life; thus they may not be as devoted to God as they should be. Due to their being too preoccupied with this worldly life they do not seek God nor call on God as they should:

He is the One who enables you to travel in the land and sea. When some among you were on board a ship that carried them through a pleasant wind, with which they were pleased, they were stricken by a stormy wind and waves that hit them from all directions. They realised that they were totally surrounded and so they implored God devoting their prayers to Him alone: "If You save us from this, we will be thankful." (Quran 10:22)

But then, when He saved them, they go transgressing in the land unjustly. O people, your transgression only falls back on your own selves. An enjoyment of the worldly life, then to Us is your ultimate return. We will then inform you of what you had done. (Quran 10:23)

5- Many people are either oblivious of, or need to be reminded, of God’s absolute authority. Hardship and adversity are one way to remind them that no one can save them but God, and also remind them of God's absolute authority. Some people need to be reminded that they need God every minute of their lives. Sadly, when God relieves adversity, many people return to idol worship once again:

O people, you are the ones who are in dire need of God, while God is the Rich and Praiseworthy One. (Quran 35:15)

If the human is touched by any harm he calls on Us, then if We bestow a blessing upon him, he says, "I have been given this because of my knowledge!" Rather, this is a test, but most of them do not know. ( Quran 39:49)

And if adversity touches the human being, he implores Us on his side, sitting down or standing up. Then, when We relieve his adversity, he carries on as if he never implored Us about a hardship which had touched him! The works of the transgressors are thus adorned for them. ( Quran 10:12)

When any harm touches the human being he implores his Lord in a state of sincere devotion to Him, but then if He grants him a blessing from Him, he forgets what he was calling for before and sets up equals to God so as to divert others from His path. Say, "Enjoy your disbelief for a little while for you are indeed among the companions of the fire." (Quran 39:8)

If harm afflicts the people, they call upon their Lord in total devotion, but then, if He allows them a taste of mercy from Him, some of them revert to associating partners with their Lord. (Quran 30:33)

Love and peace to everyone.

Sometimes God is the cause of suffering, sometimes he is not, but never question him if you do indulge in suffering, whether or not you believe it is him.

1) In the story of Job, God allows the devil to go and bring suffering to Job's life in order to test Job's faithfulness, although he allowed it, he was not the cause of it.

2) Sometimes our suffering is self induced, you in Proverbs 19:3 (one of my favourite shade verses in the bible) says 'People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord". God gave us free will for a reason, so when we mess up on ourselves, we have to accept the consequence ourselves as well.

3) Sometimes God is the cause, but it is never malicious, he loves us, forever and always. One reason is justice, God sees everything and being the God of justice and being a Judge, he will punish the evil he sees and bring justice, sometimes in this life and also in the after life, But if it is God causing suffering, it is because as Job 36:15 says, he gets our attention through adversity. A lot of Christians have a testimony - a story of hard times that led them to giving their life to God and trusting him nqa and those stories really stand to prove that he does gain our attention when he allows us to struggle.

The Bible clearly states: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) When you think about it, does that not make sense? This world reflects the personality of the invisible spirit creature who is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) Satan is hateful, deceptive, and cruel. So the world, under his influence, is full of hatred, deceit, and cruelty. That is one reason why there is so much suffering.

(1 John 5:19) We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.

(Revelation 12:9) So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.

From ‘The dictionary of all Scripture and Myths.’ The Kabbala describes four Adams, the two highest of which are celestial and spiritual.

The third Adam is the terrestrial Adam, made of ‘dust,’ and placed in the Garden of Eden. This Adam was an androgene . . . . . It had, when first created a glorious simulacrum, or light body, and answers to the Yetzeeratic World, ---- Ibid., p. 418.

The fourth Adam was the Third Adam as he was after the fall, when he was clothed with animal skin, flesh and nerves, etc. This answers to the lower Nephesh and Guff, i.e. body, united. He has the power of reproduction and continuance of species, and also answers to the Aseeyatic world, but in him is some of the light of all the preceding (Adams) ----- ibid., p. 418.

The book of Adam and Eve, from the pseudepigrapha of the Jewish religion.

Eve was named after the last word spoken by God’s spiritual evolving son as he watched the earthly body ‘destroyed’ from which he was being formed in paradise , that is to say, ‘MOTHER’, before sinking into a death-like state.

After Adam and his sister wife Eve, had been driven out of paradise and clothed with animal skin, flesh, muscles and nerves etc, and returned to the lower place from which he had been created, just after the great event in which the life on earth had been annihilated, from which earth they had been formed, Adam cried out to the devil who was tormenting his wife ‘Eve,’ “Why do you torment us so?” And with a heavy sigh, the devil spake: “O Adam! All my hostility, envy, and sorrow is for thee, since it is for thee that I have been expelled from my glory, which I possessed in the heavens in the midst’s of the angels and for thee was I cast down to the earth.’

Adam answered, “What dost thou tell me? What have I done to thee, or what is my fault against thee? Seeing that thou hast received no harm or injury from us, why dost thou pursue us? The Devil replied, “Adam, what dost thou tell me? It is for thy sake that I have been hurled from that place. When thou wast formed, I was hurled out of the presence of God and banished from the company of the angels. When God blew into thee the breath of life, and thy face and thy likeness were made in the image of God, Michael also brought thee and made us worship thee in the sight of God; and God the Lord (Jahel or Lord to the glory of El the creator) spake: “Here is Adam. I have made thee in our image and likeness.” And Michael went out and called all the angels saying: “Worship the image of God as the (Lord Jah) (God El) hath commanded.” And Michael himself worshipped first; then he called me and said, “Worship the image of God the Lord.” And I answered, “I have no need to worship Adam.” And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, “Why dost thou urge me?” I will not worship an inferior being than me. I am his senior in the creation; before he was made I was already made. It is Adam’s duty to worship me.”

When the angels who were under me, heard this, they also refused to worship Adam, And Michael saith, “Worship the image of God, but if thou wilt not worship him, the Lord God will be wrath with thee.” But he, said, “If he be wrath with me, I will set my seat above the stars of heaven and will be like the highest himself.” And God the Lord was wrath with me and banished me and my angels from our glory; and on thy account, were we expelled from our abodes into this world and were hurled on the earth. And straight way we were overcome with grief, since we had been spoiled of so great glory. And we were grieved when we saw thee in such Joy and luxury.

And with guile I cheated thy wife Eve and caused thee to be expelled through her doing from thy joy and luxury, as I have been driven out of my glory, etc. It is also written somewhere else in the Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, that after Satan had been cursed by God and hurled down to the earth of the sixth cycle of universal activity and while Adam was still in Paradise, the ruling spirit in the enclosure that was Eve whose pregnant body today has become the entire body of mankind, then understood that God was about to bring in a new creation and he ‘THOUGHT’ to bring Adam down, and in such form ‘THOUGHT,’ he was able to deceive Eve, but he was unable to touch Adam. (The spirits in Eve had been separated from the spirits in Adam.)

The sheep from the goats.

From ‘The dictionary of all Scripture and Myths.’ The Kabbala describes four Adams, the two highest of which are celestial and spiritual.

The third Adam is the terrestrial Adam, made of ‘dust,’ and placed in the Garden of Eden. This Adam was an androgene . . . . . It had, when first created a glorious simulacrum, or light body, and answers to the Yetzeeratic World, ---- Ibid., p. 418.

The fourth Adam was the Third Adam as he was after the fall, when he was clothed with animal skin, flesh and nerves, etc. This answers to the lower Nephesh and Guff, i.e. body, united. He has the power of reproduction and continuance of species, and also answers to the Aseeyatic world, but in him is some of the light of all the preceding (Adams) ----- ibid., p. 418.

The book of Adam and Eve, from the pseudepigrapha of the Jewish religion, which the Jewish apostles were familiar with.

Eve was named after the last word spoken by God’s spiritual evolving son as he watched the earthly body ‘destroyed’ from which he was being formed in paradise , that is to say, ‘MOTHER’, before sinking into a death-like state.

After Adam and his sister wife Eve, had been driven out of paradise and clothed with animal skin, flesh, muscles and nerves etc, and returned to the lower place from which he had been created, just after the great event in which the life on earth had been annihilated, from which earth they had been formed, Adam cried out to the devil who was tormenting his wife ‘Eve,’ “Why do you torment us so?” And with a heavy sigh, the devil spake: “O Adam! All my hostility, envy, and sorrow is for thee, since it is for thee that I have been expelled from my glory, which I possessed in the heavens in the midst’s of the angels and for thee was I cast down to the earth.’

Adam answered, “What dost thou tell me? What have I done to thee, or what is my fault against thee? Seeing that thou hast received no harm or injury from us, why dost thou pursue us? The Devil replied, “Adam, what dost thou tell me? It is for thy sake that I have been hurled from that place. When thou wast formed, I was hurled out of the presence of God and banished from the company of the angels. When God blew into thee the breath of life, and thy face and thy likeness were made in the image of God, Michael also brought thee and made us worship thee in the sight of God; and God the Lord (Jahel or Lord to the glory of El the creator) spake: “Here is Adam. I have made thee in our image and likeness.” And Michael went out and called all the angels saying: “Worship the image of God as the (Lord Jah) (God El) hath commanded.” And Michael himself worshipped first; then he called me and said, “Worship the image of God the Lord.” And I answered, “I have no need to worship Adam.” And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, “Why dost thou urge me?” I will not worship an inferior being than me. I am his senior in the creation; before he was made I was already made. It is Adam’s duty to worship me.”

When the angels who were under me, heard this, they also refused to worship Adam, And Michael saith, “Worship the image of God, but if thou wilt not worship him, the Lord God will be wrath with thee.” But he, said, “If he be wrath with me, I will set my seat above the stars of heaven and will be like the highest himself.” And God the Lord was wrath with me and banished me and my angels from our glory; and on thy account, were we expelled from our abodes into this world and were hurled on the earth. And straight way we were overcome with grief, since we had been spoiled of so great glory. And we were grieved when we saw thee in such Joy and luxury.

And with guile I cheated thy wife Eve and caused thee to be expelled through her doing from thy joy and luxury, as I have been driven out of my glory, etc. It is also written somewhere else in the Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, that after Satan had been cursed by God and hurled down to the earth of the sixth cycle of universal activity and while Adam was still in Paradise, the ruling spirit in the enclosure that was Eve whose pregnant body today has become the entire body of mankind, then understood that God was about to bring in a new creation and he ‘THOUGHT’ to bring Adam down, and in such form ‘THOUGHT,’ he was able to deceive Eve, but he was unable to touch Adam. (The spirits in Eve had been separated from the spirits in Adam.)

The sheep from the goats.

God didn't cause the disruption- but has allowed it to HAPPEN....