Who Is Responsible for All the Pain?
Satan is the one responsible for all evil, pain and sickness in this world. People often wonder: why didn’t God destroy Lucifer when he sinned, and thus ended the sin problem and relieved humanity of its pains?
The answer lies in the freedom of choice that God gave to angels and to humans (Deuteronomy 30:19). Lucifer and his angels chose to rebel against God (Revelation 12:4). If God had destroyed Lucifer immediately, some angels might have worshiped God through fear. And that goes against God’s will. The only devotion God would accept is a voluntary worship moved by love (John 14:15). Lucifer claimed that his plans are better for God’s creatures. So, the Lord allowed him to demonstrate his plans to the universe (1 Corinthians 4:9).
Sadly, humans exercised their free will as well, rebelled against God and fell (Genesis 3:6) and thus the devil demonstrated his principles on this planet. And the result is the pain, sickness, and death that we see in the world. The Lord could not cancel men’s choices. And, we cannot blame God for our suffering which is the direct result of going against His good will.
But the good news is that the Lord took upon Himself the burden of saving us from the penalty of our own sin. Jesus the Son of God died so we can be set free from the devil. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). All those that accept God’s plan of salvation by faith in Jesus will be given the power to overcome sin and get saved eternally (John 1:12).
So, the only One that mostly experienced pain is God Himself. God saw His beautiful perfect world and its inhabitants, made in His image, being destroyed by the enemy and He had to sacrifice His innocent son on the cross to redeem them. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Thus, we see that God does not afflict His children with pain and sickness (James 1:13). Man has brought this condition of affairs upon himself by his disobedience (Genesis 1:27, 31; 3:15–19; Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 6:23). Since this is the case, God uses these trials to purify the human character (1 Peter 4:12, 13). For He “works all things together for good” for those the love Him (Romans 8:28).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
