Knowing God: Experience & Love Him

Series Introduction| Knowing God | The Revelatory God | Goodness of God | Holiness of God | Power of God | Omnipresent God | Exalted God | Faithfuness of God | Wisdom of God | Mercy of God | Wrath of God | Love of God | Sovereignty of God | Providence of God

Evil, Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

– The Sovereignty of God –

Paul J. Bucknell

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Introduction: Evil and suffering are difficult for us to understand. Why would God, the sovereign God allow or even tolerate it? God has His reasons. Do you know them?

Evil, Suffering & the Sovereignty of God

God is light

“God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). “For Thou art not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with Thee” (Ps 5:4). “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” (James 1:13).

We cannot, we must not, impute any evil to God. The evil is sourced in the wills of others.

God is all powerful

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; and His sovereignty rules over all” (Ps 103:19).

The Lord is able to do all that He wants.

He allows evil to exist under His rule for a temporary time.

“Kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7). “Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sheeted” (Jud 9:23).

God does permit evil, but it is only in a limited way and only so that it fulfills His own purposes. The evil spirit desires to cause trouble. It is beckoning God to let him do it. God grants the request.

God’s greater purpose

God temporarily allows evil to exist to display His marvelous power, wrath, grace and love.

God displayed His power and authority through Pharaoh's destruction, which stood for the destruction of the ancient world empire of Egypt.

“For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that My Name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth” (Romans 9:17).

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so in order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:22-23).

Conclusion: God has greater purposes that He accomplishes through evil.

God temporarily allowed evil to develop in order to display various features of His power, righteousness and grace. As such, God’s people, are most magnificently and undeservedly blessed. => Further discussion: Good and Evil | The Goodness of God

=> next: Salvation & the Sovereignty of God

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell