objections to god’s existence

Apr 22, 2023

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Objections to God’s Objections to God’s ExistenceExistence

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Evil and Human Suffering

IntroductionIntroduction•Ps. 14:1Ps. 14:1•Ps. 53:1Ps. 53:1•Many today do not believe in Many today do not believe in

God or have no interest in God or have no interest in coming to know Himcoming to know Him

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IntroductionIntroduction•What can we do?What can we do?•PREACH AND PRACTICE HIS PREACH AND PRACTICE HIS

RELIGIONRELIGION•WE CAN PERSUADE OTHERSWE CAN PERSUADE OTHERS• 1 PET. 3:151 PET. 3:15• 1 Cor. 15:191 Cor. 15:19

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•Objection #1-The Objection #1-The Problem of EvilProblem of Evil

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Evil Is Real On Our WorldEvil Is Real On Our World• terrorismterrorism• murdermurder• raperape• robberyrobbery• violenceviolence• spouse abuse spouse abuse • child abusechild abuse

• abortionabortion• drinkingdrinking• other drugsother drugs• fraudfraud• character character

assassinationsassassinations• greedgreed

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Does Evil Rule Out God?Does Evil Rule Out God?•NO!NO!•Criminals do not rule out law Criminals do not rule out law

abiding citizensabiding citizens•A wayward child does not A wayward child does not

rule out godly parentsrule out godly parents•Ahab and Jezebel did not rule Ahab and Jezebel did not rule

out the prophet Elijahout the prophet Elijah

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Does Evil Rule Out God?Does Evil Rule Out God?• Evil Judas and his sin does Evil Judas and his sin does

not make Jesus less realnot make Jesus less real

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There Can Be No Right Our There Can Be No Right Our Wrong Without GodWrong Without God

• If there is no God then there If there is no God then there is no standard for is no standard for determining right and wrong, determining right and wrong, good and evil, etc.good and evil, etc.

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Satan And Sin Are To Blame Satan And Sin Are To Blame For Earthly EvilFor Earthly Evil

•Adam and Eve in Eden before Adam and Eve in Eden before sinsin

•Adam and Eve cast out of Adam and Eve cast out of Eden after their sinEden after their sin

•Satan was the cause-the Satan was the cause-the great deceivergreat deceiver

• Jn. 8:44Jn. 8:44

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Satan And Sin Are To Blame Satan And Sin Are To Blame For Earthly EvilFor Earthly Evil

• Satan and fallen man are Satan and fallen man are responsible for all of the real evil in responsible for all of the real evil in the worldthe world

• Too many blame God for Too many blame God for everything that happens on the everything that happens on the earthearth

• ““Wrath of God”Wrath of God”• Satan and sin are to blame, not Satan and sin are to blame, not

GodGod

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•Objection #2-Human Objection #2-Human SufferingSuffering

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The Atheistic Case The Atheistic Case StatedStated

•God is supposed to be all God is supposed to be all powerful and all good-why powerful and all good-why then does He not remove then does He not remove human suffering?human suffering?

• Either God can’t remove Either God can’t remove suffering (is not all-powerful) suffering (is not all-powerful) or He won’t remove it (not all or He won’t remove it (not all good, loving)good, loving)

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The Why Of Human The Why Of Human SufferingSuffering

• 1. It is common to all1. It is common to all•We are born to die-man lost We are born to die-man lost

access to the tree of life in access to the tree of life in Gen. 3Gen. 3

• 2. We suffer when others are 2. We suffer when others are in painin pain

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• 3. We suffer because of our 3. We suffer because of our own sinsown sins

•Ps. 51:3Ps. 51:3• Lk. 15:21Lk. 15:21• 4. We suffer because of the 4. We suffer because of the

sins of otherssins of others• Lk. 15:11-31Lk. 15:11-31

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• 5. We suffer when we do 5. We suffer when we do right and are persecuted for right and are persecuted for itit

•Mt. 5:10-12Mt. 5:10-12• 1 Pet. 2:19 ff1 Pet. 2:19 ff• Jn. 16:2Jn. 16:2

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• 6. We suffer when we try to 6. We suffer when we try to teach others and they refuse teach others and they refuse to obey The Truthto obey The Truth

•Mt. 7:6Mt. 7:6

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• 7. We suffer because we 7. We suffer because we cannot understand ALL that cannot understand ALL that is happening and WHY it is is happening and WHY it is happening to ushappening to us

• Look at JobLook at Job

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• 8. Sorrow and suffering are 8. Sorrow and suffering are our common lotour common lot

• Is. 53:3Is. 53:3• Is. 52:14Is. 52:14•Mt. 20:22-23Mt. 20:22-23

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We Do Not Fully We Do Not Fully Understand SufferingUnderstand Suffering

• Look at the song, “FARTHER Look at the song, “FARTHER ALONG”ALONG”

•Mt. 5:10-12Mt. 5:10-12•Acts 5:41-42Acts 5:41-42• Js. 1:2-3Js. 1:2-3

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Facing Some Hard Facts Facing Some Hard Facts About SufferingAbout Suffering

•Some things can be both a Some things can be both a blessing and a curseblessing and a curse

•firefire•waterwater• electricityelectricity•gravitygravity• Job 26:7Job 26:7

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Facing Some Hard Facts Facing Some Hard Facts About SufferingAbout Suffering

•Pain can be a blessingPain can be a blessing• It can signal a brain tumorIt can signal a brain tumor• It can warn us of dangersIt can warn us of dangers

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There Are Benefits To There Are Benefits To SufferingSuffering

•Ps. 119:67, 71Ps. 119:67, 71• Job was a better man after Job was a better man after

his sufferinghis suffering•Peter was a better man after Peter was a better man after

his denial of Christ then his denial of Christ then beforebefore

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ConclusionConclusion• There is much we do not know There is much we do not know

about sufferingabout suffering•We must never accuse God We must never accuse God

falsely concerning evil and falsely concerning evil and sufferingsuffering

•He is the Potter-we are the clayHe is the Potter-we are the clay• Let us be clay that He can mold Let us be clay that He can mold

into a vessel of honorinto a vessel of honor•2 Tim. 2:212 Tim. 2:21

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• outlined from THE BIBLE outlined from THE BIBLE DOCTRINE OF JEHOVAH GOD DOCTRINE OF JEHOVAH GOD by Robert R. Taylor, chp. 2 by Robert R. Taylor, chp. 2 and 3and 3

objections to god’s existence

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