Evil & Suffering
The antagonist expresses, “A just God would not allow suffering and evil in the world.”

  • God allows evil for the complete & ultimate defeat of evil. God allows evil for the great acts of good such as compassion, mercy, & forgiveness. God allows evil to exist for free will to exist.
  • God made this world good, but man has sinned & caused this world to go wrong.
    1. The Bible teaches that suffering and death are in the world because of humanity’s sins (Ge 3; Ro 5:12; 8:20–22; Ep 2:3).
    2. God allows evil to exist for the greater good of love & free will. God is all-powerful, and thus God can and will make all things right.
    3. The world is an ideal environment for humanity to seek, find, and love God.
  • Love requires free will, and free will allows people to hate & abuse others. God has a place where people can heal, and where there is no more suffering & pain (1 Co 15:50–56; Re 7:16; 21:4).
    • God did not create evil just as light does not create darkness (Jn 8:12).
    • God comforts & saves victims in this life & the next, & He uses suffering to make the faithful stronger (Ro 5:3–4; 8:28).
  • Jesus suffered death and rose from the dead (1 Co 15:1–4).
    • Jesus came bodily rose to live to conquer death (1 Co 15:25–28, 54–57). For this reason, those who believe will rise to eternal life (Jn 3:16; 6:39–40).

The Existence of Hell
The antagonist expresses, “A just God could not have created Hell.”

  • Sinners kindle their own fire (Is 50:11). Each person condemns oneself to Hell (Jn 3:18–20; Ro 2:1–11; 5:12, 16, 18).
  • Jesus proclaimed that Hell is just, & each person will receive their just stripes (Lk 12:47–48).
    1. Eternal Hell is for those who are sin as an eternal spirit, made in the eternal God’s likeness, and profane the eternal God’s holy and right nature by acting contrary to God’s goodness.
    2. Hell is “the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord” (2 Th 1:7–9).
    3. Jesus reported that “the everlasting fire [was] prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41).
    4. Jesus confirmed Isaiah’s description of Hell, “For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (Is 66:24; cf. Da 12:2).