Why Bad Things Might Be Good Things

At first glance, it might seem by looking around the world around us that we 
could come to a pretty safe conclusion that God loves to torment God's creation. 
There is a lot of suffering in the world. Some suffering we can say people bring 
upon themselves. However, much if not most of the suffering in the world seems 
to come to innocent people. We see in large cities women with their children go 
hungry. We see in the country men with no motive but to see their family survive 
are murdered along with their whole families in the name of ethnic cleansing. 
And some communities suffer from natural disasters, seemingly unrelated to any 
moral failure. And suppose that we could reach the conclusion that there were 
some moral failures along the way? What about all the wicked people that seem to 
be doing just fine, relaxing and enjoying the wealth they have achieved by 
exploiting others? With these things in mind, and no doubt many more we could 
mention that we have experienced ourselves, we could reach the conclusion that 
God is some psychologically twisted manipulating moron that needs quick and 
effective therapy.
However, the apostle Paul reaches a completely different conclusion. He says 
that through the suffering, God is bringing redemption: For our mind, body and 
purpose; for the creation; and that in all of this, God loves us! How can we 
know that God loves us, when we see so much suffering around us?
First of all,
I. The Bible Says that God Accepts Us if We Suffer. 
Look at Romans 8:16-17:The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we 
are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs 
with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified 
with Him.
According to the gospel of God, there has been no greater injustice, and there 
has been no greater suffering than that which our Savior has endured for us. Is 
the Bible wrong in calling the Christ the Father's own Beloved? God gave God's 
own precious Son in the most cruel way. Certainly, there has never been anthing 
done to anyone so "undeserved" as that which was done to Him! 
Not only did Jesus the beloved Son of God suffer, but his disciples suffered. 
All of them suffered terribly unjust punishment and death. If any group of 
people has suffered injustice and unfair persecution, God's messengers of good 
news have!
The apostle Paul is a good example. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul lists all 
that he has suffered: " He has worked hard; been imprisoned; beaten times 
without number, often in danger of death; five times he received from the Jews 
thirty-nine lashes; three times beaten with rods; he was stoned; three times 
shipwrecked, a night and a day he spent in the open sea; always travelling; 
through rivers; in dangers from robbers; in danger from his own countrymen; in 
danger from the forigners; he had many a sleepless night; he often has been 
hungry and thirsty; and is cold exposure.
So we see that those who suffer God loves, but not only that
Second of all,
II. The Creation Suffers for Our Redemption.
Notice Romans 8:20-22: For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its 
own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself 
also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the 
glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and 
suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 
So we see that God subjected the creation to suffering. In this sense, God has 
allowed the suffering to take place. The Bible also says why in verse 21, "that 
the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption." The 
suffering is part of God's plan for its redemption. According to this passage 
the creation is subject to futility, which means hopelessness, uselessness, 
emptiness, and fruitlessness. Futility comes from futile. We say, "He made a 
futile attempt." So the chaos in the world which makes no sense is part of God's 
plan for its redemption, according to the Bible. Verse 21 says this is in order 
that the world will be set free from its slavery or bondage to corruption. 
Having wrestled as a teenager and helping coach the middle school wrestling 
team, I have discovered how pride can really get the best of some wrestlers. 
There are always a few with natural brute strength who at first can do pretty 
well with simply overpowering their opponent, but as the year progresses they 
lose more and more matches to wrestlers who have learned their moves better. I 
have beaten guys that were far more stronger than me with better moves. We try 
to tell these kids that they need to learn moves to win, but they don't listen. 
So what do we do? We let them lose some matches. 
Like wise God lets us lose. Paul says three times in Romans that God gave them 
over: Romans 1: 23 says people: exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for 
an image in the form of corruptible man. . . Therefore God gave them over in the 
lusts of their hearts to impurity. . . For they exchanged the truth of God for a 
lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. . . For this 
reason God gave them over to degrading passions. . . And just as they did not 
see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind 
(Rm. 1:23, 24, 25, 26, 28).
Verse 1: 22: "Professing to be wise, they became fools." Like stubborn wrestlers 
who think that they are smarter than the coach, only humiliation awaits those 
who do not go to God for direction. Like those older folks, perhaps not even 
their own fault, who have never learned how to read--that are too proud to 
learn. Having never learned the alphabet, they can't apply for a job or write a 
resume. They cannot even read the paper in order to understand the events 
happening all around us. They try to learn how to read on our own, but it is 
useless. They need someone to teach them the sounds which each letter represent. 
All they know is a few words that we have memorized: name, phone number, and 
exit. Hopefull they are not too proud to go and get help. But it is the 
realization that they are losing out on something very valuable that causes them 
to finally learn how to read!
Romans 11:32, "For God has shut up all in disobedience (or unbelief) that He 
might show mercy to all."Paul's theme through Romans is that God has given the 
world and especially people over to the consequences and judgment of sin in 
order that this in turn will bring people to repentance! And Paul says that we 
should be glad! Why? To be disciplined by God is better than being destroyed by 
God! In Romans 2:4, Paul, refering to his readers in the church, asks the 
question, "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance 
and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
So we see the world is falling apart for our redemption!
The Creation Suffers for Our Redemption, in order to lead us to repentance.
And lastly, because we are part of the creation,
III. Those God Loves Suffers an Incompleteness 
How are we incomplete? Our bodies are not redeemed. Look at verse 23: "And not 
only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we 
ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the 
redemption of our body." Paul says in another place concerning the kind of 
redemption which we have in Christ: "But we have this treasure in earthen 
vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from 
ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not 
despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 
Cor. 4:7-9). So our bodies have not yet been redeemed.
Also, neither are our minds fully redeemed, because Paul says in verse 26: "And 
in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to 
pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too 
deep for words." 
B. T. Roberts, in commenting about the change God works in our lives, 
distinguished between the mind and heart. He said God changes our hearts but 
leaves us with the same mind. It takes time for God to renew our mind.
This is Scriptural. How is our mind renewed? Only by giving ourselves totally to 
God. Paul says in Romans 12:1-2: "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies 
of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, 
which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this 
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what 
the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." These two 
verses encapsulate all of what Paul tries to say in Romans. Our mind is only 
renewed in service to God.
But my point is that our bodies fail us and our minds fail us, but God does not 
fail us. This is the peace that we have in prayer, that we know that God hears 
us. We do not know what purpose God may work in our suffering or in our 
neighbors' suffering. We have just read from God's word that God's people will 
suffer like Christ, we have just read that the creation is given over to 
corruption for its own redemption, and we have read that those who have been 
redeemed are yet bound by bodies which fail and minds which do not know exactly 
how to pray.
Yet this is our faith stated in verse 8:28: "And we know that God causes all 
things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called 
according to His purpose"--called according to God's purpose! And what is that 
purpose? Paul answers that question for us in the next verse: "For whom He 
foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that 
He might be the first-born among many brethren" (8:29). We are not redeemed 
simply to be redeemed. We have been redeemed to bear the image of our Lord--that 
He might be the first-born among many brethren. 
This is God's purpose, and everything can only be judged as good or bad 
according to this criteria: "Are people becoming more like Christ through this?" 
And so we do not know what suffering God intends. We do not know exactly how God 
is bringing redemption. Our bodies suffer and die, our minds do not comprehend; 
but Paul assures that, for those God has called, all things work together for 
the good! And what is the good? Redemption into the image of Christ!.
Keep praying, and God will use our suffering and we will share in Christ's 
glory; keep praying, and God will use the corruption of this world; keep 
praying, and God will even use our failing health and ignorant minds to build 
God's kingdom! For "the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how 
to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings 
too deep for words" (Romans 8:26). 
Prayer 
    An exegetical sermon based on Mark 11:12-25. 
    Romans 
    An essay challenging some of the common interpretations of Romans 5:12-6:2 
    and 7:7-25. 
    Common Depravity 
    A sermon dealing with the blatant and willful ignorance of people 
    today--based on Romans 1:25. 
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    E-Mail: gordon@saturnnet.com