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As we here in the Houston area recently braced ourselves for the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, many residents were wondering aloud the age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” That question offers ample opportunity for the inquisitive ones to cite their perspectives regarding the source behind our collective calamities.

This was especially evident when news reports showed many churches, synagogues, hospitals and child-care facilities damaged or destroyed, when down their streets, bars, liquor stores and strip clubs were spared the wrath of Ike’s wind and water. Why did something evil get spared and something good get destroyed? The religious rumblings about this phenomenon of inequity were heard everywhere.

Most of you have probably formed your own comfort-level answer to that question and have found your solace with the suffering saints of yesteryear. We recognize that bad things do indeed happen to good people. That is a fact of life! If we have even a measure of biblical knowledge it is fairly easy to detect the culprit who masterminds these calamities.

If you need a hint, it is the one of whom Jesus spoke in John 10:10. There, Jesus identified the archenemy of the saints as Satan and revealed his diabolical game plan against the Church. Satan’s plan is to “steal, kill and destroy.” Let us never get this Bible truth confused: Jesus is our friend and Satan is our enemy. Get this straight: when something GOOD happens to someone BAD, it is not an indication that God is endorsing their lifestyle or their business. God never endorses sin, but He loves the sinner.

It seems God always gets the “black eye” when this discussion is over. It is critical therefore to recognize that God’s Word lays the blame for Bad things squarely at the doorstep of the Devil. Notice what the Apostle Peter says about this issue. In 1 Peter 5:8-10 he states, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

The focus of this article is not why good people suffer bad things, but why do GOOD things happen to BAD people. This question is of one of even greater significance. Why? Since it has lingered on the lips of people from early Bible days, its answer will reveal much about the character of God. Job 12:6 states, “The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.” As this faithful Old Testament saint is contemplating his great suffering and sorrow, he cannot help but see godless people enjoying ease and blessing. I feel sure this was like rubbing salt on his wounds as it extracted a significant increase in his personal dilemma.

In Psalms 37:7 David wrote, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass”. Even this Shepherd Boy and Lyricist Extraordinaire of Israel saw good things happening in the lives of evil people. It not only made him wonder, but it made him uncomfortable until God told Him to relax and allow Him to handle the final chapter in their lives.
Jeremiah pondered this very question of evil people prospering when he wrote, “Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?” (12:1).

There are many other references to the stupefying question of why evil people have good things happen and why good people have evil happen. We have very succinctly established that all bad comes from Satan and all good comes from God. The list of validating scriptures is too numerous for us to include more. However, we must clear the confusion which comes from Exodus 15:26. There it states, “And (God) said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”

Dr. Robert Young, a noted Hebrew and Greek Scholar who authored “Young’s Analytical Concordance To the Bible”, states that this Bible passage was written in the Permissive Mode in the original Hebrew. He declares that this Scripture does not state that God actually placed these diseases upon people as the English versions infer, but that He allows or permits these diseases to happen.

Those people who were in jeopardy of disease and death were the disobedient, rebellious ones who refused to serve God. God was graciously warning His people of the high cost of disobedience to His Word by using the Egyptians as an example of what happens when you ignore Him and His Word. It is wonderful to know that God always warns His people of possible harm that can come their way. By contrast, Satan is a sneak-thief who never warns before he attacks and destroys. This is another illustration proving God is GOOD and Satan is BAD. This is their individual characters that never change.

What we find as we search the Scriptures is that God is good to ALL. Psalms 145:9 states, “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” This Scriptures clearly establishes the contrast between God’s benevolence and Satan’s malevolence (John 10:10). This distinction must NEVER become blurred. God is Good, Satan is bad! This means all the time and it will never change!

The Bible affirms that God sends the blessing of rain on the crops of the “Just and the unjust”. He further guarantees that He will make the sun to shine on the evildoer as well as the Righteous (Matthew 5:45). Saints and sinners both are beneficiaries of God’s goodness. Romans 2:4 declares, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” This is the stated purpose for His goodness to the undeserving.

The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”
In 2 Peter 3:9 he states, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Again we see the purpose of God doing good things to bad people is to lead them to repentance and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

This eternal truth is nowhere more evident than in Acts 3:26. This Scripture declares, “Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” The crimson thread that runs from cover to cover in the Bible is to show that God sent Jesus to “bless” sinners. Thankfully, He has never stopped blessing and showing good to sinners.

Satan does not oppose evil, nor does he ever assist the righteous. Sometimes evil people will prosper because Satan throws his kingdom support behind their efforts in order to entrap them in his web of deceit and destruction. Sinners have been known to commit evil, and many times, this evil prospers the sinner. However, the prosperity and comfort of the sinner is short-lived. It will eventually fade and their eternity will be lived in separation from God.

Evil is noxious in the nostrils of God, He detests it. But, rather than destroy the sinner, God sent His Son as the greatest gift to sinners that they might experience His love and blessings and turn to Him for salvation. On the Day of Pentecost, over 2,000 years ago, Peter proclaimed that God indeed blesses sinners. In Revelation 2:21 God states, “And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” This is the portrait of a loving, merciful and patient heavenly Father who gives people time to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ.

For time and eternity God settled the question about His goodness toward bad people. He declared that He is not in the annihilation business. He does not destroy the sinner. Our God is in the salvation business. He sent Jesus to “Seek and to save (not destroy) that which was lost.” Satan comes to destroy. God comes to bless and save those undeserving of His love.

When you see good things happening to bad people, rejoice that our heavenly Father is reaching out to them and offering His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior. We were all once one of those “bad people” that needed Jesus to help us be good.

There is so much more in store if you will search in the Gold Mine of God’s Holy Word of God.

****A Personal Word to Our Readers from Dr. Frazier****

There are great insights to be derived from the study of the Greek New Testament. Each month I will endeavor to share a nugget of truth from the Book of Truth, God’s Eternal Word. These will be concise and should not intrude into your time or opportunity to explore the richness of the vein from which they were extracted. That is for you and the Holy Spirit to excavate together. These nuggets are just to let you know where to begin the digging, if you so desire. They are NOT designed to be an exhaustive commentary providing all the answers on the subject. The Spirit will guide you in how deep to dig. Please feel free to share your questions, observations or insights with our readers and me.
Website: http://www.donfrazier.com

Reader Comments

Absolutely wonderful article, Dr. Frazier! Thank you for expounding on these marvelous truths!

Abundant blessings to you!

Amazed in His presence and humbled by His great love!

“God makes everything happen at the right time.”  (In His Time) Eccl. 3:11

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