Our Wednesday Night topic for Feb 27^th will be the age old question,  “Why do BAD Things happen to GOOD People?”   A more personalized form of that question would be “Why Me, LORD?… I’m trying to live right and do right, so why did this awful thing happen to me?”

Why do we call it an “age old” question? Because this question was the theme of one of the oldest books in the Bible. In the Book of Job, there is a man named Job who was a good man. Even God said he was “blameless and upright.. feared God and shunned evil.”  Nevertheless, in a single day, Job lost his business, his wealth, his children, and his health.

Theologians try to blame the problem of suffering on 7 causes or explanations.

1- Original Sin – Suffering is the curse or the consequences of Adam and Eve’s original sin.

2- Satan – Related to the Original Sin.  Since man chose to listen to Satan instead of the Lord, the Lord allowed Satan to be released into this world  and he continues to wreak havoc, causing sin and suffering.

3- Retribution – This is the “Law of the Harvest.” People “reap what they sow”… “the wages of sin is (suffering &) death”

4- Discipline – God uses suffering as chastisement to turn His children from the wrong path

5- Revelation – God uses suffering to reveal Himself and His Glory to us.

6- Redemption – Someone endures suffering for the good of another person or group.

7- Mystery – I don’t know why!

Please review the story of Job and be prepared to discuss the problem of suffering – both of Job and ourselves.  In your opinion, which 1 of the 7 categories is:

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