The Problem Of A Good God

It is a common question: Why do bad things happen to good people?

The presence of evil and suffering in the world is one of the most challenging problems in theology. The problem can be stated in various ways and understood from several aspects, but it is generally formulated in this way: If God is all-good, there would be no evil or suffering in the world. There is evil and suffering in the world; therefore, God is not all-good.

In this exposition, I will examine this problem in relation to Christianity. To do so, I want to explore the problem through the lens of one of the many letters authored by Saint Paul.  

Epistle To The Romans

Romans is the longest and most systematic of Saint Paul’s letters, serving various purposes. In it, Saint Paul seeks to demonstrate that all humanity is guilty of sinning before God. Paul then proceeds to argue that human works do not achieve salvation, but rather, salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ. Moreover, this faith leads to justification owing to Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, which have atoned for sin. 

Justification is shown to be only the beginning of a lifelong process of being sanctified, that is, being transformed and made holy by the Holy Spirit. This is accomplished predominantly by living in imitation of Christ and by surrendering our lives to God. 

Additionally, the Epistle to the Romans examines God’s providence and underscores Israel’s special role as God’s chosen people. Nevertheless, the Epistle observes that God offers salvation to all nations, uniting them into God’s beloved family through faith. 

Of particular importance to the topic of this article is Romans 8:28.

The Goodness Of God

“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,” writes Saint Paul. (Romans 8:28).

A refrain frequently repeated in Christian circles is “God is good.” This statement can be understood in two ways. The first and most fundamental way to affirm that God is good is through an ontological perspective.

To understand this, it must be asserted that a thing is good to the extent that it exists. Since God exists necessarily, He possesses the fullness of existence. Moreover, as God is the source or spring from which all that exists is drawn, God is goodness (ontologically) itself.

In the second sense, to say that God is good is to refer to God as the objective standard of morality. Human knowledge of right and wrong comes from the presence of a conscience that is informed by natural law. In turn, natural law is a manifestation of the mind of God.

With the Epistle of Romans as the point of departure, what has been said thus far can be condensed into two truth claims. One, that God is good by virtue of His existence. That is to say that God is, to the highest degree possible, ontologically good. Second, God provides the objective foundation for what is right and wrong.

Together, these two propositions provide the basis for saying, as Saint Paul does, that God works all things for the good. It also raises a question: If God is good and works all things for the good of those who love Him, why do believers suffer?

The Origin Of Pain

It is possible to identify three sources of suffering and pain in this world, two of which are related. The first is original sin, which one inherits by virtue of being human. One consequence of original sin is the Fall from grace, meaning that we now inhabit a broken world and are susceptible to evil and pain.

The second type of sin (and the one related to original sin) is personal or actual sin. Unlike original sin, actual sin occurs through acts of commission or omission committed by the individual.

The Church has traditionally taught that there exist Seven Deadly or Capital Sins. They are called “capital” because they engender other sins, other vices. The Catholic Church lists them as pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1866).

Personal sin can be mortal, that is, it can deprive us of heaven and merit for us hell.

Of relevance to the topic of this paper, sin can, and frequently does, lead to suffering. The Hebrew etymology of the word sin means to “miss the mark.” Specifically, sin can be said to miss the mark of virtue. In turn, this missing the mark can lead to suffering. Saint Paul writes, “Affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil.” (Romans 2:9).

The third and final source of suffering is God Himself. In this sense, God allows and uses suffering as a means of correction and purification. For this reason, Saint Gregory the Theologian writes, “If God had not permitted suffering, man would not know his limits, nor his need for God.”

Seeing The Full Picture

The term “good” is very often subjective. What is good for one may not be so good for another. So then, when it is written that God works for the good, we must understand the good intended.

A thing is good when it acts or performs in the manner its efficient cause intended. From the Catholic vantage point, this good is our salvation. So when Saint Paul tells us that God works the good for those who love Him, that good is ultimately our salvation.

As mentioned earlier, the sources of suffering are sin (both personal and actual) and God. If the ultimate good that God seeks for us is our salvation, then it seems that suffering must serve a redemptive purpose.

This is effected in two ways. First, suffering caused by sin reminds us that we live in a fallen world, which in turn stimulates (or should stimulate) our desire to turn to God. In the second way, suffering serves as a purgative. That is to say that suffering, when properly ordered to God, has the effect of cleansing sin.

Conclusion

No healthy and sane creature seeks suffering as its own end. However, we live in a broken and fallen world where suffering is an ever-present aspect of being alive. This fact should not lead us to despair, but rather to hope. In faith, we believe that God will bring our suffering selves to a place where “He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain.” (Revelation 21:4).