Why Does God let things happen?

Well, I had to write this for theology. I really dont like my teacher. Paper is ok i guess probably could have done better on it. But anyway here it is:


“Why God Lets Things Happen”

Why does God let things happen? God lets both good things and bad things happen to us. So really “Why does God let things happen?” can be summed up with two question. Why do bad things happen? Also, Why do good things happen to bad people?

The first question: Why do bad things happen? That question is rather easy to answer. We are sinners! We turned away from God. Therefore bad things happen to the earth and made things harder for us.“It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”(Gen 3:18-19). We go against the commandments God gave to Moses for us. We lie, we cheat, we steal, we commit adultery, we covet, we put ourselves before our neighbor, we put our neighbor before God, and we put God in our closet just in case we need him for some bad day. (Ex 20). Is it really any shock that bad things happen to us because of this? We act like we hate our Creator, because of our sinful nature, we do hate our Creator! Is it really that big of a surprise that bad things happen?
Bad things have been happening since the Fall. Cain killed his brother Able because he was jealous.(Gen 4) God also destroyed the whole world with a flood because people had moved so far away from him.(Gen 6) “On the same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.” (Ex 12:12) God brought this plague on Egypt because Pharaoh did not listen and let the Israelites go. David's Son died because of his sin in the killing of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba. (2 Sam 11 & 12). Those who remain faithful to God were attempted to be punished by earthly kings. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into a fire because they would not bow down to an idol.(Dan 3).

Now, Why do good things happen to bad people? We have stated that we are all bad people. Yet, good things still happen to us. We have loving parents, food on our table, and a roof over our head. Why do we have these and clothes on our backs, girlfriends, boyfriends, or even any friends at all? We're awful people – do we not have too much good stuff going for us when you think about how awful we are? Jesus, because of Jesus we have good things. Jesus is the reason we aren't tempted unbearably. “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provided a way out so that you can stand up under it.”(1 Cor 10:13) Jesus took all that bad stuff that happens and became it for us. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21) Christ blood flowed down from the cross. It washed the filth of the earth with the righteousness of Christ. In Baptism we are cleansed of the evil in us. Each week when we receive the body and blood of our Lord we are forgiven for the bad things that we do. Though bad things happen to us none of it will last. It has already been defeated with Christ's death on the Cross. Our sin condemns us but God's gracious gift of his Son, Jesus Christ gives us eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Eternal Life.”(Rom 6:23)

Why do bad things happen to me? Because of me and my sin. Why do good things happen to bad people? Because of Jesus death and resurrection. Many people say “I don't want to hear the same old, boring theology. Don't preach to me. Instead tell me how the bible applies to my life.” Every good thing you have is a gift from God, a gift because Jesus died for you. That alone is enough to spend the rest of our lives meditating on and thanking God for.