Question submitted at 11.29.09 worship gathering.

Cecelia Moore's response...

God loves us so much that he gives us the ability to make our own choices.    Evil occurs when people use their power to make choices and do things that are against God’s will and purposes.  God doesn’t override our ability to make choices that result in evil.  He wants us to love Him so much that we want to love our neighbors and only do good things and not sin.  We know that God doesn’t stop terrorists.  He doesn’t stop sin in human lives.  Remember, he didn’t stop the terrorists that put our Savior Jesus Christ to death!

Sin exists where humans exist on earth.  We cannot be perfect by God’s standards.  It is only when we are in heaven with God that sin will not exist in us.  When Christ comes again and all believers are taken up into heaven, there will be no evil.  God’s power will overcome evil at that time. In the meantime, we do not attain perfection in this world.  The power of sin is a reality in our human lives.  Out perfection comes only in our eternal life in heaven with God. 

We do believe that God can bring good out of evil.  Even as people choose to do wrong, God can use that wrong act for good. (Gen. 50:20; Rom. 8:28).  We also believe that human sin cannot stop God’s ultimate plans for us and for his world.  Remember that God conquered the evil of Jesus’ death and used it for our good.

When we suffer we must trust that God is present with us.  We know that God is with us in the midst of our suffering.  God’s grace and power of love will enable us to endure, even in the “darkest valley.” (Ps. 23:4).  God can use evil and suffering and do within us “far more than all we can ask or imagine.” (Eph. 3:20).  This our comfort and our hope.