SCHOOL: KANGUNDO BIBLE COLLEGE

COURSE: APOLOGETIC 1

ASSIGNMENT: GOD IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP

REGARDLESS OF OUR SUFFERING

SUBMITTED TO: REV. BENJAMIN

SUBMITTED BY: DOMNIC

DUE DATE: 20TH MARCH 2024

Outline
I. Introduction
II. The painful experience of earth
A. What kind of experiences
B. Why do we face challenges
III. Criticism of God’s Love and power proceeded from the suffering.
IV. Response to critiques
A. From the Bible
B. Other Sources
Conclusion
Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION
The perspective in which we approach and handle human suffering has raised and at the
same time developed a lot of critiques and arguments against the existence and goodness of God.
The criticism has led to the most common and difficult problem as opposition in Christianity as a
religion.
Particularly, the fall of man (Genesis 3) from the beginning has corrupted the whole
world regardless of either being a believer or a non-believer. The consequences of sin being
practical to all despite of origin, religion, culture and beliefs calls everyone to respond to
suffering with a different perspective.
Although perceptions and ways of handling suffering may differ to some extend
according to religion, God’s sovereignty functions to assure us that things are not getting out of
control is fully demonstrated. Doctrinal facts and theological views as well brings it to consent
that God is worthy of worship as powerful and loving regardless of our painful experiences we
face of earth.
 The supremacy of God as Biblically presented, and uniqueness of man being created in
His image and likeness automatically proves God’s nature and value of man in His presence
compared to the rest of the creation. God created man with and intent of abundant living to rule
over all creation but the pattern and purpose was ruined in the Garden of Eden after fall of man.
The transition of man’s obedience to a state of disobedience to God, corrupted the human
nature through which suffering became part in human life. The state of man rebelling against
God introduced evil and as a result, all in the whole world began to experience physical suffering
which include pain, illness, disability, hunger, poverty and more so death, which leave many
with a lot of struggle since then.
In many parts of the world, issues to do with cancer and heart disease has resulted to
emotional distress which has caused mental and psychological problems. This doesn’t mean that
God does not intervene on behalf his people, rather that we too live in a fallen world and cannot
escape participation in its evil and suffering. This fact leads to the common question: why does
God allow suffering but biblical context responds suffering as God’s wrath which occurred due
to man’s disobedience
To some extent, suffering is part of being human because we live in imperfect world
whereby God uses suffering correctively, constructively and also for His own glory. God’s
character as portrayed in man through relationship, rationalism, love and stewardship reveals and
maintains God’s sense of identity. Suffering in the world regardless of God being powerful and
loving require personal awareness that it is crucial for personal growth , development, and
success in various aspects of life. It is also the perfect opportunity for us to learn how to
overcome obstacles in which through the process we perceive to higher limits in life.
Resisting, complaining or even feeling sorry for ourselves about what happens in life is
totally normal but all what is needed is pure understanding that our response to suffering can
either elevate us or worsen the state. We all encounter difficulties in life but according to Mike
Robbins “Many of the most successful and fulfilled people who have walked the planet have
faced incredible challenges”. This clearly states that all what we face in life as we grow and
succeed depends on how we respond to suffering.
Within the context of the above statement, we should instead of resisting and
complaining, appreciate in suffering for it pushes us out of comfortable zones and equips us for
the unpredictable nature of life which leads to meaningful existence. Back in our minds, when
things get tough, the situation leaves in us the sense to appreciate when things get easier, notice
the good around us, and our responsibility in regards to nature.
Particularly, suffering is not just a problem for Christians but for all regardless of origin,
religion culture and beliefs. Christian view on suffering may be different with other religious
because they describe it as a way of putting to death self-reliance and confidence ratter than
critiques against God’s existence. Suffering in Christianity can also be termed as pursuit to trust
in God and rely not on ourselves but on Him who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9) Biblically,
suffering strengthens hope by revealing and demonstrating the real character of man, as proved
though endurance and perseverance. In other words, God is still loving, but we suffer as a result
of building our faith in Christ and also as a way of being conformed into God’s image (Romans
8:28-29). In most cases Atheists and non-believers critique God’s existence basing their
arguments on human suffering despite of God’s communicable attribute of love among others.
They argue that if God is all knowing, He couldn’t allow Satan to deceive Adams and Eve in the
garden of Eden. At the same time, their response to the same is that God’s love to man is not
clearly portrayed for He could use all means not to allow evil which corrupted the relationship
between man and God. Many questions arise and comes up repeatedly during times of grief and
tragedy, which leave even believers in doubt whether their suffering matters to God and if he
cares about their pain. In the secular world, many argue that Muslims and Hindus have nothing
to do with Biblical context about blessing, but they are very rich. Despite of worshipping idols,
their commitment to their gods compared to Christians becomes either loop hole through which.
Christianity as a religion loses followers.
Many of non-believers also find it hard to believe in an omnipotent God. It makes no
sense to them how God would allow humans to cause so much evil and suffering if he had the
power to stop them from doing so. They also argue that God is not omniscient because He would
have known about all the evil and suffering that would come from him creating the universe. As
far as God’s character is concerned, they also question why God did not create the universe
without potential for evil and suffering.
Biblically, Christian view on suffering reflects out a different perspective of how we can
develop an understanding of how to approach and respond to critiques. It also presents a clear
picture of how God uses suffering to build faiths of a believer and also for purification of the
church
In response to critiques against God’s existence, Biblically God is described as all loving
as stated in Psalm 103:8 despite of evil and suffering which affect human life the most. The
existence of God is self-explanatory regardless of the scientific explanations of how universe
came to being. Creation is the beginning of God’s revelation of himself in which His reality is
revealed and manifested through how creatures came to being and how they exist. God’s divine
will and the perfect freedom by which He created all what exists means that His perfect love is
not limited by surrounding or definitely what happens in human nature. This means that God is
ever present, powerful and able to accomplish all what He purposes in our lives. The first and
second account of creation till the fall of man reveals that God created people and gave them free
will whereby they could freely share in his love.
Due to man’s disobedience to God’s instructions, there was a broken relationship
between God and man which brought death into the world. However, in that state God didn’t
want to live in brokenness, darkness and separation with man. So He began a process by which
the broken world could be made right with Him. Jesus Christ, fully God, became fully human
and through His suffering, the presence, rule and influence of God reigns in the lives of people.
Therefore, because of Jesus death and resurrection people can now live in restored
relationship with God. This demonstrates that suffering is not necessarily purposed to death but
God’s way to accomplish His mission of bringing healing, wholeness and move to reveal His
purpose of creating man. This also gives a clear picture of how Christian life should be and how
we should emulate Jesus as our role model even in times of suffering.
As long as we live in this world, suffering will ever be part of human life because we live
in a fallen world. Job’s life was falling apart with one loss following another but in grief, he
considered God as source of recovery although sometimes he reacted hopeless. God revealed his
sovereignty over suffering after being silent throughout the dialogues between Job and his
friends whereby through whirlwind God answered not about job’s guilt or innocence but rather
speaks about the created order and contrasts what He can do with what humans are able to do.
Although Job’s suffering was Godly, the explanations from his friends connected his
suffering with known or unknown sin which needed him to confess. This simply tell us how
important it is to ask from God rather than listening and trusting people. In the midst of
suffering, Job quoted and said “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21)”.
Despite of all what Job passed through in his life, he chose faith and pursued righteousness all
through his suffering, trusting that God was in control. Through praising God in the midst of
suffering might make no sense to many, and faith in the midst of suffering make less sense, to
Job remained practical and real illustration to many that God is worthy of praise despite of
challenges we face. This might not be understandable to non-believers but make more sense to
those in the circle of faith
Biblically the reality of suffering is based on Jesus because as He suffered we also do to
build our faith in him, choosing faith in the midst of suffering reminds us that God is in control
and can also be a way of bringing us closer to Him. Through sufferings, God refines us through
sanctification leaving us determined to endurance in a deviled world.The perspective and means
by which people respond to suffering depends on whom they rely on. It also determines a
person’s destiny immediately after birth. In African world. It is believed that destiny of people
as regards success and failure has been appointed to them by God before birth. The existence of
God in Africa tradition can possibly be described the same as biblical because they don’t use any
image to represent God.
God is everywhere and all knowing, the Creator of the world and the Sovereign ruler of
the whole universe. The existence of God In the middle of suffering cannot be described through
human experience but through a believe that He has ordained to a moral order for humans to
understand what is good and evil. African people maintain the original sense of God's identity
despite of critiques about God's existence through Suffering.
This view particularly understands God as Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and
morally perfect, but we must understand and develop understanding of how to approach
suffering because it remains part in human life. Suffering can be redeemed and also be made
purposeful to either believers or non-believers depending personal relationship with God and
how they handle it.
 In Conclusion, the fact that suffering is quite normal in a broken world like ours, the
experience is real and part of life to either believers or non-believers. Quite a great number of
chapters in Old Testament consist of experiences and matters to do with suffering and how the
characters recognized that our great God is worthy of praise and worship despite of
circumstances.
In the midst of suffering, great pain and anguish, many authors of the bible especially in
psalms, prominent people like King David, Moses and others chose to lift their eyes and hearts to
the lord in worship, for they encountered and understood a lot of truths and facts about God. As
we reflect on Gods supremacy, it is also good to understand that God is the same yesterday,
today and forever, which means that God is not limited to time and seasons, his steadfast love
endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations is revealed. With this clear consent and
notions of God’s nature and identity, we can therefore acknowledge and develop an
understanding that God is worthy of worship as powerful and loving regardless of our painful
experiences we face on earth.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Muce Robbins Jan 2, 2024
Mc Martin and Hall 2022
Cris Baglow March 2022
Andy Cook Jan 1, 2014