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If God Is Good, Why Does Evil Exist?
Talking Points:
- Skeptics and scoffers love to stump Christians with this question: if God is good, why does evil exist? But if we take a look at the Bible, we can not only make sense of this difficult question, but find an answer that can change our eternity.
- It’s easy for us to question God’s goodness in the face of evil, but Jesus’ life shows us that God is both powerful and compassionate. He is for you, not against you. Matthew 8:2-3
- Most of us draw a line on sin and ask God to deal with the sinners on the other side of the line, but in reality we’re all on the wrong side of the line; we all deserve God’s judgment. Romans 5:12
- Ultimately, Jesus is the answer to evil. By dying on the cross, he offers a way for people to be saved and forgiven. This shows how God deals with the problem of evil once and for all. Romans 5:6
Discussion:
- Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
- Before listening to this podcast, how did you answer the question “why evil still exists?” Would you consider yourself a seeker, skeptic or both? Explain.
- Share a time you questioned the goodness of God. What conclusion did you come to, if any?
- Read Matthew 8:2-3 and 2 Peter 3:9. What do these verses say about Jesus’ nature and how does that impact us?
- Read 1 John 1:8. How have you been guilty of minimizing your own sin while judging others for theirs? Why is this a dangerous practice?
- Whether you felt you already knew the answer to the question of evil, what new insights have you learned from this topic and how will you apply them to your life moving forward?
- Does God Still Speak Through Prophets?
- Is the Bible Just Another Book?
- Is There Only One True Church?
- How Good is Good Enough?
- Resurrection Sunday (Mark 16)
- The Seven Questions of Pilate (Mark 15:1-15)
- The Identity of Jesus on Trial (Mark 14:53-65)
- Are You Giving God Lip Service? (Mark 14:43-52)
- How Should You Pray in Your Hour of Need? (Mark 14:32-42)
- How Jesus Kept Peter on Mission (Mark 14:27-31, 66-71)
- How Do You Know If Your Faith Is Authentic? (Mark 14:12-26)
- Bible Basics: What Is the Story of the New Testament?
- How Judas Handled the Hard Sayings of Jesus (Mark 14:1-11)
- What Is the Story of the Old Testament?
- Harnessing Your Grief
- Bible Basics: How Do I Read the Bible?
- How To Come Back From the Burden of Shame
- What Is the Structure of the Bible?
- Harnessing Your Fear to Build Your Faith
- How To Harness Your Anger for Good
- Bible Basics: Where Did We Get the Bible?
- Resilience and the Power of Emotions
- The Advent of Joy
- God’s Grace: Prevenient vs. Irresistible
- The Advent of Peace
- The Advent of Hope
- Jesus’ Saving Work: For Everyone or for Some?
- Watch for Jesus (Mark 13:28-37)
- Divine Election: Conditional or Unconditional?
- Signs of the End (Mark 13:14-27)
- Human Nature: Inability or Free Will?
- Are We Living In The End Times? (Mark 13:1-13)
- An Introduction To Calvinism and Arminianism
- How To Spot a Spiritual Fraud (Mark 12:38-44)
- Son of David (Mark 12:35-37)
- Here’s How to Love a Teen
- What is Systematic Theology?
- How Well Do You Know Your Bible? (Mark 12:28-34)
- The Meaning of “Strength” in Hebrew
- What Will Eternity Be Like? (Mark 12:18-27)
- The Teen Brain and What to Do About It
- The Meaning of “Soul” in Hebrew
- Taxes for Caesar (Mark 12:13-17)
- The Meaning of “Heart” in Hebrew
- Is Spiritual Authority a Thing Anymore? (Mark 11:27-12:12)
- Two Fundamental Principles for Parenting Teens
- The Meaning of “Love” in Hebrew
- It’s Not About the Temple (Mark 11:12-25)
- The Meaning of “LORD” in Hebrew
- In the Highs and Lows (Mark 11:1-11)
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