“Why Does God Allow Suffering?”
John 9:1-7
Our text brings us face to face with one 0f the questions that we all have asked ourselves at one time or another, either concerning ourselves or others; “Why does God permit such suffering to occur?” Country singer Joey Feek passed away March 4, 2016 after an almost two-year battle with cervical cancer at just forty years of age. And although I don’t know much about her, she and her husband seemed to be a fine Christian couple. So, questions arise. “Why her? Why now at just 40 years of age?” All of us probably can think of an example of suffering that to us seems unfair. Any trip to any children’s hospital leaves you with an ache in your heart and ques-tions in your mind. “Why do children so young and innocent have to battle cancer?” The Disciples found themselves facing such a situation when they encountered the blind man in John chapter nine.
On the morning recorded in John chapter nine a blind man arose unaware that his world was about to change because he was about to meet Jesus. In John chapter eight Jesus said that he was the “light of the world” and in John chapter nine Jesus proves it. As Jesus and His Disciple leave the city of Jerusalem after the Feast of the Tabernacles they encounter a man blind from birth, “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind. (2) And His disciples asked Him saying, Who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind.” (John 9:1-2)
First, Errors Concerning Suffering.
There are two crucial questions regarding trials and suffering. The first is “why?” Why is there suffering in life? The second is “what?” What should we do about this suffering?
As Jesus and His disciples leave the city of Jerusalem after the Feast of the Tabernacles – they came across a man blind from birth. The disciples turned to Jesus and in verse two asked the “why” question that we all are tempted to ask from time to time. “Why has this happened?”
Perhaps no question challenges us more deeply than the question “Why?”
Why me?
Why here?
Why now?
Why this?
The question “Why did this happen?” challenges us to probe the connection between the goodness of God and human suffering. If God is good, why is there so much suffering in the world? If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t He use His power to stop the suffering?
In this case the Disciples are curious as to the reason for this man’s blindness, and ask in verse two, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
There are many errors expressed frequently in our day concerning why people suffer. The first error is to think that we suffering in this life because of bad things we did in a previous life. We can tribute this to the influence of Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism and now seen in New Age thought. This is the idea of karma. This of course runs counter to the plain teaching of the Bible which plain teaches we each have one life after which comes death. Hebrews 9:27, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”
The Jews of Jesus day had another view which seems to be what the disciples meant. That is that some children sin in the womb and birth defects are the result. The disciples displaying the beliefs of that day were sure that one of two reasons accounted for this man’s blindness, either this man had sinned or his parent had. It would seem to us that the fact that this man’s blindness began at birth would have excluded from consider-ation that it was this man’s sin that had caused his blindness.
However, one of the strange ideas that existed at the time was that some Jews believed in the “pre-existence of the soul” which is the belief that all souls have already existed in the Garden of Eden before the creation of the world. This implied that somehow this man could have sinned in a former state before he came into this world and thus as punishment came into this world blind. [William Barclay. And He Had Compassion: The Miracles of Jesus. (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1975) p. 178]
Interesting but just as far-fetched was a more common belief in prenatal sin – children might sin in the womb. Used as an example might be Gen 25:22 which states that Esau and Jacob as “ children inside her struggled with each other” (Gen. 25:22 - ESV) since the babies were active it was possible to do what was wrong as well as what was right. (Leon Morris. Reflections on the Gospel of John. p. 347)
The second error is in thinking that suffering results from the sins of our parents or more distant ancestors. The question of whether the sins of this man’s parents had caused his blindness reflected a misunderstanding of Exodus 20:5, 34:7, which says that God will visit “the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” that the sins of the father will extended to the 3rd and 4th gener-ations. That is that sin so deeply corrupts our relationships that several generations of a family will be affected by serious sin. Yet Ezekiel 18:20 says “…son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son.” God judges each man and woman individually, the righteous will be justified and the wicked will be judged.
The third error is to assume that all suffering is the caused by God’s immediate wrath. One expresses this view when they ask, “I wonder what He did to deserve this?” This seems to be the perspective of Job’s friends who saw Job’s suffering as payment for some hidden sin on his part. This view sees God as sitting in Heaven just waiting for the opportunity to strike someone down for sin. The reality as most of us could testify is that God in His mercy has not given us the just reward that we deserve.
Second, Explanations for Suffering.
The most fundamental biblical reason for suffering is that we live in a fallen world. As a result of the Fall, the world was corrupted by sin, leading to pain, death, and decay that affects all creation. Suffering under this category includes: misery caused by the wrong choices and actions of other people, natural disasters and diseases are part of living in a world weakened by sin and spiritual evil at work in our world.
The question of suffering challenges us on two levels: the emotional level, and the rational level. The first is impossible to resolve. Suffering will never not be painful, no matter its source or root cause. And on the rational level, How can suffering be explained?
• Some suffering is Corrective.
God sends some suffering to get us back on the right path. Spanking is the illustration here. Just as a loving parent will discipline their children so God will discipline His. A loving parent does not discipline their child because they like to inflict pain, but because they love their child. The well- known verses in Hebrews come to mind. (Heb. 12:6, 10-11) “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives….(10) For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (11) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but
later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (ESV)
• Some suffering is Constructive to teach us lessons about life.
Suffering cause us to draw close to God. Paul writes in 2 Cor. 1:8-9, “… For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” (ESV)
We often seem to grow most when we go through difficult times. Suffering strips us of artificial or temporary securities of this world and forces us to dig more deeply into the Word to find peace and purpose. It has been said that “when Christ is all you have, you find that Christ is all you need.”
One Commentator wrote, “I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my seventy-five years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced or enlightened my existence, has been through affliction and not through happiness.” [Malcolm Muggerridge. Quoted in Kent Hughes. “John- The You Might Believe.” p. 2)
Suffering enables Christians to identify with and encourage other sufferers. Second Corinthians 1:3–4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Those who have experienced the grace of God in their trouble are better equipped to help others find the same grace in their trouble.
Suffering reminds us that this world is not our home. (Phil 3:20-21) Christians who live in more affluent parts of the world may find it harder to long for Heaven than Christians who live in poverty in third world countries. When life is comfortable, eternity is only a glimmer far in the future. But when Christians suffer persecution, poverty, and hardship, eternity starts to become the brightest light in their lives. Often, Christians who suffer have an advantage in keeping their priorities straight.
• Some suffering is to display the glory of God.
Jesus gives a third reason for suffering in His answer to the Disciples question, whether it is the man’s sin or his parents that is the cause of his suffering. In verse three, “Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
Jesus answers their question by stating the better question is not “why” has this happened but “what does God what to accomplish through it?” He states that neither this man nor his parent’s sin had caused the blindness but rather that the glory of God could be revealed through him. This does not imply that neither this man nor his parents are sinless but rather that their sin is not the cause of his blindness.
Jesus did not say that sickness and disease are never the consequences of sin. But it is a great mistake to think at all of mankind’s sickness and illnesses are due to sin.
Jesus is not saying that this man was made to go through his entire life to this point blind in order that God heal him so that “the works of God” could be made manifest. Rather he was saying that this man’s blindness was something that God used, through which his “works” are manifest. “Tragedies (such as illnesses and accidents) give God the opportunity to reveal himself in unique ways. It was a tragedy that robbed Joni Erickson Tada of her ability to move. But through Joni, the Lord has encouraged thousands and he continues to display his glory.
We cannot choose how God will glorify him-self in us. But we can seek to glorify him whatever our situation.” [Larry Richards. Every Miracle of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998) p. 223]
Third, Examination of the Miracle Healing. (9:4-7)
In verses four and five Jesus cautions His Disciples not to get so wrapped up in theorizing and moralizing that they miss the opportunity to meet human needs. “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." This verse can also be read “we must work” for God choses do His mighty works through his followers, at least as a general rule. Rather than argue and debate and question who has sinned we ought to look at each situation as an opportunity to manifest His grace. There is urgency to the task, “night is coming”, the opportunity for sharing the gospel will not last forever.
John records seven of Jesus’ miracles in his gospel account: the changing of the water into wine (Jn. 2), the curing of the nobleman’s son (Jn. 4), the healing of the lame man by the pool (Jn. 5), the feeding of the 5,000 (Jn. 6), walking on the water (Jn. 6) , the restoring of sight to the man born blind (Jn. 9) and the raising of Lazarus (Jn. 11). These were of course not the only miracles that John witnessed, John says in (20:31) “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples.”
Each of the miracles that were recorded were selected to reveal something about Jesus. John chose these miracles because they reveal specific spiritual truths. So, we need to examine this miracle not just for the story itself but what it reveals to us about the nature of salvation.
Surely there is significance in the fact that Jesus performed more miracles related to giving sight to the blind more than any other miracle. It was prophesied that the Messiah when he would come “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.” (Isa.35:5) But more than just restoring sight to the physical blind Jesus came to restore the sight of human beings who had become blinded to the things of God.
• Before we met Jesus, we were all spiritual blind.
There is a spiritual truth in every miracle. In other words, there’s the miracle, then there’s the spiritual lesson you can learn from it. After He fed the 5,000 He said, “I’m the bread of life.” In the healing of a blind man, here is a message behind the miracle. There is a terrible condition of spirit-ual blindness what is far worse than physical blindness.
This man in John 9 was born blind. We’re all born spiritually blind and unless we see the light of Jesus we remain in darkness. And the devil wants to keep people in blindness. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (ESV)The truth is that lost people don’t need just a little more information so that they can make an informed decision to get saved. Rather, they need the miracle of spiritual sight that only God can give.
• Jesus deals with each one of us in His unique way.
In the four gospel accounts Jesus gave sight to several blind people. But He didn’t deal with each of them the same way. This is the only blind man who had mud from spittle put over his eyes. In Mark 10:46-52 Bartimaeus was healed by a spoken word. At other times He would touch the person and they would be healed. In Mark 8:22-26 Jesus healed a man in stages, first He touched the blind man and he couldn’t see clearly. He said, “I see men as trees walking.” So, Jesus touched him again—and then he could see clearly.
I believe this reveals an important principle. Some-times people want to have exactly the same experience with God that someone else has had. When some people come to the Lord, they cried and wept for joy. And there are others who quietly receive Jesus as their Lord.
But if you examine how Jesus dealt with people, you will see He used a different approach for different people. He told Nicodemus to be born again. He told the woman at the well He could give her living water. He told the rich young ruler to go sell all he had and follow Jesus. In Acts 9, Saul of Tarsus was saved in a dramatic way. He saw a blinding flash of light that knocked him to the ground and he heard Jesus speaking to him. There is no other biblical account of anyone being converted like that. Our God is a not bound by any one method. He deals with each of us in different ways. The truth is that you can’t put God in a box and dictate to Him how He must act. If you ever think you have God figured out think again.
In this story we see in verse six Jesus now turns his attention to the blind man, “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. (7) And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
Jesus spit on the ground, made clay from the dust and saliva and then anointed the sightless eyes of the blind man. Does that offend you? Does it seem inadequate and even foolish? In the view of our modern world the action of covering someone eyes with spittle and mud would be more likely to make a seeing man blind than to make a blind man see. Can you see that a presentation of the Gospel must seem that way to those who are lost. If not offensive, at least inadequate, surely there is something more!
But the primary purpose of the placement of the spittle and clay on the man’s eyes was to evoke hope and expectation in him. Another reason for the application of the moist clay may been to convince those that saw the miracle that source of the healing was not so much in the use of means (clay and spittle) but in the Jesus who was the Healer.
In verse seven Jesus commands this man to “go and wash” yet we should note that in spite of the fact that this man had never requested a cure, he did as Jesus told him to do. “So, he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
A. M. Overton wrote a wonderful poem
which was born out of deepest personal sorrow, it touches us with a profound statement of trust in God amid the sorrows of life.
My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
He maketh no mistake.
My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away,
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead
For He doth know the way.
Tho’ night be dark and it may seem
That day will never break,
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,
He maketh no mistake.
There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim;
But come what may, I’ll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.
For by and by the mist will lift
And plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, tho’ dark to me,
He made not one mistake.
“Why Does God Allow Suffering?”
John 9:1-7
First, Errors Concerning Why People Suffer.
• Suffering in this life is because of bad things done in
a previous life. (the idea of karma. (Hebrews 9:27)
Another view was that some children sin in the womb and birth defects are the result.
• Suffering results from the sins of our parents
or more distant ancestors. (Ex. 20:5, 34:7, Eze. 18:20)
• All suffering is the caused by God’s immediate wrath.
Second, Explanations for Suffering.
Why does a loving God allow us to suffer?
• Some suffering is corrective.
• Some suffering is constructive.
It can cause us to draw close to God. (2 Cor. 1:8-9)
It enables Christians to encourage other sufferers.
(2 Cor 1:3-4)
In reminds us that this world is not our home.
(Phil 3:20-21)
• Some suffering is to display the glory of God. (9:3)
(Examples – Job, Lazarus)
Third, Examination of the miracle Healing. (9:4-7)
• Before we met Jesus, we were all spiritual blind.
(2 Cor. 4:4).
• Jesus deals with each one of us in His unique way.
“Why Does God Allow Suffering?”
John 9:1-7
First, Errors Concerning Why People Suffer.
• Suffering in this life is because of bad things done in
a _________ life. (the idea of karma. (Hebrews 9:27)
Another view was that some children sin in the _______ and birth defects are the result.
• Suffering results from the sins of our __________
or more distant ________. (Ex. 20:5, 34:7, Eze. 18:20)
• All suffering is the caused by God’s _________ wrath.
Second, Explanations for Suffering.
Why does a loving God allow us to suffer?
• Some suffering is _______________.
• Some suffering is _______________.
It can cause us to draw close to God. (2 Cor. 1:8-9)
It enables Christians to encourage other sufferers.
(2 Cor 1:3-4)
It reminds us that this world is not our home.
(Phil 3:20-21)
• Some suffering is to display the ______ of God. (9:3) (Examples – Job, Lazarus)
Third, Examination of the Miracle Healing. (9:4-7)
• Before we met Jesus, we were all spiritual blind.
(2 Cor. 4:4).
• Jesus deals with each one of us in His unique way.
