|
Plain Talk for Teens
Lesson #12
Question: Why do bad things happen if God is so good?
Opening Discussion:
Q - If a person drinks poison what will happen to that person?
Why? (there are laws of nature and God will not violate those
laws to protect someone that ignores the consequences of their
actions)
Q - Why do people fight with other people? (We have a free will
and God designed us that way, because of that 'will' there will
be people that will not agree with others on various things;
government and religion being the main ones. Therefore there
will be fights that will break out. It all started with Cain and
Abel back in the beginning.)
Q - Do you believe in God and the devil? Are you aware that the
devil's main goal is to destroy every human being on earth?
What the Bible says:
John 10
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Ephesians 6
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand
against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day
of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after
you have done everything, to stand.
Romans 6
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live
with him.
9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he
cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life
he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God
in Christ Jesus.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you
obey its evil desires.
13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under
law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to
obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you
obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to
obedience, which leads to righteousness?
James 1
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of
many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance.
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is
dragged away and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and
sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Ephesians 2
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this
world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who
is now at work in those who are disobedient.
3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the
cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and
thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in
mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
Galatians 6
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature
will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Q - Do these scriptures help you to understand why some things
happen the way they do?
Sometimes bad things happen as a result of our actions; Example;
If a person smokes it is very possible that they will develop
cancer. Is it right to expect God to stop that from happening
even though we know it is a result? God wants the best for us
that is why He warns us of the dangers, but He will not force us
to follow Him. Our 'will' allows us that freedom to choose.
Study Lessons
Bible Headquarters
|
|
|
|