Is Suffering a Result of Sin?
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira,
also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part
of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’
feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart
that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the
money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold?
And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think
of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When
Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard
what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and
carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not
knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and
Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to
her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet
of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out
also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men
came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her
husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these
events.” Acts 5:1-11
When you read passages like this, especially in the New
Testament it can be scary… Is suffering a result of sin?
To say that all suffering is always a result of sin is
insulting and it’s simply not Biblical. Bad things happen to good people
without an earthly cause and vice
versa.
In the times of the early church, it was customary to sell a
property and bring the full earnings to the apostle's feet, which at the
time was the church. Ananias & Sapphira knowing lied about the value of
their land and were killed because of their sin. This wasn’t just a lying or
money issue, they didn’t trust God and were disobedient but should they be killed for it? Other
people have lied in the Bible and they weren’t killed…
Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said to myself, “God will bring into
judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every
activity, a time to judge every deed.”
●
We aren’t the judge, God is and his word ensures that
judgment will come for everyone. Whether that time is here on earth or where
they will spend eternity.
So for Ananias and Sapphira, their death was a result of
their sin but for many other people, their suffering doesn’t have a cause. Like
Job for example. Job was a wealthy man living in the land of Uz with his large
family and farm. One day, Satan comes to God in heaven arguing that Job is only
righteous because God has blessed him. To prove this isn’t true, God allows
Satan to torment Job. In the process, he loses his land, all of his money
and all of his children are killed. He lost everything of value to him. His wife cursed
God and told Job he should too but Job wouldn’t. He trusted the Lord too
greatly. Job was faithful in his sufferings, despite no cause for his
suffering.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little
while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come
so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which
perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when
Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
No matter what we face in this world, our “suffering and
trials” proves the genuineness of our faith, is refined by fire and as Paul
says;
“I consider that our present
sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be
revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
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