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