From Timberdodle—
Evil: The Rock of Atheism? This review originally appeared on the Timberdoodle January, 2010 .
German playwright Georg Buchner has called the problem of evil "the rock of atheism," the proof that the God of the Bible doesn't exist. You and your children are confronted daily not only with the reality of evil and suffering, but also with questions about God's culpability and His sovereignty.
Unpacking the Problem of Evil and Suffering
In fact, one of the most significant tests of any worldview is how it unpacks the problem of evil and suffering. Because so few of us adults know how to think Biblically about this, our children fare even worse.
A Biblical Perspective
If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil, takes an in-depth look at one of the most misunderstood tenets of the Christian walk. With riveting true stories of suffering, Randy Alcorn skillfully walks the reader through a consideration of what the Bible teaches concerning this difficult topic.
A Gospel Saturated Answer
Our family has benefited greatly by reading If God Is Good as part of our family devotions. How about your family? Are they regularly being taught a gospel-saturated answer to the reason for evil? Do they see suffering as a providential, sanctifying affliction? If not, you have the moral task of making sure your children can face this topic with a ferocious boldness, knowing that, as Joni Eareckson Tada says in If God is Good, "God permits what he hates to achieve what He loves."
The questions posed in If God Is Good are questions that I have struggled with for the past year. One year ago my 17-year-old son went to be with the Lord. It has been a year of crying and grief beyond what you could imagine. But my husband and I have seen the Lord in this year. He has lifted us up and carried us through. Many of our friends and co-workers have told us they don’t know how we are getting through the pain. We continually tell them, “It is the Lord that is getting us through.” I also have had much comfort from reading Randy’s book Heaven. I long for it now. I didn’t really understand it as our final place of refuge. I long for the day that I will live in a dwelling place next to my “baby” and share meals and adventures with him again. The bottom line is that we have learned that the Lord uses our suffering to bring glory to Himself. Whether we like it or not! — A. S.
I have continued to soak in the book If God is Good, and I can’t say enough about how it is speaking to me and even transforming my mind and heart. While I’ve always shared your confidence in theism and sovereignty, I feel like I am studying some of these concepts for the first time. I’ve been able to recommend If God is Good to many people in our church and across the country. God is using If God Is Good in so many people’s lives. — K. K., pastor
If God is Good is Randy’s best book yet. Besides dealing with faith in the midst of evil and suffering it also is great for understanding the Gospel—what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross. — W. J.
There are parts of If God Is Good that are hard to read. The subtitle reads “Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil,” so you can imagine there are parts that aren’t so fun. I love a book that has me take a good look at myself and recognize, once again, that I am a sinner. I especially love a book like this that is backed up by tons of Bible verses. I can see this book will have a life-changing affect on me. I’m excited about that. I love that God isn’t done with me and through other people’s gifts, my life can be changed and my knowledge in God can be furthered. — A. M.
I have continued to soak in your book If God Is Good, and I can’t say enough about how it is speaking to me and even transforming my mind and heart. While I’ve always shared your confidence in theism and sovereignty, I feel like I am studying some of these concepts for the first time. — Anonymous
I began reading If God Is Good last week. I even began to look forward to what I was going to learn. But I wasn’t prepared for the cracking open of my heart as I read and absorbed and reread and cried. How could I not have understood these important truths before? Did I just become too familiar with “common” doctrine and apathetic to God’s crazy love and his willingness to suffer for us?
I have wept the last two days reading this book and when my feelings became too much I put it down and walked away to make dinner or play with the puppy. I’m telling you, the truth of this is washing over me and over me. My eyes have been focused on myself and my (our) own “suffering” rather than Jesus. I am so torn apart by not having seen that. Or known it with my head, but not owned it in my heart. I am repenting today.
Randy writes, “The cross is God’s answer to the question, ‘Why don’t you do something about evil?’” Bart Ehrman writes, “I came to think that there is not a God actively involved with this world of pain and misery—if he is, why doesn’t he do something about it?”
But what if God did do something about it? What if what he did was so great and unprecedented that it shook the angelic realm’s foundation, and ripped in half, from the top down, not only the temple curtain, but the fabric of the universe itself?”
Randy goes on to portray with words what suffering Christ went through, both in body and spirit, so he could prevent our eternal suffering. He lays out what society’s various responses are to the question of evil and suffering and then dives into the many layers of what scripture tells us.
In your most troubled moments, when you cry out to God, “Why have you let this happen?” picture the outstretched hands of Christ, forever scarred...for you. Do these look like the hands of a God who does not care?” — D. M.
Author Randy Alcorn, thought of as the point-man for evangelical Christian theology and thought on heaven, released a new book this past month called If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Evil and Suffering. After reading the first few chapters, it’s safe to say that once again Alcorn has come out with a ground-breaking, concise book on the theology of suffering for Christ. Chapters range from the problem of evil and good, to the limiting attributes of an all-powerful God.
The book, which has been in the process for the past few years, is an easy read despite the deep theological level. This is a must-read for anyone who’s looking for an explanation to one of the longest questions thrown at Christians since the resurrection of Christ: If God is good, than why does He allow evil? — M. F.
I find Randy Alcorn to be down to earth, yet have a wonderful faith quality. I always get a different perspective on how to look at things. If God is Good, of course, is no exception. Reading through Randy’s book he once again astounds me on the level of research he puts into his work…yet I don’t feel like I am reading a heavy book. Randy truly has a way with words. Using scripture and personal life stories, I find this book to be one I can turn to again and again. — Anonymous
I have been reading If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil. Randy is tackling a huge theological question basically everyone deals with at some point in their lives. I’ve dealt with it personally and professionally. What do we do with a good God, one who is not evil or mean, and yet, bad things happen to people?
We all ask questions about God’s presence in our lives during our most difficult moments, and frankly we hope nobody asks us the same questions we are thinking about because we certainly don’t have the answers. Some of the questions are:
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Why is there evil in the world?
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Why does God allow suffering?
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What’s with a good God sending people to Hell?
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What about senseless evil? If God is all powerful, why doesn’t He stop it?
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How can life make sense in light of all this muck in my life?
Randy Alcorn has written If God Is Good to answer all these questions, and many more, in an everyday style of language. Yes the unit sections seem pretty steep and deep, but I really believe this is an understandable book. His approach is to share stories about grace and life, hoping to make sense of the chapters and topics he seeks to cover. He also attempts to give a biblical basis to his reasoning.
This is a well-written book, which helps us understand the difficulties we face and what seems unjust to the seemingly just. — P. M.
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I prayed for you while you were writing If God Is Good. I just now finished it and it ministered to me more than I could ever put in words. Thank you for the time and labor you put in it. I even thank God for your diabetes and understanding depression. No one could write compassionately about suffering unless he had experienced it himself.
I have an invisible disability—chronic pain. The last ten years have been difficult, but it certainly has changed me. I know God is in the process of conforming me into His Son and I need a lot of work.
I especially liked chapter 36—“How the Health and Wealth Gospel Perverts Our View of Evil and Suffering.”
You have changed my perspective on suffering just like you did on Heaven after reading your previous book. I knew the scriptures on suffering, but I didn’t think they applied to me because I wasn’t suffering like the persecuted Christians who were specifically suffering for their faith in Christ.
I, too, feel a profound sadness and mourning for human brokenness, for children exploited by the sex trade, killed by abortion, and dying of diseases and disasters. (Your words—page 460, If God Is Good.) Because of my disability, I have limited use of my hands and little money, but I take these heavy-hearted issues before the throne of grace. I am on many ministries’ mailing lists and am able to pray for their needs. — A. K.
I listened to it on the audio version because I was anxious to hear what you had to say and didn’t have the time to sit down and read. It has been the biggest source of comfort to me and I can’t even say I have had any evil or suffering to speak of.
Since listening to you explaining the theology of God’s holiness and goodness and the theology of evil and suffering, I have come away with confidence in God, more prepared for the future, whatever it may be, and thankfulness that God has been so patient with me. I wept many tears of repentance for the fear I have had of suffering, knowing full well that I have not had any to speak of. I also wept for the people who have suffered for Christ’s sake, thanking God that He never leaves us or forsakes us, but that He leads us through it in mercy and grace. Thank you for all the wonderful stories and quotations as well as the explanation of scriptures that so often are overlooked or misunderstood.
I believe everyone ought to give this audio version of your book to all their friends and relatives for Christmas, if not sooner! Oh, I know the title of your book is If God is Good.....But I call it God is Good! — K. L.
If God is Good by Randy Alcorn is a stunning must-read. Recent years have seen several books attacking Christianity. Much of the arguments against the existence of God are based upon the presence of evil and suffering within the world. Alcorn spent years pulling together materials to support his thesis: of course God is good, and He has a reason for the suffering we face. Through liberal usage of scripture as well as commentaries by lots of theologians, he offers case after case for the goodness of God. I kept a pen and pad of paper next to me while reading this book, because there is an astonishing amount of wisdom here. For Christians struggling with this issue themselves, this offers answers. For those suffering, it offers hope, and for those who question God on this basis, it will force them to question their certainty. This is a book you truly need to read for yourself because it is certain to become a pivotal book in Christian theology.
I can’t tell you enough how much your latest work impacted me! I think If God is Good… is the capstone of all you have written and preached on. Maybe that is because the topic of evil and suffering is the one that atheists are using to attack God’s honor. What a relief to hear such a well-reasoned and well-supported and scripturally sound thesis.
