Dallas Pitts: Suffering

Exiles and dispersion of Christians all over the Mediterranean. Letters usually went to many churches not just one church!

Where it began:
Genesis: first two humans in garden. Adam started free pure, righteous, there wasn't any sin. The tree of good and evil- shows what is good and evil and you cannot know the other without the one. Then although all is good, Adam and Eve were close, she sins and then eats from good and evil and realizes that she is naked. Now there is a fracture when man and woman see each other they are ashamed and men and women hide from God a fracture spiritually. We, because of our sin, will flee grace, because sin causes suffering. It wasn't created that way, but sin made fractures creating suffering. We hid ourselves from you because we are naked. And what happened? Asked God. They pass blame. All still relevant in your life right now today! True in your own experience yourself. It comes from each individuals experience fractured emotional, spiritually, physically, and mentally. The land even rebels against us- think about earth quakes and natural disaster- it fracture nature itself, the nature of the good.

Reading in 1 Peter vs.6: these are churches going through suffering and persecution--- natural and unnatural. They loved died, had children, everything we do.

The argument of there is not a God because there is pain and suffering in the world, doesn't fix the pain and suffering in the world. Christ addresses suffering, He suffered Himself.

Atheism and world view will not answer the question well- it just says that's just the way things are. There must be justice and mercy.

These people are really persecuted! The bible teaches that we have not been left alone in our suffering, but rather Jesus is the second person of the trinity, therefore he came to suffer with us.

"That answers the question of suffering for me. We messed things up. He died willing to say He suffered for us and with us." -Dallas Pitts.

Example of another religion- Buddhism- 1.there is suffering in the world- desires bring suffering so do not think on it--they are escapist: not thinking on evil doesn't make it not exist.
But Jesus says: I am willing to save you from the suffering, I am willing to die for it it and to show you how much I care I will show you I have power over it. And I will rise again and conquer death, hell, and the grave. I do not want to leave them tere in the suffering but I will create something brand new for you. So in revelation He is creating a place for us, and a new heavens and a new earth. He left earth saying I am leaving to create a place for you.

Sometimes we do not realize the importance of things until we lose it.

If we had not gone through this life with out pain, years, death and agony.... Heaven would not look as good--- we must know evil to know good.

We need to see its value--- it teaches us. god did not plan it that way, but He works together all for the good of us. He uses even sin in repentance for His glory.

Who is Jesus- the son of God who died on the cross for our sin. Rose again and shown his power over us. That we might be saved through him.

Created over 1 year ago