Contrary to popular belief, God is NOT the authoritative supernatural being who loves to give harsh punishments to people. He loves us dearly. His love for us can be compared to that of a father's love for his child. Every responsible father lays down rules his children must obey. He only puts them in place out of love. He does this to protect from bad and hurtful things. He does this because He cares so much about His children and doesn't want to see them get hurt or upset. He can't stand the sight of seeing them in pain.
So if God is real, why are there bad people and why do bad things happen?
When God created the world, He gave Adam and Eve a choice. He told them not to eat from the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. Apart from that, they could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden. "You must not eat the fruit of that tree, if you do, you will die the same day". - Genesis 2:17.
However, they were disobedient. They allowed the snake to trick them and ate the forbidden fruit. This is therefore the reason why we and those we love die. It's about time we stop blaming God for our ancestors mistakes.
Also, it is how man got knowledge for technological advancement and knowledge of destruction - good vs. evil. For this reason, there is so much pain in the world. By eating the fruit, everything on earth was cursed. This includes the land. God loves us so dearly, He warned us about the consequences of our actions.
So why did God punish us?
"The Lord corrects those He loves, as parents correct a child of whom they are proud -(Proverbs 3:12). Our parents love us so dearly, they don't stay angry at us forever. In the same way, God loves us more than our parents love us and so He sent Jesus Christ so that we can be saved from the sin nature we are born with.
One may ask so why was the tree there is it could cause so much harm. Well, God has a purpose of using everything He created for the good and benefit of mankind. However, the right things at the wrong time can lead to disaster. For example, people who are sexually active would acknowledge the fact that sex is a beautiful thing. However, it was designed for married people only. If anyone has sex at the wrong time (that is outside marriage). They put themselves at risk of pain. Think of the pain a person experiences when they experience a break up following a sexually active relationship. The hurt and pain is so great some people find it difficult to forgive. They risk having a baby they are not ready for. This could change their future especially if they are still in school. They may even risk contracting a disease, they are ashamed to even tell their doctor about.
When a married couple have sex outside their union, it causes stress, strain on the relationship and loss of trust. Some people ask why there is divorce if marriage is supposed to be a sacred and blessed union. Well, if you lose your virginity before you get married, spiritually, you become defiled. Emotionally, your perceptions about trust and relationships changes and you end up transferring this into your marriage. Your actions then have an impact on your spouse. Physically, your body changes. So this affects even couples who had premarital sex but eventually got married to each other.
Who is it easier to trust?
1. Someone who was able to control their emotions. or
2. Someone who lacked self control.
Being pure doesn't mean your life and marriage is going to be easy but when the storms, trials and tribulations come, God will hear your cry and help you because He knows you are blameless. An example of this is seen in the book of Job. The example on premarital sex is just one example of why we go through pain. There are many others which can be explained by reading the Word of God given to us in The Bible.
So why did God give us the option to choose?
"Someone will say, "I am allowed to do anything." Yes; but not everything is good for you. I could say that I am allowed to do anything, but I am not going to let anything make me its slave." (1 Corinthians 6:12).
What do I do now? I have sinned way too much to be forgiven :(
It doesn't matter whether we committed any sin whether big or little. It's not too late to change. However, we must repent and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We must do it now. We must repent before we die or Jesus comes back because no one knows the day nor the hour he or she is going to die or when Jesus will return. By accepting Jesus, we gain salvation. We stand a chance of going to heaven.
I am a good person. I will go to heaven. I don't need Jesus to get there
Being good is not enough to get to heaven. "Jesus answered him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me" (John 14:6). "Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law but have cut yourselves off from Christ. You are outside God's grace. As for us, our hope is that God will put us right with him; and this is what we wait for by the power of God's Spirit working through our faith"- (Galatians 5:4-5).
It's too difficult to obey all those commandments. Is it even possible?
If you think it is difficult to obey God's commandments , "What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature"- (Galatians 5:16). Through Jesus Christ, we've got a second chance to have eternal life. "For God loved the world so much that He gave us His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life"- (John 3:16). Let us take this opportunity before it is too late. God's grace is undeserved but God loves us so much He gives it to us anyway. Once again. we have the choice of taking it or missing out.
