This post is more of a response/reflection to a friend of mine, Trevor Acorn. In his January 5th post, he states "Calvinism doesn't have a good answer to the problem of pain." I beg to differ, not because I am a big fan of Calvinism, but because I do see the answer.

   But first, there must be a question. What IS the problem of pain? Surely not all pain is bad. For instance, after a hard days work and your limbs are sore and fatigued, it is a pleasure to come home, sit in a nice comfortable chair and have a beer. The pain we feel in our muscles is one of comfort and satisfaction. It is proof that we have spent the day not in vain. It is the pain in which we feel that makes the chair comfortable, the beer refreshing and enjoyable.

   Of course, not all pain is enjoyable; I could hardly think that the men and women who were beheaded in Iraq enjoyed their pain. This I believe is the type of pain Trevor was talking about. The pain of famine, the pain of disease, the pain of bodily harm, the pain of death. It is in light of these pains that many ask the question, where is God? If He is so good, then why so many disasters? Why did my son die? Why did I lose my house?

   We must stop here, for we have made a grave mistake. The very assumption, if God is so good, creates a false dichotomy. We cannot set the goodness of God against the pains of the present age. When we do so, we label the pains as evil, and this may not necessarily be so. Consider Noah and the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Ananias and Sapphira. Where these evil acts of pain? These where just acts of judgment. Thus not all pain is evil. But some intelligent web browser may say, "Ah ha! There you go saying pain is an act of God's judgment!" My answer to this accusation is yes, some pain is an act of judgment by the Living God. Paul says this himself "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." But, we cannot assume all pain is due to the judgment of God. Paul and many others throughout the history of the Kingdom of Christ have suffered much for the sake of the Gospel. This pain is not judgment, but a crown.

   So, what is the problem of pain? Why is there hurt and suffering in this world? For the Christian, the answer is given within the heart of man; sin. Every aspect of creation is effected by it. Our thoughts, our actions, our inventions, even nature, "for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain…" But we have hope in Christ; a hope of the redemption of the body. We know that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." We understand the providence of God and with Job we can stand fast in faith.

   But what about the non-Christian? What consolation do they have in this world? The answer is none. They have no hope, they have no comfort. The pain they feel and see is nothing but "God's megaphone to arose a deaf and dying world." The problem of pain is not that they experience the pain, but that they do not answer the call. They sit in derision and say "curse God and die!" instead of "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." If asked by a non-Christian, "What do you think of all the disasters?" our response to them should be to share with them the gospel of Christ and the hope we have in Him. Not idle stories, but teaching that is truth.

   So when famine strikes, wars breakout, and nature shows her mighty power, we as Christians ought stand firm with long suffering in the hope which we have not yet seen. For "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"