We know that there had to be some good people on the island, right? Despite what Robertson said about deals with the devil and so on, not everybody on Haiti could be bad, so then why were the good punished along with the wicked?
These questions point to an underlying assumption in the big question, that there were good people on Haiti. If we look closer, we can see that there are several big assumptions tied up into this question, and we need to examine them so that we can understand exactly what we are asking. If you don't think the underlying assumptions contained in a question are important, just think about the old saw about asking a man if he had stopped beating his wife. Whether he answers yes or no is irrelevant because of the underlying assumption, that he had beat his wife in the past. So before we can start to answer the question, first, we have to understand it. Let's break down the parts and see where we stand.
1. "Why does God allow...to happen" indicates a belief that all things are under God's control.
2. "Bad things" indicates a belief that our perception of bad and good are accurate and applicable on a global scale as well as an individual scale.
3. "To good people" indicates a belief that there are good people, or at the very least, people who don't deserve whatever calamity we happen to be talking about.
As I've written about before, I believe the Bible is divinely inspired, and despite the fact that every copy in existence is flawed in some way, I believe that it is easily accurate enough for us to use as a reference on the nature of God. So let's see what the Bible has to say on this.
First, let's look at assumption 1, that everything that happens is in accordanc with God's plan. Let's look at three cases.
- God has planned everything and it is all under His complete control, a doctrine called predestination.
- God has a general plan that will be carried out, but the details are left vague to allow us to exercise free will.
- God set the universe in motion and is sitting back, watching the show to see how it turns out.
(Technically, there is a fourth option, that there is no God, but I don't have enough faith to be an atheist, so I'm not going to bother. Go read Dawkins or Hitchens of that's your cup of tea.)
Pr 16:4
The Lord has made everything for its purpose,.
even the wicked for the day of trouble
Acts 4:28
to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
Rom 8:29
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Eph 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Job 31:4
Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?
Jer 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Matt 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
There's more, but I think you get the point. God didn't just give the universe a shove to get it going, nor does he plan somethings and leave others to chance; he has planned and knows every detail, down to the number of hairs on your head. This idea has some interesting implications for free will and personal responsibility, but we'll deal with those at another time.
Assumption 2, that what we define as bad actually corresponds to bad is the next topic.
Pr 16:4
The Lord has made everything for its purpose,.
even the wicked for the day of trouble
Ex 1:12
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.
Job 5:17
“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
Ps 119:67
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.
Zec 13:9
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”
Heb 12:11
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Matt 5:10
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Deu 8:5
Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.
Again, there is more, but you get the point. Biblically speaking, it is clear that in many instances, what we see immediately as painful and bad can turn out, in accordance with God's plan, to be of benefit to us. Given the limitations of our perceptions and intelligence, there is no way for us to know at any given moment whether the trials we are facing are there to chasten or reprove us, or to strengthen us in our faith. All we can say is that all things work towards the glory of God, and to benefit those who follow Him. Assumption number 2 is false, and that gives us part of our answer.
Now for Assumption 3, that there are good people.
This is the real sticking point because I don't know anybody, myself included, who likes to think of themselves as a bad person, but once again, let's see what the Bible has to say on that.
Rom 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Gen 6:5
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
1 Kings 8:46
“If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—"
Psalm 14:3
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good, not even one.
Psalm 130:3
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
Ecc 7:20
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;
Isaiah 64:6
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
So once again, from a Biblical standpoint, our assumption is false. We aren't good people. In the eyes of God, we are all unclean and unworthy of His protection. But because He loves us, He has given us a Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross.
So, knowing what we now know, let's reformulate our question to eliminate the false assumptions.
Why would a loving God allow bad things to happen?
We already know at least part of the answer from the verses in our study of Assumption 2. God allows us to undergo trials in order to strengthen us, or chasten us. Like the shepherd's rod, he uses trials to tell us when we're going astray. He also uses them to strengthen our faith and temper our hearts, and to bring us closer to Him. As recorded in Matthew, God uses trials and persecutions to bless us, and Jesus told us to rejoice in our persecutions:
Matt 5:11-12
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Another part of the answer comes from our study of Assumption 3. Bad things happen because we deserve them. Read Matthew Chapter 20. In this parable, Jesus is telling us that He isn't giving us what we deserve, but through the grace of God, more than we deserve. We don't earn our good fortune; it is a gift from God. If we were given just what what we deserved, we would be in pitiful shape.
There is one final part of the answer, one nobody likes to talk about, but it is real. Troubles are a punishment for disobedience.
Dan 9:11
All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.
We like to think of God as a loving God, but that is only part of His nature. He is also a just God, and justice requires consequences for actions. As a just God, He must condemn us all for our sins, but as a loving God, He sent His Son to pay the price for us, so we wouldn't have to. We do have a responsibility to meat in this deal. Jesus ransomed us from damnation, but in order to get the benefit of that redemption, we must accept Him as our Savior and our Lord. Simple belief is not enough. As the Scripture says, even the demons believe. We must also obey become His servants, and His friends. Being the friend of God isn't a bad price to pay to escape condemnation, but as creatures of flesh, we have a hard time paying it.
So God helps us. Those who He has called for His own will be chastened and reproved when they go astray. Trust me on this one; I've been on the receiving end of many chastenings, and I'm certain I have more in store. On the other hand, I've been through trials that have made me stronger , and again, I'm sure there will be more. The important thing is that I keep clear that all things work for the good of those who walk with God, and that God won't test me without giving me what I need to pass the test.
Heck, he gave me a Book with all of the answers in it; all I have to do is find them.