Why Do The Righteous Suffer?

Faith In Action

John Marinelli

• Publisher: Independent Author
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781087941899
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

Here's an eye-opening look at why the righteous suffer. Twelve Bible based reasons tell the story from Divine Providence to Man's Free Will; from True Lies to False Assumptions; from Disobedience to Unforgiveness; from Religious Persecution to False Doctrines; from A Lack of Knowledge to Demonic Attacks. It's all there in the 112 pages of Rev. John Marinelli's new book.

Rev. Marinelli will discuss the qualifiers that determine who is righteous and who is not and why suffering is part of the Christian experience.

The age-old question, "Why Did God allow this to happen?" will be discussed.

Does God actually bring suffering upon the lives of His children? Who is to blame for the suffering of humanity?

www.christianliferesourcecenter.org

Chapter One

Free Will & Suffering

The righteous suffer because, like every other human being, they are endowed by God with, “Free Will” Let me explain.

As per Genesis, chapter two, man was made or created in the image and likeness of God.

This image is described in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, chapter five, when he tells the church that the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Long Suffering, Gentleness etc. These are character traits that God possesses and shares with mankind.

The “Likeness”, however, of God is in his ability to reason and make choices. God takes no prisoners into His kingdom. We choose to go and to be a part of what God is doing. That is called, “Free Will”

We have the free will to be like God. His likeness is seen in our ability to choose our own destiny, do our own thing and be our own self…again this is, ”Free Will.”

The problem with free will is it was intended to elevate us up onto the same level as God so we could actually have fellowship with Him as an equal. That is not to say, as a god but as a being that can have an intelligent conversation with God. To do otherwise would make us to be no more than robots.

This relationship is seen in Genesis where the writer tells us that Adam walked with God in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day.

Can you imagine their conversation? Maybe it was about creating other worlds or expanding the number of stars. Whatever it was, it was on God’s level and Adam had the ability to be there. This was before he sinned and fell from God’s glory.

You’ll remember that God breathed into Adam, giving him the, ”Breath of Life” and he became a living soul. That breath was the very life of God and was also what enabled Adam to walk with God on his level.

This, “Breath of Life” was also what was lost in Adam’s transgression. He died spiritually and was no longer able to be on God’s level. This same death passed on to all men for all have sinned, so Paul declares in Romans, chapter five.

What man didn’t loose was his free will. He still had the ability to choose and shape his own destiny.

Take a look at today’s society. In 2020 nine cities in the USA were ablaze with riots and civil disobedience. Homosexuals flaunted their immoral lifestyle; Mayors de-funded police departments and told officers to stand down.

False religions were and still are trying to destroy the Name of Jesus and the Christian influence in the world. Morality is no longer the norm. Even the media supported evil and ungodliness.

Man’s, “free will,” and his subsequent choices fuel alcoholism, child abduction, prostitution, gang violence, and a lot more.

The Righteous Man

It is important to distinguish between the righteous and those that are not. Being a Christian or a member of a church or faithful to a particular religion does not make you righteous. Keeping a set of rules or adhering to a particular doctrine won’t do it either.

We must go back to the Bible to understand the difference. Here’s what Paul said to the believers at Rome during the 1st century.

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” Romans 3:10

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Paul is clearly saying that there is no one that is righteous; that all of us have fallen from or come short of God’s glory and that we are all sinners with a death sentence on our heads.

He continues in chapter five telling us why. He says; “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” Romans 5:12

I am not saying that there is no difference between the righteous and the unrighteous because all have sinned. Before you declare me a heretic, listen to the rest of the story.

“For he (God) hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus went to the cross at Calvary to die as a penalty for our sins. He was crucified, sacrificed as the pure “Lamb of God” as atonement for the sins of the entire world. This is the good news of the Bible. It is the gospel.

Now Jesus clarifies why he went to the cross. It ...

Table of contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• Chapter One
• Chapter Two
• Chapter Three
• Chapter Four
• Chapter Five
• Chapter Six
• Chapter Seven
• Chapter Eight
• Chapter Nine
• Chapter Ten
• Chapter Eleven
• Chapter Twelve
• Conclusion
• About The Author