Beth-El Baptist Church

08/19/2012

Greg Tomlinson


How can a God of love allow deadly massacres?


In the wake of multiple deadly massacres throughout the United States, people often ask such questions as “where was God?”, “How could God allow this?”, “How could you call God loving when this happens?”. In some cases the questioner is honestly trying to understand but the questions are often phrased to draw a conclusion about the non-existence of God or His total inability to actually do anything.


  1. What is mankind's natural tendencies?

Jeremiah 17:9 Romans 3:23

Proverbs 20:6 2 Corinthians 10:12


Most people are quick to identify themselves as being a “good” person. When stating his own goodness, a man is performing HIS evaluation of himself based upon what he evaluates to be the character of those around him. When compared to other people, most men will identify themselves as being “good” and “moral” people. In their view, the goodness they are possessing is good enough for anybody to see that he is good. What this person misses is that the goodness of a person is not based upon what the individual thinks about himself, nor is it how others evaluate him in comparison to others, but the goodness of a person is based upon how God evaluates the person in light of God's own nature, goodness and character. This is why God can honestly identify that there is no man on the face of the earth who is good (Romans 3:10-18).


  1. What kind of judge is God?

Genesis 18:22-25 Leviticus 19:15

Psalm 9:7-10; 19:9; 96:13; 98:9 Jeremiah 11:20

Exodus 34:6-7 Ezekiel 18:4


God is a perfect judge. He judges perfectly according to His law and He does not show partiality. Unlike human judges who often judge by empathy, God judges according to the law. The man who is guilty of violating the law stands condemned. The upbringing of the man has no bearing on the man's guilt or innocence. The man's knowledge and understanding of the law has no bearing on the man's guilt or innocence. The man that violates any provision of the law is guilty and must pay the penalty. The penalty for violating the commandments of God is eternal condemnation, or complete removal from the presence of God. The only way to gain access to God is to have the penalty of transgressing God's law paid for by someone who can afford to pay the penalty. The penalty is death.


  1. What would be the result of God intervening whenever any heinous crime was being committed?

Romans 3:10-18 Ezekiel 18:4

Genesis 3:22-24 Revelation 20:12-15; 21:8

Lamentations 3:22-23 1 Samuel 6:20


If God intervened whenever any heinous crime, according to God's standard, was being committed, no man would ever be born for all men and women would have already been destroyed. Every man on the face of the earth is a heinous criminal. There is no greater crime against God than the rejection of His son Jesus Christ.


  1. Why is God delaying His divine judgment on all of mankind?

2 Peter 3:8-10 Genesis 15:16

1 Timothy 2:3-6


God is delaying His divine judgment because He is merciful and loving. He does not desire for any to perish but come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. When the last person to be saved is saved, then the end will come and God's judgment will be fully manifested.