Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People

In the second half of the book of Genesis we are presented with the storylines of two opposite characters: Jacob and Joseph.

Jacob lives up to his name; he is a heal-grabbing trickster.  Jacob schemes against his brother, his father, his uncle and has distrust for God throughout.  Yet Jacob is blessed.

Joseph has no character flaws.  The only thing you could even level against him was possibly being foolish in telling his brothers about his dreams, but even that I don't think is a bad thing because he's just telling his family a prophetic dream he had.  Joseph is upright and driven by his desire to be righteous in every moment of his story.  Yet Joseph's life is a cavalcade of unfortunate events.

Jacob's story makes us ask: Why do good things happen to bad people?  The answer is: God is ALWAYS faithful to His people, even His SINFUL people.

Those God chooses to be blessed will be blessed even if they are rotten to the core.  God will bless those He chooses to bless and His blessing isn't contingent upon their character but His.  Jacob's story is pure Gospel for those of us who live like Jacob more than like Joseph on our average day.

Joseph's story makes us ask: Why do bad things happen to good people?  The answer is: God is ALWAYS doing good in ALL circumstances, even SINFUL circumstances. 

Joseph is by most any measure a good person.  Yet his life is full of tragedy.  He was beloved by his father and despised by his brothers.  He was thrown in a pit.  He was sold into slavery.  He became an exemplary slave yet was falsely accused of raping a woman he refused to cheat with and then was thrown into prison.  He became an exemplary prisoner yet he stayed in chains.  He helped a prisoner that was freed yet was forgotten and left in chains for two more years.

Joseph had to deal with some serious crap.

If you know his story you know that he eventually got exalted in Egypt and helped saves the entire region from a devastating famine.  He even saves his family (read that as, he saved the entire nation of Israel's future).

In talking to his brothers who put him on this journey of suffering Joseph said these words:

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20

They meant it for evil against Joseph; God meant it for good for many people.  Joseph's pain was part of God's perfect plan of salvation.  If Joseph hadn't been sold by his brothers he would have starved with them in a famine and the nation of Israel's story would have ended while Israel (Jacob) himself was still around.

Isn't this just like Jesus?  The beloved son was despised and rejected.  The beloved son went to a land not His own to be treated as a slave.  The beloved son experienced pain He did not deserve.  It was intended to harm Him, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

So, if you're living a life like Jacob rejoice for God doesn't give up on His people.  If you're in a season of a Joseph life rejoice for God means it all for good.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Hold on tight.  It may hurt right now and you might not seeing it, but God is doing His perfect plan perfectly.  Do you think Joseph liked his suffering?  I don't, but we know in reading his story that God was in every step.  God is in every step of your plan, too.  He loves you.  He wants the best for you.  And He is always doing good in all circumstances, even sinful circumstances, even your circumstances today.

Don't Give Me What I Earn

Our Fighter Verses program at church helps us memorize Scripture.  Last week's verse was:

"For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

 The nice thing about the Fighter Verses (especially when I actually get them memorized) is that I get to chew on a verse for an entire week.  This is called meditation.  I got to flip this verse around and around in my mind last week.

For the wages of sin is death.

Sally from Peanuts famously said in A Charlie Brown Christmas , "All I want is what I have coming to me."  Well, what we have coming to us is death.  You don't want what you have coming to you.  "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23.  We all have death coming to us.  Like an employee who has worked for a week's wages the boss will give what the employee's wage has earned.  Our efforts earn us death!

But the free gift of God is eternal life

Thank goodness that Sally's sentiment isn't God's.  We earn death but God gives us eternal life.  All our striving gets us death.  The source of eternal life isn't work.  The source of everlasting life isn't work, but a free gift from God.  We couldn't earn eternal life and we don't have to earn eternal life.  Eternal life, the most precious thing a mortal can get, is a free gift.  This is the Gospel.  This is the good news.  We can't earn and we don't have to earn.

In Christ Jesus

Eternal life is not just a length of life.  It is a kind of life, too.  Eternal life is found in the person of Christ Jesus.  Getting eternal life is getting a person.  It's much like getting FaceTime, thousands of apps, the ability to call, texting and the like is found in an iPhone.  The length of time we live and the quality of life we have is found in Jesus Himself.  When you get Him you get all the amazing things that come with Him.

Our Lord

Here's the sticking point to this verse.  You can't have Christ Jesus and all that comes with Him if you don't have Christ Jesus as Lord.  If you think you can have Jesus and all His benefits without having Jesus as the captain of your life then you are going to be sorely disappointed.  Any version of Christianity that preaches salvation without obedience is a lie.  Also, any version of Christianity that preaches eternal life as the wages of good works is a lie.  We can't, won't and don't earn eternal life; but in the same breath we can't open a free gift and then redefine the gift we opened.  Eternal life is found in Christ Jesus our Lord.  The Apostle Paul spells that out in case we think we can get this free gift and then live however we want.

The Gospel is NEVER about earning.  The Gospel is ALWAYS about getting a free gift that could not be earned.  But the Gospel is NEVER about doing what every is right in your own eyes.  The Gospel is ALWAYS about putting an "Under New Management" sign on your life.  The Gospel is always about gaining Christ Jesus who always has those that have Him.

"For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Let this verse roll around in your mind today.