Aren’t Trials For Growth And Proving?

Q.   Concerning the reference to Job in your current study:  Doesn’t God allow things to happen to good people to continue their growth?  Not that God is arbitrary, but trials are for growth and proving aren’t they? Job was tested, Abraham was tested, things like that go on all the time.  What do you say?

A.  I say that’s a bit of false teaching conceived by Satan to help him deflect the blame for bringing evil into the world.  Think about it.  What does God want us to grow into? By what measure are we supposed to prove ourselves, and to whom?  In the Lord’s opinion we’ve already become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) as righteous as He is (2 Cor, 5:21) having been made perfect forever by His sacrifice on our behalf (Hebr. 10:12-14).

In addition, at the rapture He’s going to change us from mortal to immortal, and from being corrupt to being incorruptible (1 Cor. 15:53).  In light of all that, how will suffering here on earth somehow make us more worthy of living in Eternity with Him?

Jesus said, “In this world you will have you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33).  He didn’t say through this trouble we would overcome the world.  He said, “I have overcome the world.”

The bad things that happen to good people are due to the fact that this world is an evil, sin filled place. Therefore, bad things can happen to anyone without reason.

But God can turn even the bad things that happen into blessings. Remember, He works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).