Why does/did God . . . ?

[Omegaman 3.0]

Hi, I was asked if I would conduct a Bible study at my local church in a few weeks, and I can choose the topic. I am thinking that it will be double faceted, but one aspect will examine why God does certain things, certain ways.

This is generally, not a question I answer as often as I hear it asked. I often respond that in many cases, the Bible just does not tell us, and in such cases, it can be dangerous to speculate.

Here though, is what I would like to ask of you. What questions have you heard, or wondered, that begin with "Why did God . . .?" or "Why does God . . .?"  (and maybe even "Why will God . . .?)

I know a very common one is "Why does God allow suffering?"

I would like to know a variety of questions that begin this way, to get an idea of what they are, and how commonly they are wondered about.

If you reply, it is not my goal to give any answers, it is just my goal to gauge what common questions might be. 

So, if you are willing, pose some "why God" questions. It does not matter if the question are things you wonder, or things you have heard others wondering about. If you see that others have already provided such questions, it is okay to provide it again, as it helps me to get an idea how common some questions are.

Thank you all for considering this and participating.

[hmbld]

Why does God physically heal some, and not others?  

 

[JohnD]

Knowing all things before anything happened, why did God create anything to exist besides himself?

[JohnD]

Just about everything thing else can be answered with:

God is the Great Orchestrater of all things.

All things happen the way they do because billions of angels and people with free will have to be taken into account

in that orchestration of all things.

[Omegaman 3.0]

humbld, JohnD, and Davida, thanks a lot, those are good kinds of questions, looks like the thread is off to a good start and I might get lots of excellent material. As a side benefit, these things give people something to think about, and be better prepared to help others who ask such question, thanks a lot friends.

[Guest Robert]

Why did God give mankind a chance for salvation, but not Lucifer and the 1/3 of the angels that rebelled?

Was it just overall pride that made Lucifer sin, or did one specific thing fill him with pride?

What is the purpose of Justin Bieber anyways?

[emdie]

I know this comes under the umbrella of speculation, but when people ask me why God lets bad things happen, and in particular I've even been asked why if I'm a Christian who loves God, why did He let my leg be amputated?

I answer, because our time on earth is the imperfect time where we are not in His presence, so the physical will affect us. Adam & Eve brought death, and sickness, to the earth by not listening to God, therefore they've paved the way for 'bad things to happen'. Humanity crossed the line when we ate from the Tree of Life, and we can't we weren't warned.

So the speculation part, is that I think God wants to see which of us will love Him through faith alone, and even when 'bad things' happen if our love for Him endures then it is real. I think He does allow it to happen, because if all things are possible for Him then He could stop death and sickness, so there must be a reason for our suffering as a race. It hasn't come from God as a deliberate thing, as in it's not personal, but He has to have let it happen. I don't blame God for anything that's happened to me as He has been my comfort and salvation during the dark times.

How could we know though in this world/life, what concepts such as happiness and love really are if we didn't have the contrast of hate and misery? We need something to compare against, surely?

So that's my thought limit for one day, I hope your Bible studies go well. 

[Omegaman 3.0]

36 minutes ago, Yowm said:

"Are 'why?' questions legitimate before God?"

i.e. are we supposed to know that which He has not clearly revealed?

How would we know the answer to that question even, apart from His revelation? Just my speculation, but I see it like this:

I child had have a question, a curiousity and ask his father: "Dad, why is the sky blue?" Nothing wrong with  that! However, if the father says to the child: "Got to your room!" and the child asks: "Why", the father might reply: "Because I said so". That is not very satifying to the child, but it is sufficient, all the reason the child needs.

If the child asks: "What were you doing behind that closed door?" The father may answer: "That is not for you to know!"

In the Bible, we see that sometimes, farely often even. Curiousity is not a sin, challengeing God's will, or authority, His sovereignty, is a real problem.

As far as clearly revealed, that is even a problem. I see people all the time, here on the forums, slaiming that something is "clearly revealed", all I can say as what some see as clear, I see as not even contained is scripture. For now, we see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face!

[missmuffet]

Why does God allow bad things to happen?

[hmbld]

Why does God love us, as we are sinful and hard hearted?

Why does God so clearly speak to some, and not others?

Why does God give us anything good, even when we lack faith and are guilty of unbelief?

What does God want from us that we might gain His favor?

Why does God want us to pray, when He already knows everything?