James 1:9-18 - Temptation / Blessings

“Why do bad things happen to good people?”

Consider these some things that Scripture teaches with me for a second:

1.     No one is righteous, not even one.  Romans 3:23

a.      When the scripture uses the word “good”, it should be understood as what we might call “perfect”.

b.      Sure there are “good” people by our definition of “good enough” and perhaps “not as bad as”.  But our definition is largely based on our view of others and not a standard of perfection.

2.     The whole world is under the control of the “evil one”. 1 John 5:18-19

a.      Satan has no power over those who are Christ’s disciples but controls everything else in the world system.

3.     God uses suffering in our lives to bring himself glory. Romans 8:18-38

a.      It isn’t the avoidance of suffering but the power with which we navigate through suffering that marks us as believers.

THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES:

Why is there any goodness in the world?   

…..BECAUSE GOD.

4.   Every good gift comes from GOD! 

·      James 1:16-18.