The problem with argument against God from evil - 1

The most common objection to the God ,according to atheists is the presence of evil in this world.

The argument goes like this

1. Evil and suffering are present in this world, both moral (what people do to each other) and natural (what nature does to people eg: handicaps , tsunamis etc)
2. If God is loving, he would not allow us to suffer
3.If God is omniscient, he would not have created this world
4.If God is omnipotent , he would prevent it and there would be no evil.
5. Therefore a Christian God who is depicted as loving , omniscient and omnipotent does not exist.

The problem with this is that it defines love of God and omnipotence of God in a way which is not biblical . In the light of this wrong definition of God, this argument turns out to be a "strawman argument": a false caricature of  the God of the bible is made (Strawman) and then knocked down conveniently.

God's love for his creation , especially humans is very great . He has demostrated his love for us humans, in and through Christ. "This is how God demonstrated his love for us : while we were still sinners Christ died for us. " Romans 5 :8

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have eternal life" - John 3:16

God's love is a self giving, sacrificial love. God's love has been demonstrated on the cross, when Christ died as a substitute for all the sinners of this world.

God's love is "Holy Love". His love cannot compromise with sin because God is a "God of Justice/righteousness".
The cross depicts the place where the love of God and the justice/righteousness of God meet.   

"For there is no distinction: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness (justice), because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness(justice) at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3

First mistake of the skeptic is to leave out one important Character of God which allows for God punishing people for their wrongs, in hell if necessary . But since he also loves them, he has made a way out for them through the work of Christ on the cross. Since he loves them, he is patient with them as he does not wish anyone to perish.
 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9


Second reason God allows suffering for believers, is to discipline them  . Hebrews 12: 5,6 'And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, talks about God disciplining those whom he loves because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."'.Everyone who has accepted Christ and comes into a relationship with God experiences certain disciplining from God which involves suffering.
Job 5:17 "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty."

 ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12

Biblically speaking, God himself out of love inflicts painful things to correct and discipline a man so that he can share in the holiness of God and produce a harvest of righteousness and peace.

So this passage of the bible depicts God who is loving and so uses painful methods to discipline and train his children for a short time so that they can have righteousness and peace for a long time.

Third reason God allows suffering is to test people. Under difficult circumstances , people come out with their original motives and intentions. 
 Job's wife given the difficulties of his husband made the following confession:
⁹ His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
¹⁰ He(Job) replied, “You are talking like a foolish^[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Job also in the face of intense loss says thus

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.^[c]
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

In this test of suffering , Job's wife fails miserably whereas Job's character and commitment shines forth.

   Fouth reason God allows suffering and evil is so that people will turn to him freely . Many a man has come to faith and commitment in God because of seasons of suffering in and through which they were able to experience God for themselves in a very tangible way. Suffering and evil , breaks our ego and opens us up to  receive the help which  God is offering. 
  Many people came to Christ during his earthly ministry because of the suffering they were undergoing and it is no different today. There is a "peace which passeth all understanding" which only God can give, and evil and suffering, constrain people to consider God who can give them peace and deliverance. 

Finally God in his love, omniscience and omnipotence has created heaven, which is the ideal world which the skeptic expected God to create. But the skeptic does not want to believe it and complains God has not warded off evil. This world of suffering and evil is temporary . For all those who choose to follow Christ , heaven is the permanent home where there will no more suffering or tears. But this follows death. So God has created a universe where there is a place called heaven where evil will be absent and suffering will not be found. But now is the time to know who would like to be there. But this is the time where the humble can be differentiated from the proud and arrogant. 

Skeptics have not understood the character of the God revealed in the Bible. They have created a strawman argument by depicting the God of the bible deficiently. 

There is more which will be discussed in the next part , part 2. For now remember "Jesus Loves You!"