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How does Christianity explain good and evil? How does Christianity uniquely address the problem of suffering? What tools are we given in the face of suffering?
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Christianity explains good and evil by believing that all God created was good; humans were very good. However, because the first humans sinned and disobeyed God, evil entered the world. So, both good and evil exist in the world today. Because of the evil in the world, there is suffering and death. People die as a result of natural evils such as weather-related events. They also suffer and die as a result of man through murder and other sinful acts. People die as a result of their own sins and choices. And some people die just as a result of the sin in the world — our bodies do not live for eternity. We have some tools, however, to help us deal with suffering. We have God’s word, His Spirit, and the peace which comes from knowing our souls will reside in Heaven for all eternity if/when we die. We have Christians in our midst who have dealt with sufferings we may currently be experiencing; they can be a great encouragement to us. We have hope in Christ Who, while on the cross, experienced the ultimate suffering of being separated from the Father and overcame death by being resurrected!
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God is all good, with no defect, He is holy, just, righteous and powerful. He created the world as good. “But the world has fallen into sin, suffering and evil”. God knows it and God is in control of everything that happens in this world. He lets good or evil things occur and He knows why. He planned our redemption through the death, resurrection, ascension, enthronement and second coming of Jesus.
We have the hope in God that through Jesus’ suffering on the cross, and his resurrection, we can be saved and have an eternal life without suffering.
We also can offer to God our suffering and lament. These are tools God gave us to go through suffering.