if god is good why does he allow wars?

Question

My eight year old son asked this tonight while we were watching a war movie and discussing war. I thought I'd put his question out here to get a variety of answers for him to chew on

Answer 1

God put man in charge in the Garden of Eden.
When Man sinned against God, Satan took control.
That is why when Jesus was tempted by the Devil, the Devil offered Jesus control of the whole world, if Jesus would only worship Satan. Jesus did not dispute Satan's statement that the whole world was under his authority, He simply rebuked his solicitation to worship anyone but God. (see Luke 4:1-8)
Jesus defeated Satan's legal claim over mankind at the cross and earned the right to have dominion restored. Under the present time, this is done person by person. The day is coming when Satan will be cast out, and the Kingdom of God established once again in the earth. (Revelation 11:15-18). Then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says:

"He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore."
Isaiah 2:4

Answer 2

God does not allow wars. Humans do. If we say that God allows, or is responsible for, bad things, then he's not much of a good God, because there are so many sad and terrible things in the world. Wars are not the only way that innocent human beings are mistreated - there are many other situations where this happens. To blame God is to fail to understand many things which are taught and foretold in the Bible.

Answer 3

There is a natural law that is always present and keeps the universe orderly, like gravity - even when we can't see it or even before we new it was there -- it was there.

So, war is a result of a disorderly [ungodly] force within humanity.

One of the great philosophers Thomas Hobbes in his treatises Leviathan defined the first law of nature as:

- that every man ought to endeavour peace, as far as he has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war.


But God is not said to be all good, the bible quite emphatically tells us that he is just, merciful, holy -- and slow to wrath. It doesn't say he is all good.

From what the bible tells us, he is just like any parent, loving, kind, concerned -- but don't break the rules or else you will see another side of that same loving parent. :)

God bless.

Answer 4

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

all things, even those that we see as unpleasant, without benefit, or harmful, in the great scheme of things, all have their purpose and reason.

the fact that we cannot see the good or purpose or reason, does not mean its not there.


edit: >>"If we say that God allows, or is responsible for, bad things, then he's not much of a good God,"<<

I think its the other way around. a God that was not responsible for everything in his dominion, is not much of a God. and when this is in reference to an Omnipotent, Omniscient God, there is nothing that is not God's dominion.

if something is, then God willed it to be such.

Answer 5

I don't actually believe in God, but if I did, my answer would be along the lines of:

God loves us, but he knows we'll never be able to walk on our own if we don't fall a few times. God isn't bound by the three laws, and knows that sometimes, a little pain has to be caused to avoid a lot more. And considering wars count as a little pain, I would be scared to think of whatever is being prevented.

Answer 6

God allows war because He gave humanity- even collectively- the freedom to choose life or death and right and wrong. And in this current age there are genocidal madmen who bring hell on earth when they come to power, choosing to do evil and to slaughter people(s) both within their national borders and often outside, corrupting the peace and safety of their national neighbors. In this age of mankind evil will persist to exist, which comes from the hands of men rather than the nature of God. Nevertheless, fear not child, for out of the issues of life- even the sufferings of war with the world in despair- God raises up His tried, proven, and trustest messengers of righteousness for the paradise world to come. Then the only evil that will exists will be an eternal witness of this current age in the living libraries of the Most High God, that we might all know to choose good and life rather than to rebell against the just precepts of our Creator. ALL things of great value involve a struggle and with difficulties bringing greater worth; think of mining for diamonds or giving birth. How much more is the whole world worth fighting for, for freedom, justice, and deliverance from those who murder and oppress the innocent. Do not be so easily led astray with the evil forces who seek to confuse evil for good and good for evil...walk in the light of truth while there is yet time, for darker days are to come before the rising of the Sun of Righteousness establishes eternal peace on earth.

Answer 7

What is God's reason for allowing wars and tragedy?

The reason is taught from cover to cover in the Bible.

The first book in the Bible, the book of Genesis, explains it in great detail, and every subsequent book of the Bible gives exactly the same reason.

Mankind has seized this world from God and rebelled against Him. We have turned our backs upon God. Indeed, we have spat on Him, We have spurned and rejected God's government of us. We have rejected God's ownership of us, His companionship also, and we have thrown aside His help, protection and love.

We are determined to go it alone, to do everything our own way, and to be captain of our own ship. It is as though we are determined to prove to ourselves that God is not there.

We have all abused Him, sinned against Him, fouled up His world, and got into all kinds of trouble. We cannot make things work out, and so we suffer the consequences of our conduct -- the forfeiture of God's protection and help. Despite all this, our pride will not let us admit our folly, and we even use the mess which we have brought about (including war and suffering) as a means of disproving that there could be a God of love. If it were not so ugly and tragic, it would be laughable.

Imagine a violent mutiny on a cargo vessel somewhere at sea. The crew murder the officers and throw the captain into the sea. But they are incapable of navigation and within twenty-four hours they have fought among themselves, set fire to the ship and crashed it onto a reef of jagged rocks. Would you expect them to blame the owners of the vessel? Or to conclude that because they were in this mess the owners, captain and officers had never existed?

Man has brought about all his own problems and, far from proving that there is no God, wars, suffering, illness and tragedy all serve to prove that teaching of the Bible, which says that man has rebelled against God and is now the victim of his own sinfulness.


What, then, do wars, tragedies, and sicknesses show us? They show us that God is separated from us and will not bless us. They show us that we are on our own. In fact, they show us that God must punish us for our sin.

And if God cannot have anything to do with us now, what about at the end of this life? What when we draw our last breath and we cross over into eternity -- what will He do then? Clearly, if we have never turned to Him in repentance, He must sentence us to everlasting banishment from His presence, and we must bear the punishment which is due to us.

But here is the wonderful grace of God. He is still ready to pardon and forgive all who turn to Him. God is a great God of love, but wars and sufferings warn us that He cannot endure sin, and that He must and will punish rebellion. They warn us to turn to Him while there is still time, and discover His mercy and converting power.

Answer 8

This is a valid question that a lot of adults have as well as children. Unfortunately, most people including Christians don't have a valid answer. I like to begin answering this question with a question. If God is in control of everything and everyone on this earth, is He doing a good job? Look around. Does it look like God is in control? If you answered no, then who is in control? Ephesians 2: 2-3 says, Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2 Corinthians 4:4 states, In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

In the previous verse, Paul the Apostile calls Satan the god of this world. When we see horrible things occur in life, let's put the blame where it belongs. On Satan! In Genesis chapter 1 we see that God gave Adam dominion over all the earth. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[b] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” When Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan they gave him the power that God had given them over all the earth when they did not resist Satan's lies. Satan gained power over the earth and still has it to this day. This does not mean that God will not act on this earth. In fact, He acts on our behalf countless times in a day. Without getting too deep, just know that one day He will return and bind Satan and take control once more. You can find several accounts of this in Daniel and Revelation. I hope this helps. I don't know how you will explain this to your son but I tell my children this: There is good and bad in this world. God is good and Satan is bad. God is not in the business of dishing out pain and suffering. That is what Satan does. God will correct His children which might not seem pleasent, but He does it because He loves you very much and doesn't want to see Satan get inside you and do bad things. One day He will deal with Satan but for now we have to choose between good or bad; God or Satan.
It helps if you study and believe what you tell your children. For some reason children seem to respond better when you speak to them with a "knowing" instead just reading something to them. I would be intrested to hear how it went.

Answer 9

I wonder where your kid heard that war is always a bad thing. Obviously war is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes war is a necessary thing. Even Jesus said, there is a time for war.

Answer 10

Everyone is always finding fault with God.
Mans time would be best served by finding his or her own faults, discarding them, and not finding faults within others! This quality of not finding faults within others would instill peace and joy and contentment in mans life!