LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Pain and Suffering: A Catalyst for Faith

Submitted to Dr. Donald Clark, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the completion of this course.

SEMI 500-B25 LUO
Introduction to Seminary Studies

by

Randy Boyd
September 28, 2014

Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1. How Can Pain and Suffering be Necessary? 2 Chapter 1. Where pain comes from. 2 Chapter 2. Why pain and suffering are necessary. 3

Part 2. How Can We Respond to Pain and Suffering? 4 Chapter 3. Walking Through Pain and Suffering. 5 Chapter 4. Avoiding Pain and Suffering 6

Part 3. How Can Pain and Suffering Build Faith? 7 Chapter 5. Satan Uses Pain and Suffering to Create Doubt. 8 Chapter 6. God Uses Pain and Suffering to Build Faith. 8

Conclusion 10
Bibliography 11

Introduction

My intentions are to reveal that pain and suffering are a necessary and a potentially powerful faith building aspect of the Christian walk. I also plan to explore the relationship between perspectives and responses to pain and suffering. Depending on alignment, this relationship can either help or hinder a Christian’s faith building journey. In order to pin-point the effect of pain and suffering on Christian faith, I must first establish where pain and suffering come from. Since pain and suffering have generally been established as not originating from God, I must next explore whether it is avoidable or not. I am anticipating my research will show that pain and suffering, in most cases, cannot be avoided. The next thing I will address is the dilemma pain and suffering creates. If pain and suffering are not from God then why are they even necessary? Not only will I debate the claim of pain and suffering being necessary but also will explore how people tend to respond when faced with pain and suffering. I plan to show how people respond to pain and suffering primarily in one of two ways. They either trust God to walk through the pain and suffering or they simply try to avoid it altogether. One of my primary intentions is to present how the relationship between perspectives and responses to pain and suffering, when properly aligned, can become a catalyst when building faith. On the other hand, I will propose that a misalignment of this relationship can prolong or hinder the building of faith. Part 1. How Can Pain and Suffering be Necessary?
Throughout history the argument whether pain comes from God has been debated numerous times. The most prevalent issue, why pain even exists, could potentially substantiate the very assumption that pain does not come from God.
Chapter 1. Where Pain Comes From
In Genesis it is written in Chapter 3:
“16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; ….”17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree …“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you….19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,” (NIV, Biblica, Inc.)

God’s spirit was in full unity with mankind until sin entered the world through Satan’s deceit of Adam and Eve. Sin separated humanity from God’s full provision thus causing pain and suffering. According to Burton “human beings are made in the image of God, and are destined for theosis, ‘Christification’. Having been made …—most particularly, to love and be loved by God.” By choosing sin, this sacred union was shattered giving birth to pain and suffering. Lewis indicates that mortification (dying to one’s self daily), believed to be crucial part of Christianity, creates a paradox of being a source of pain and using that pain to reckon with the “usurped self.” In other words, relations with God are impaired by sin and the very act of trying to defeat self-will and turn back to God instigates pain in itself. These pains, also derived from sin, can point to the conclusion that pain and suffering were originally created by the very act of sin.
Chapter 2. Why Pain and Suffering are Necessary
Since introducing the explanation of where pain and suffering comes from, there is another point that needs to be addressed. Since pain does not come from God is it even necessary? We can presume where there is pain it is also accompanied by suffering. In order to elucidate this we need to first discuss types of pain. First there is physical pain.
If you put your hand too close to high heat (pain) our body will autonomically retract our hand. Suffering with physical pain is usually the result of sustained injury. The next type of pain is spiritual or “Soul Pain”. This type of pain inherently includes suffering and is unavoidable since we still live in a broken world established by sin.
Paul preaches in Romans 8 “16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory…. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (NIV). Lewis uses the dog and master analogy to substantiate his view. At first a feral dog needs more discipline (pain) to tame it. Once the dog is trained to its master’s approval, it inherently receives more benefits (affection) and usually will have a longer, healthier existence. In both cases, pain is used to generate a positive outcome. So how do we conclude that pain and suffering are necessary? According to Lewis, pain and suffering “shatter the illusion” that there is contentment and that an individual can provide all provision for themselves. This prompts us to accept God’s discipline which causes pain by shedding the delusion of our sin-nature or self-will. An interesting observance in both scenarios is that the longing for deeper provisions prompts revisiting one source of pain regardless the amount of suffering involved to fulfill these apparent needs.
In Revelation 21, God promises “4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.5 … “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”(NIV) Until that time in which the void is filled, pain and suffering are necessary in the manner by which we respond. We can depend on God for his comfort, which initially includes pain, or we can turn away from God only to multiply our pain. Either way, pain and suffering cannot be avoided. Both are equally aligned to God’s redemptive plan which is to draw us to back to Him. Part 2. How do responses to pain and suffering affect faith? Now, it has been established that pain and suffering do not come from God nor can they be avoided. The next aspect that needs to be addressed is how our responses to pain and suffering can actually affect our faith. Lewis indicates that man, having reason, has the ability to “foresee his own pain which henceforth is proceeded with acute mental suffering, and to foresee his own death while keenly desiring permanence.” This permanence, according to the Christian faith, is to “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1) Since we, being a part of humanity, can reason that pain and suffering are not avoidable typically respond in one of two ways. Either we trust God with our sufferings and walk through obstacles or we try and avoid our problems, which in a sense rejects God’s provisions, and ultimately prolongs our pain and suffering by turning obstacles into barriers.
Chapter 3. Walking Through Pain and Suffering Earlier, we determined that we as humans have a longing for deeper provisions from our heavenly Father. The more we accept his discipline, which involves pain and suffering, then more of His provisions we are able to receive. Christians generally define faith as not just believing that God is real or true but also having a devout devotion in seeking His provisions. The mere fact of pain being present in the wake of the desire for and the receiving of God’s provisions establishes an unavoidable obstacle. In the event of “suffering and loss of great meaning” one could view this separation as an “abandonment from God” which can reinforce even more pain and suffering. By walking with God through these obstacles they not only are more easily conquered but can even support an increasing faith. In Psalm 23, David walks confidently with God through the hardest of times. He stands firm and trusts the Lord’s guidance looking past his current hardships to what God had promised to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (NIV) Even as David endures pain and suffering from his situation he trusts God. By trusting God, looking past our current troubles toward better things to come, we gain faith. Mahn concludes “it is not that suffering is finally compensated for by some countervailing good, but that suffering is utterly absorbed within a God beyond all human crafting.” In retrospect, Minton and Antonen confirm “we cannot avoid emotional pain, but we can make choices about how we respond.” By choosing to walk with God, the sting of our pains are lessoned by receiving more of His provisions. By choosing to trust God and look past our current dilemmas to promises yet to come, enables us to trust Him more intimately and opens a pathway of a yet deeper faith.
Chapter 4. Avoiding Pain and Suffering In chapter 2, Lewis explained how the human body will retract automatically in response to physical pain. There appears to be a correlating response when dealing with emotional or spiritual pain which triggers a seemingly autonomic response which is to flee. “Blessed are we when we are persecuted, but we may avoid persecution by flying from city to city, and may pray to be spared it” as quoted from Lewis reveals our “rebellious” trait that also includes a predisposed nature to try and avoid consequences. Avoidance may cause multiple problems to compound thus creating a reinforced obstacle or barrier that catapults pain and suffering to a next level. A comparison by Schmitt uses a child’s “protest” phase against a care-takers discipline to parallel how we could respond to God’s discipline. “Protest” can progress to “despair’ which can then lead to “detachment”, which is characterized by further rebellion. This separation from provision endorses a cycle of self-destruction that only intensifies with each added rebellion. At times problems arise consecutively creating compounded pain and suffering. How we respond can greatly influence our faith. When we rebel or run from God with our pain we cause only more suffering which will greatly hinder our faith building walk. If we choose to walk with God through our trials then we increase our provision which in turn creates a perspective for trusting him all the more.

Part 3. How Can Perspectives Towards Pain and Suffering Help Build or Hinder Faith?
Typically, people respond to pain and suffering in one of two ways. One being trusting God and walking with him in resolution to the problems. The other being rebelling against God or trying to avoid the pain in order to work the problem out ourselves or hope it just simply goes away. Unfortunately, our first human response is usually one of avoidance. By aligning our perspective with God’s redemptive plan, we can aid in the building of a much stronger faith. We can, with practice, trust God more readily to walk through life’s problems with less resistance and even be an example to others as Christ commands.
Chapter 5. Satan Uses Pain and Suffering to Create Doubt With the fall of man, pain and suffering were created by Satan’s deceptions or sin. Satan’s nature is revealed in Matthew 8 “for he is a liar and the father of lies.” and in Romans 14 “But whoever has doubts is condemned …and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (NIV) One problem, according to Lewis, is we have developed a “strange illusion that mere time cancels sin.” Vandenburg concludes that reality ensues only “Christ’s suffering” can redeem sin. She also believes suffering is “an alien intrusion” into the world and does not belong. Vandenburg goes on to express that suffering “is Satanic” and only manages to spread discord among humanity. Doubts and lies are Satan’s most pretentious weapons in wreaking havoc. He uses this intertwining relationship between pain and suffering to reinforce one another and prolong his turmoil. His aim is to create doubt, a distraction, to shift our perspective off the solution which is trust and faith in the Lord our Savior.
Chapter 6. God Uses Pain and Suffering to Build Faith Lewis states a belief “As to God, we must remember that the soul is but a hollow which God fills. Its union with God is, almost by definition, a continual self-abandonment---an opening, an unveiling, a surrender, of itself.” Since being established that we cannot avoid pain and suffering, it can, by the way, be utilized in establishing a stronger more trusting faith. Even when we backslide and let doubt slither back in our awareness, we can still convert back to God in obedience and develop a stronger, yet enhanced faith. This does not necessarily mean that we can avoid the additional pain and suffering due to increased disobedience. It does, however, provide us a chance to modify our perspectives. By realigning our viewpoints to accept pain and suffering by trusting that God’s provisions are exactly what are needed, then we are released to prosper the “awareness that a gift awaits us.” Lewis argues that pain and suffering are not virtues but a means to an end or “sanctification” In the middle of a dilemma, it is difficult at time to remember that the sting we feel is not going to last forever. By adjusting the way we interpret our pain and suffering can directly influence the way we respond. The key here is trusting God with everything. (Proverbs 3) Responding in faith exponentially matures our trust in our Heavenly Father (Abba) and that trust in turn sprouts an even deeper faith. This child-like faith to trust and follow Him illuminates hope for others to follow the same path. Conclusion

Pain and suffering have been established as being unavoidable and originating from Satan’s deceptive scheme of sin. Satan uses pain and doubt to create a false illusion that when we suffer we are at the disposal of the barrier it produces. God did not create pain and suffering. God is omnipotent, which means, He can craft the very deception meant to separate us from Him to draw us back to His Holy provisions. Our God, of the impossible, can melt impassible barriers into tiny obstacles that we can overcome with no resistance by his supreme guidance. We still reside in a broken existence patiently awaiting Our Lord to return and abolish these pains and create a new world free from Satan’s poisonous lies. Until then, we can simply not avoid pain and suffering. Therefore, making it a necessary trial we have no choice but to endure. Because of God’s loving-kindness, he does provide an alternate path we can take which is much more desirable. We can respond in faith which allows more of God’s provisions we innately covet or we can respond in rebellion which reinforces the very barriers we are trying so adamantly to avoid. Pain and suffering were intended to infiltrate defeat. God in his redemptive nature uses pain and suffering to ultimately instill victory. If we realign our perspective, to being one of an opportunity to proceed with more of our Father’s provisions, this trusting Him would facilitate our responses by transforming pain and suffering into a catalyst for building an ever-increasing dynamic faith.

Bibliography

Burton, Rod. “Spiritual pain: origins, nature and management.” Contact 143 (2004) 3-13. Accessed September 12, 2014 through ATLAS, ezproxy.liberty.edu.
Burton explains how spiritual pain is a common form of human pain. He goes on to explain how an awry relationship with God’s spirit can leave us in despair.

Lewis, C. S. The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. C.S.
Lewis is one of the most renowned authors of spiritual works. The book includes 7 of his most known publications including The Problem of Pain which is one of the foundational references for this thesis.

Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain: Introductory, 551-559. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. This chapter introduces his primary argument. If God is good then this creates the primary problem with pain.

Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain: Devine Omnipotence, 560-566. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
The main argument for this chapter consists of either God lacks power or goodness. Power is ruled out by his explanation of free-will.

Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain: Devine Goodness, 567-578. New York: HarperCollins, 2007. His conclusion in this chapter is that God’s definition of goodness differs from ours. God in transforming us in his image which makes suffering necessary. Our response should be of trust in our pain.

Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain: Human Wickedness, 579-587. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
Lewis sees a problem with “kindness” since we are wicked at heart. Since humans try and justify our own actions this creates a moral dilemma. We are in retrospect are our own worst enemies.

Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain:
Human Pain and Human Pain Continued, 601-619. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
These two chapters build on one another. Since pain shatters our illusion of contentment and self-sufficiency. This relives us to depend on God and creates a paradox, “If suffering is good, ought it not be pursued rather than avoided?”
Lewis, C. S. “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics.” In The Problem of Pain: Heaven, 638-644. New York: HarperCollins, 2007.
The conclusion is outlined in this chapter which points to Heaven as being the solution to the problem of pain. Mahn, Jason A. [Review of the book by Long, Thomas G.: What Shall We Say? Evil, Suffering, and the Crisis of Faith (Eerdmans, 2011)] Theology Today 69, No.2 (2012):225-230.Acessed August 29, 2014 through ATLAS, ezproxy.liberty.edu.
Mahn argues that “the problem of suffering” can lead to a crisis of faith. He walks through how one could realign perspectives to being able to walk with peace knowing that God is omnibenevolent.

Minton, Mary E., and Kathy Antonen. “Carrying the pain: The Journey from Suffering to Transformation---Perspectives from Shakespearean Tragedy and Pastoral Care,” Journal of Religion and Health 52 (2013)467-474. Published online April 2, 2011. http:dx.doi.org/10.1007/s1094-001-9495-3. Their view of pain and suffering is that of being good and through aligning perspective in a positive manner pain and suffering can be transformed into meaning and fullness.

Schmitt, Raymond. “Suffering and Faith.” Journal of Religion and Health Vol. 18,
No. 4 (October 1979): 263-175. Published by Springer. Accessed August 30, 2014. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27505524.
According to Schmitt, Most suffering that takes on grief with feelings of separation from God and mourn that loss as well can be classified as “spiritual mourning’ He will show how these various types of mourning can indeed impact faith.

Vandenberg, Mary. “Redemptive Suffering: Christ’s Alone,” Scottish Journal of
Theology 60.4 (November 2007): 394-411. Accessed August 29, 2014. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty .edu.
Instead of a tradition stance, that with atonement, Christ’s suffering glorifies all suffering. It is argued, there is only one case of redemptive suffering and that is Christ on the Cross. Human suffering should never be considered redemptive.

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[ 1 ]. Rod Burton, “Spiritual pain: origins, nature and management,” Contact 143 (2004) 6, accessed September 12, 2014, through ATLAS, ezproxy.liberty.edu.
[ 2 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Human Pain, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 603.
[ 3 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Devine Omnipotence, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 564.
[ 4 ]. Rod Burton, “Spiritual pain: origins, nature and management,” Contact 143 (2004)5-6, accessed September 12, 2014, through ATLAS, ezproxy.liberty.edu.
[ 5 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Devine Goodness, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 571-572.
[ 6 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Human Pain, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 605.
[ 7 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Introductory, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 552.
[ 8 ]. Raymond Schmitt, “Suffering and Faith,” Journal of Religion and Health Vol. 18, No. 4 (October 1979): 267, accessed August 30, 2014, Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27505524.
[ 9 ]. Jason A. Mahn, review of What Shall We Say? Evil, Suffering, and the Crisis of Faith (Eerdmans, 2011), Theology Today 69, No.2 (2012):229, accessed August 29, 2014, through ATLAS, ezproxy.liberty.edu.
[ 10 ]. Mary E. Minton, and Kathy Antonen, “Carrying the pain: The Journey from Suffering to Transformation---Perspectives from Shakespearean Tragedy and Pastoral Care,” Journal of Religion and Health 52 (2013)470, published online April 2, 2011, http:dx.doi.org/10.1007/s1094-001-9495-3.
[ 11 ]. Lewis, The Problem of Pain: Devine Omnipotence, 564.
[ 12 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Human Pain Continued, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 615.
[ 13 ]. Raymond Schmitt, Suffering and Faith, 266.
[ 14 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Human Wickedness, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 583.
[ 15 ]. Mary Vandenberg, “Redemptive Suffering: Christ’s Alone,” Scottish Journal of Theology 60.4 (November 2007): 399, accessed August 29, 2014, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty .edu.
[ 16 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Heaven, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 583.
[ 17 ]. Mary E. Minton, and Kathy Antonen, “Carrying the pain: The Journey from Suffering to Transformation---Perspectives from Shakespearean Tragedy and Pastoral Care,” Journal of Religion and Health 52 (2013)474, published online April 2, 2011, http:dx.doi.org/10.1007/s1094-001-9495-3.
[ 18 ]. C. S. Lewis, “The Complete C. S. Lewis Signature Classics,” The Problem of Pain: Human Pain Continued, (New York: HarperCollins, 2007), 617-618.