People are fascinated with questions about God that seem (to them) to have no answers. Many times God has already answered the question in His word. We must be willing to accept and be content with His answers (Deut. 29:29). 

The wise man Solomon said there are some questions about the “work of God that a man cannot find out”. Although he “labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it” (Eccl. 8:17). We can only know why God does what He does to the extent that He has revealed His reasons to us (1 Cor. 2:9-11). God expects us to be content with that and not resist His will (Rom. 9:19).

Recently we received a question that asked,

“Please tell me why God created this world. Why did he do this knowing how things would be now, the world all in a mess, individual lives in torment every day with problems and disappointments? And why did he decide that he would need to have people ‘be saved.’”

First, God created the world because He chose to do so. As Sovereign, Almighty God, He has both the right and the power to do so. “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Rom. 9:20) God expects us to be content with the grand declaration: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

The existence of the universe declares the glory and righteousness of God (Psa. 19:1; 50:6). God’s creation is ample evidence of His power and glory. God’s invisible attributes of eternal power and Godhood are clearly seen in the world He created, and persuade us to seek and find Him (Rom. 1:20; Acts 17:24-28).

God created human beings with free will so we would choose to serve Him. God did not create robots; He created man and woman in His image (which includes the ability to make moral decisions, Gen. 1:27). It is evident that God’s purpose was to create a being whose image was like His – one with whom He could share fellowship and blessings (Gen. 2-3). When God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it was predicated on his ability to make a moral decision (Gen. 2:17).

God wants people to choose good, but we have all chosen evil. God did not create mankind so we could suffer; He created us so we could live in close fellowship with Him (Gen. 2:15; 3:8). Solomon found “that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” (Eccl. 7:29). All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Furthermore, we are “without excuse” when we sin because God’s creation is proof of His power and deity and is a compelling reason for us to glorify Him and praise Him (Rom. 1:20-21).

God did not want us to live forever in sin, so He planned to save us in Christ. His plan of redemption from sin lands a death blow to Satan and the power of sin and death (Gen. 3:15, 22). His plan of redemption is a great expression of divine love that rescues sinners from eternal death (Eph. 1:3-11; 2:1-10).

God wants all sinners to be saved from their sins, so He gave His Son to be our Savior (1 Tim. 2:3-4; Jno. 3:16). All who obey the Son will be saved (Heb. 5:9; Mk. 16:15-16; Matt. 7:21-23).

The universe stands as a great monument to God’s power, wisdom, and glory. The gospel is God’s great power to save sinners (Rom. 1:16-17). God’s wants all who suffer under the weight and death of sin to come to His Son in humble, obedient faith to be saved (Matt. 11:28-30; Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-41; 10:34-35). 

-Reprint, The Spirit’s Sword, July 27, 2008