Can I use quotes from your answer on why God doesn’t prevent harm?

Question:

Hello,

I am in the midst of a time of pain and tragedy for my family having two terminally ill, close family members. I am nursing one and cannot see much of the other terminally ill one.

While reading on the Internet someone's question about ''Why doesn't God prevent innocent children from being harmed?'' I was most impressed by your answers to this lady. I have been a Christian for quite a few decades and never heard it put the way you did in answering this most difficult question. I hope I can use them one day, if I need to answer such questions, either for myself or someone else. Will that be OK?

I quote parts of your answer

"God tolerates the existence of sin for a time because it creates a distinction between those striving to do right (and sometimes failing) and those desiring to be wicked (see Romans 7:13). When we sin, we see the effect of evil on our lives. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes and acknowledge that God's way is right. We are forced by our sins and the sins of others to acknowledge that God's laws are the best path for man to take."

"It is true that sometimes a child dies despite the best efforts of his parents to protect him from harm. Yet, there are times when innocent children die because their parents neglected to do their duties. For example, why was a child left in a hot automobile? Why was a child allowed to play in a pool without supervision? Negligence isn't always the case, but sometimes the innocent suffer because those responsible are failing their duties. "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17)"

"Could God prevent all accidental harm? Yes, but how would that help? I've seen children who are protect from harming themselves -- they think they are impervious to harm. They become wild and careless because nothing ever happens to them. God made the world with laws. Gravity exists. If you fall off a roof, you are going to get hurt. People can't breathe underwater. If you try, you will drown. God doesn't make exceptions to His laws except in rare occasions. So why are some of the world's laws so rough? It is because God understands that we need difficulties to challenge us to improve (James 1:2-4). "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). God allows sadness and hardships to come because these provide the training His children need to grow up. He isn't the source, and He limits what evil can do to a person so that they are not overwhelmed (I Corinthians 13:10), but He doesn't protect us from our own foolishness or from all harm."

God bless you.

Answer:

Of course, it is fine. As per the bottom of every page, all the material on La Vista's site is free to be reused. I'm glad you found the material useful.

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