Why does God allow innocent children be sexually abused?
Thank you for your question. This is a difficult subject–why God allows such bad things to happen. I believe that the simplistic answer is because of sin. Adam and Eve chose to sin, and all of the rest of us choose to sin also, by our own freewill. Sin introduces much evil into the world, and God still allows each of us the privilege of exercising our own freewill.
However, I think that it’s helpful to consider that the Bible tells us to be joyful even when bad things happen. James 1:2 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” In 2 Corinthians 7:4, Paul said, “In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.” The Bible tells us that bad things happen for three specific purposes: in order to accomplish God’s master plan; to give us perseverance; and, to provide us with heavenly rewards.
God’s Master Plan
When Paul was persecuted and imprisoned for the cause of Christ, he wrote the prison epistles. In Philippians 1:12, he said, “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. Being so close to the physical circumstances around us prevents us from seeing the big picture. God’s master plan may include some steps where we have to endure some negative circumstances before the next positive step of God’s plan can be accomplished, either for us or for others. Perhaps the reason that we can’t see the forest is simply because we’re not omnipotent like God. We simply have to trust Him, which is indeed the heart of the gospel message (John 3:16).
Perseverance
In James 1:3-4, we are told that, “The testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Verse 12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
John 16:20-24 says, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So, with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
Heavenly Rewards
In Luke 16:19-31, Christ tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It’s a disturbing story of the rich man spending eternity in hell while the poor man Lazarus spends eternity in Heaven. In verse 25, Abraham told the rich man, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”
This is also the message presented to us in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12, culminating in Christ’s summary, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I hope this help.
Thanks,
Owen