Biblical Answer

The Question: Why did God allow this to happen?

The Limits of Human Understanding

We cannot be certain of the reasons why God did not do something when Scripture does not explicitly tell us those reasons. In the case of the New Testament miracles, an adequate reason is not difficult to find. It is found in the conquest of sin. According to the Christian view, as set forth in the Bible, mankind is under the curse of God's wrath due to sin. God's plan to save humanity required a greater compensation than what all created beings are capable of doing. This being the case, only God could make satisfaction for the wrong done to Him.

God's Sovereignty and Human Autonomy

God grants us an area of autonomy, allowing us to accept or reject Him. This desire somehow arises out of that autonomy. God's great love for humanity is the reason He reached down to pull us out of the mess we were in, not because we deserved rescue, but because He loved us enough to act on our behalf. We can ask why God did not prevent evil, but it is like asking why He did not exercise a greater degree of supernatural control than the purposes of providence required. God's sovereignty and human autonomy are intertwined, and we cannot fully understand why God allowed something to happen.

The Mystery of God's Ways

We will not always be able to understand why God allowed something to happen. Then we have simply to trust Him and go on obeying His will. We will frequently be faced with times in this life when we will not be able to understand why God allowed something to happen. The doctrine of election tells us that we are Christians simply because God in eternity past decided to set His love on us. But why did He decide to set His love on us? Not for any reason that we can fully comprehend. We must trust God's wisdom and go on obeying His will, even when we do not understand. This is the practical conclusion we must draw from the mystery of God's ways.