Does God Rule the World?

IT IS Sunday morning. Many people climb out of bed, get dressed, eat breakfast, and dash off to church. There they listen to a sermon about how God rules supreme over the earth, unrivaled in authority. They are told that he cares deeply for people. Reference is also made to Jesus Christ. They may hear that he is the King of kings to whom every knee bends in obedience.

Upon arriving home from church, these people may turn on the television and watch the news. Now they hear about famine, crime, drug abuse, poverty. And they see pathetic scenes of disease and death.

Such individuals may begin to wonder about the things they heard in church and especially about matters never explained there. If God is both loving and all-powerful, why do terrible things happen? And what about Jesus Christ? Obviously, there are many knees that do not bend in obedience to him.

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If God rules the world, why is there such suffering and turmoil?

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Cover: NASA photo