Question 21 – Why do good people suffer and bad people do well?

It is a widely observed phenomenon that some swindlers, thieves, and other wrongdoers often lead what appear to be "better" and longer lives than those who are just, good, and sincere. You might wonder: Why is this so? Why doesn't God intervene in some way? There are multiple perspectives from which one can approach this issue.

Perhaps I could direct the answer towards the fact that, in truth, this is often not the case. It would certainly be intriguing to peer into the hearts of these "wicked" individuals to examine whether their lives are truly "better" or merely a façade, a deception. Outwardly, they seem happy and balanced, but inside their souls are empty, wounded, depressed, yearning for acceptance and genuine love. Yet they lack all of this. They might possess influence, power, and money, but what truly matters eludes them. Conversely, many of those whom we might label as good and decent do not wrestle with such problems. Perhaps they have genuine, loving relationships and do not face so many problems, emptiness, and attacks on their conscience that the "wicked" do.

Let us consider yet another viewpoint. A profoundly meaningful, unspoken answer to this question is found in the life of the central figure of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ. God becoming man. He became one of us, to draw near to us, to die for us, and to help us better understand who God is. According to the Bible, Jesus was perfect, pure, without sin. And what befell Him? Falsely accused, unjustly condemned, scourged, tortured, murdered. This is a textbook example validating the question at hand—the innocent suffer and leave life prematurely while some rogue sneers at them, enjoying the warmth of his home. So, what does Jesus' painful experience reveal to us? Nothing less than the existence of evil in our world and the previously mentioned corruption of humanity. Yet, let us note that God Himself responds to this reality by becoming part of the world's sordid game. He does not stay on the sidelines, does not flee from our troubles, but loves us so deeply that He is willing to respond personally to all this. Thus, whatever the answer to this question may be, we should definitely not blame God for the existence of injustice. For He Himself has already answered it. That answer is the cross, from which innocent and holy blood flowed.

Our World

I'd like to offer you yet another perspective. The entire understanding of the problem, often simplified to the equation "a good person dies prematurely = injustice" or "a good person suffers while the wicked prosper = injustice," stems from an unspoken assumption and limitation. This assumption and limitation are our world, those fleeting years we are granted here on earth. We view everything through its lens, as if it were paramount, as if it were the measure of absolute importance. We affirm this in nearly every greeting, such as birthday wishes where we say, "Above all, good health—that's the most important." Yes, it is important, but not the most vital, because if something lies beyond this temporally bound world, then the most important thing is something entirely different.

What if this world is merely a grain of sand compared to the eternity of an endless sandy beach? What if it is but a "preparation" for the real world to follow? Does this not cast the whole problem in an entirely new light?

If that is the case, then the proverb "God's justice may be slow, but it never fails." is exceedingly true. The Bible tells us that everyone will be judged fairly for their actions. Whether it be a murderer or a swindler who dodges human justice, no one escapes God. Delayed justice is not unfulfilled justice. Thus, criticizing God for His inaction is somewhat like not finishing a book and criticizing the author for failing to resolve the plot [23].

Jesus Christ will one day return to this earth. His coming will be a joyous event for some but a terrifying occurrence for many.

"He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil..." (Romans 2:6–9)

Summation

Everyone will receive what they deserve. The fact that this does not occur immediately, as we might expect, does not imply that God is inactive or unjust.