“Suffering is a result of sin”.
Those kind of statements really push me away.
So each cancer patient, even the innocent babies, are suffering sinners and paying the price in God’s eyes?
Weeping may endure for a night,
but joy cometh in the morning.
I said it poorly. I was referring to original sin. The fall. Adam’s sin. It is that sin that brought suffering into the world.
People do not get cancer because of their personal sin.
Sorry for the confusion. I should have been clearer. I am not a proponent of a prosperity gospel. I hope this helps.
"suffering sinners and paying the price in God’s eyes?" No, as what you seemed to push away is seeking to understand what this Biblically means, and is kind of like liberals who rail against arresting law-breakers, esp due to border control, since is separates children from parents.
Meaning that when you do anything- even wasting time - affects others to varying degrees, which in turn affect others (butterfly effect). As far as crime, then even apart from LE and judicial action, and even if not caught, there are natural consequential effects. Of course, we also benefit by the right actions of others.
But besides nature, if you break the law and held accountable, then there are also penal consequential effects. The law requires a penalty (without which most would more act lawlessly) and which also causes others to suffer consequentially.
As far as innocent babies, yes, as being in the pool into which the rock of sin was thrown, creating waves, they are also effected along with others not directly connected with the thrower. I
Your objection here will likely be that the Judge should not penalize law-breakers in a way that affect others (no waves), and thus allow the wrong choices of ancestors to cause others to suffer. But that require humanity to be as islands to themselves, and thus neither penalties nor rewards should affect others.
But to be sure, the God of the Bible clearly does not hold the children responsible for the wrong actions of ancestors, (Deuteronomy 24:16; 2Ki 14:5,6; 2Ch 25:4; Jer 31:29,30; Eze 18:20) though we realize effects of their actions - right or wrong - to varying degrees, which in turn affect others.
Be careful! Don't all into their trap!
By limiting the question to "cancer, innocent sick babies, etc.," you are playing into their deception. (They'll namely counter with: Sickness is often the result of bad behavior. Or: Man should develop medicine! Or: Suffering helps us take stock of our own shortcomings / recognize God's mercifulness!)
Stick, instead, to natural catastrophes. Supernovae! Massive volcanic eruptions wiping out entire civilizations!
Regards,