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God-mockers often ask that question in a desperate attempt to disprove the existence of God. Sadly, fluffy-bunny liberal Christians either do not answer the question or provide an "answer" that shows their ignorance of Scripture. We True Christians™, however, can provide a Biblically correct answer.
First, the question itself begs the question. Apart from God's grace, there are no good people:
Romans 3:10-12: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
With God's grace, of course, comes God's sovereignty. God, being God, may do what He likes in order to glorify Himself:
Job 1:8-12: And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Daniel 4:35: And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Moreover, bad things that happen to the truly saved are evidence of the Lord's love for them. This may seem counterintuitive to those who don't know the following Scripture passage:
Hebrews 12:6-11: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Now let us consider some of the answers proposed by hippy-dippy liberal Christians in the light of the Bible. Some say that just as darkness is simply the absence of light, evil is simply the absence of good. It takes only one Scripture verse to refute both of those assertions:
Isaiah 45:7: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
Why would God have to create two things that are merely the absence of something else?
Others say that things just happen and that God for some reason does nothing to stop them. That argument, however, denies the omnipotence of the Almighty:
Prov. 16:33: The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof [is] of the LORD.
Appeals to free will have the same deficiency:
Romans 9:17: For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
In summation, whenever bad things happen to good people, it is God's doing, and they should be grateful to Him for such things.
First, the question itself begs the question. Apart from God's grace, there are no good people:
Romans 3:10-12: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
With God's grace, of course, comes God's sovereignty. God, being God, may do what He likes in order to glorify Himself:
Job 1:8-12: And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Daniel 4:35: And all the inhabitants of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and [among] the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Moreover, bad things that happen to the truly saved are evidence of the Lord's love for them. This may seem counterintuitive to those who don't know the following Scripture passage:
Hebrews 12:6-11: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Now let us consider some of the answers proposed by hippy-dippy liberal Christians in the light of the Bible. Some say that just as darkness is simply the absence of light, evil is simply the absence of good. It takes only one Scripture verse to refute both of those assertions:
Isaiah 45:7: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these [things].
Why would God have to create two things that are merely the absence of something else?
Others say that things just happen and that God for some reason does nothing to stop them. That argument, however, denies the omnipotence of the Almighty:
Prov. 16:33: The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof [is] of the LORD.
Appeals to free will have the same deficiency:
Romans 9:17: For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
In summation, whenever bad things happen to good people, it is God's doing, and they should be grateful to Him for such things.
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