Jesus grew and learned through suffering.

Hebrews
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

One can't live in a world of sin without suffering. I don't know what your point was in your last post. Of course we can grow and learn through suffering.

The point I've been making is just what EGW said, which is that all suffering is the result of sin.

Jesus did not suffer because He transgressed the law. He "learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." How did Jesus suffer? By resisting temptation - not giving in to sin. Listen:

Hebrews
2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

1 Peter
4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of [his] time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

The kind of suffering spoken of here is not the result of sinning; instead, it is the result of resisting sin. It has nothing to do with transgressing the law of God.

The point I've been making is just what EGW said, which is that all suffering is the result of sin.



Of course Jesus did not suffer because *He* transgressed the law! This was my point earlier when I spoke of suffering the indirect cause of sin. That is, we *may* suffer (and often do) because of our own sin, but we also often suffer because of the sin of others (in Jesus' case, of course, it was *only* because of the sin of others).

But whether the suffering results because of our own sin, or somebody else's, all suffering is the result of sin, as the above quote bears out.

Okay. Fine. But you seem to be saying, and correct me if I've misunderstood you, that God never directly causes people to suffer, that He indirectly causes people to suffer by withdrawing His protection and allowing natural law or Satan or other sinners to cause the actual suffering. If this is what you're saying, then I totally disagree. I agree this is sometimes the case, but there are times when God Himself directly causes people to suffer. And, there are times when He commands holy angles to cause people to suffer. Listen:

GC 614
A single angel destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians and filled the land with mourning. When David offended against God by numbering the people, one angel caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was punished. The same destructive power exercised by holy angels when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere. {GC 614.2}

MM, if all suffering is the result of transgression of God's law, then how can God be responsible for suffering, unless He violates His law?

Yes, suffering happens because sin happens. If A&E had not sinned the human race would not experience because of sin. But not all suffering happens as a result of sinning. Sometimes God causes people to suffer to help them mature in the fruits of the Spirit. Sometimes He causes suffering to demonstrate His love and power. For example:

Acts
9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

John
9:1 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

This means all suffering happens as a result of sinning. Transgression of God's law = sinning. "All suffering" results from this.

Okay.