Good Things Happening TO Bad People

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MysticMissMisty

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Salvete, omnes!

Why, when men are exceptionally sinful, or even a little sinful, does God very often not punish them here on Earth, but, then again, sometimes He does?

In fact, very often, it seems that, rather than punishing them, He actually either passively or actively (?) wills them to be blessed with various good things in life.

I mean, I’ve got to admit, I do have a difficult time myself sometimes seeing even very evil people punished as, being an INFJ empath(et)ic type, I even still feel fro them. While I love them and even wish to see good done to them, I still feel bad that perhaps justice is not being done here and that they are not learning then from that justice being used as a correction to them.

So, then, wouldn’t it be just for God to punish all people here on Earth equally when they sin so that they might learn from it and repent?

Indeed, it seems that, far from that, He very often does good to what we might consider bad, even exceptionally bad (?), people. In Sacred Scripture, it even says that He sends sun and rain on the just and the unjust. (Considering the ancient farming context, I hear take both sun and rain as positive things.) We are even told to do good to those who are sinners.

I suppose the only problem I have with that (I suppose I wouldn’t call it a problem proper but perhaps a misunderstanding?) is that this kind of blessing of evildoers has no deterrent effect to stop them from sinning as punishment of some kind in this life would.

So, then, does God either actively and/or passively allow good things to happen even to bad people because of His deep Love for them? I mean, I suppose, as long as what He does/allows does not directly contribute to their sin, I don’t necessarily see anything unrighteous about that in and of itself. Again, though, the only issue I see with it is often in complete lack of punishment.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not questioning God. I’m just trying to understand this whole issue better and trying to figure out whether I misunderstand something here and even in the verses I cite as well as what I see around me, both past and present, with so-called “bad” people having often only good (or very much mostly good) done to them and little to no punishment for evil they do.

So, is my current

Gratias.
 
Salvete, omnes!

Why, when men are exceptionally sinful, or even a little sinful, does God very often not punish them here on Earth, but, then again, sometimes He does?
Maybe because He knows that some of us will respond to punishment, and some will not.
In fact, very often, it seems that, rather than punishing them, He actually either passively or actively (?) wills them to be blessed with various good things in life.
Define “good things”. You might find that your definition of “good things” is different than God’s.
I mean, I’ve got to admit, I do have a difficult time myself sometimes seeing even very evil people punished as, being an INFJ empath(et)ic type, I even still feel fro them. While I love them and even wish to see good done to them, I still feel bad that perhaps justice is not being done here and that they are not learning then from that justice being used as a correction to them. So, then, wouldn’t it be just for God to punish all people here on Earth equally when they sin so that they might learn from it and repent?
Why do you believe justice isn’t taking place? Just because you don’t see it? And what makes you think they will learn/repent?
Indeed, it seems that, far from that, He very often does good to what we might consider bad, even exceptionally bad (?), people. In Sacred Scripture, it even says that He sends sun and rain on the just and the unjust. (Considering the ancient farming context, I hear take both sun and rain as positive things.) We are even told to do good to those who are sinners.
You might want to read the REST of that passage. God doesn’t divide the clouds and only give weather to the good. We are all in this world together, and we are ALL sinners…ALL of us deserving nothing but death for our sins. We would be hypocrites, and only fooling ourselves (says Scripture) to say we do not have sin and to place ourselves above our neighbors. We are to love our enemies and do good to one another…because we are ALL sinners who fall short of the glory of God.
I suppose the only problem I have with that (I suppose I wouldn’t call it a problem proper but perhaps a misunderstanding?) is that this kind of blessing of evildoers has no deterrent effect to stop them from sinning as punishment of some kind in this life would
Again, why do you believe punishment would have such an effect? It appears, from the lack of punishment that you desire, that God doesn’t see it the same way you do.
 
Salvete, omnes!

Why, when men are exceptionally sinful, or even a little sinful, does God very often not punish them here on Earth, but, then again, sometimes He does?
Evidence for this? Are you referring to a scripture passage in particular or are you assuming God is doing this based on what observe in the world?
 
We are ultimately responsible for one soul…our own. I do not see it my spiritual responsibility to determine when or how God exacts punishment or praise on others. I humble myself to the understanding that ALL things happen as God intends them to happen. The why or wherefore, matters little to me. I trust my Lord and Savior with everything I am. That trust and my Faith does not facilitate the necessity to justify or understand what I think God should or should not do.

I suppose this comes with my spiritual study and diligence in trying to live my own life as I believe God is directing me to live. Not spending time worrying about others and their sins or misgivings.
 
I think it goes back to free will. If God exerted his power over us every time a person did wrong we wouldn’t have free will. Think about the garden of eden. God could have used his power to keep Adam and Eve from sinning but he didn’t. He allowed them to make their choice and to suffer the consequences for it. While it might not seem like an evil person suffers for the evil they did, you know that is not going to be like that forever as we eventually reap what we sow. Instead of envying his material prosperity you should instead feel sorry for him, because the price he had to pay for that is immense. As Jesus said it all when he said

“What does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Please read Psalm 73.
 
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