Lesson 3 — The Great Controversy
The world contains war, suffering, sickness, injustice, and loss. If God is loving and good, why do these things happen? This lesson explores the Bible’s explanation of evil and suffering, examining whether these troubles were part of God’s original purpose for humanity.
Lesson Overview
The lesson examines biblical accounts of creation, Jesus’ parable of the wheat and weeds, and His healing ministry. These passages introduce the conflict between good and evil and explore the distinction between God’s good purposes and the suffering present in the world. The lesson encourages readers to investigate these questions through Scripture.
What You Will Learn
- What the Bible says about God's original creation.
- How Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds helps explain the presence of evil.
- What Jesus' ministry reveals about suffering and healing.
- How the lesson presents Satan's role in the conflict between good and evil.
- How biblical stories can help us examine difficult questions about God and suffering.
Bible Passages to Study
Genesis 1:1–31; Matthew 13:24–30, 36–41; Luke 13:10–17.
Download the Lesson
Read the full PDF to follow the study questions and explore the biblical accounts in context.