> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? (Part 3) - URL: https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-part-3/ - Published: 2026-08-01T14:06:35.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-01T14:06:35.000Z - Author: m - Tags: Bible, Christian, death, grief, hope, loss, verses, why do bad things happen to good people ## What the Bible has to say about goodness *This is the third in a four part series on what the Bible says about why bad things happen to ‘good’ people. You can* [*read Part 1 here*](https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/) *and* [*Part 2 here*](https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-part-2/)*.* In the first two parts of our exploration of why bad things happen to good people, we looked at what we can learn from the Old Testament about these things (Part 1) and then at how Jesus’s life, death and resurrection changed everything (Part 2). We started here, because this is often the perspective of a hurting person. But there is a problem with the question itself. A hidden assumption that makes the question unfair in a way. It has to do with what the Bible has to say about what it means to be ‘good’. When we answer this question ‘what does it mean to be a good person?’ we tend to answer it subjectively. Almost everyone thinks of themselves as a ‘good’ person. We all tend to have our own specific values, and it’s easy to feel that if someone follows our values, they are a good person. But the challenge is that our definition of good may not be the same as God’s definition of good. We see this come up when a man, described as a ruler, approaches Jesus in Luke 18. > *A ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? ”* > *“Why do you call me good? ” Jesus asked him.“No one is good except God alone*…*.* > *Luke 18:18-19 (CSB)* This is a pretty high standard. Jesus clearly states here that no one is good except God. That’s because God’s standard of goodness is 'better than most people’ goodness. It’s *perfect* goodness. Jesus unpacks this more in Matthew 5 where He explains that even following the Old Testament law (for example the 10 Commandments) perfectly with our actions isn’t enough. God’s perfect standard means we can’t even sin in our hearts. If we even look at someone with lust, that counts as adultery ([Matthew 5:27-28](https://www.esv.org/Matthew+5/?ref=truehopeforjoy.com#:~:text=27%C2%A0h%E2%80%9CYou%20have%20heard%20that%20it%20was%20said%2C%20i%E2%80%98You%20shall%20not%20commit%20adultery.%E2%80%99%2028%C2%A0But%20I%20say%20to%20you%20that%20jeveryone%20who%20looks%20at%20a%20woman%20with%20lustful%20intent%20has%20already%20committed%20adultery%20with%20her%20in%20his%20heart.)). If we even hold anger in our hearts against someone else, that counts as murder ([Matthew 5:21-22](https://www.esv.org/Matthew+5/?ref=truehopeforjoy.com#:~:text=21%C2%A0y%E2%80%9CYou,hell5%20of%20fire.)). So, when we ask ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’, the question is unfair because it assumes our standard of goodness- and then tries to hold God to that. The question puts us, with our imperfect ‘goodness’, in the place of judging God who is perfectly good. It downplays what Jesus did for us, because it assumes that we are good enough to earn God’s blessing on our own. It doesn’t take into account His incredible sacrifice for us. And it ignores that our ‘good’ deeds, when we do them, are actually also gifts from God. Paul talks about this in the book of Philippians when he says: > *…For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.* > *Philippians 3:8b–11 (ESV)* Paul spent his entire adult life doing ‘good’ deeds. He was a Pharisee, so zealous to fulfil the Old Testament law that he persecuted those he felt were straying from it. But when Jesus changed his heart, Paul realized that he’d been taking pride in his own righteousness. He’d been trusting in his own ability to fulfil the law. And just when he thought he was doing it perfectly, Jesus blinded him and told him He was actually working against what God wanted ([Acts 9](https://read.csbible.com/?book=acts&chapter=9&ref=truehopeforjoy.com)). The only way to be seen as ‘good’, God level ‘good’, is to accept that status as a gift purchased for you by Christ. So then, Jesus is our only True Hope for goodness. We have to start with the understanding that no one is good but God. But praise God that Someone is good! Praise God that Someone is worthy! And that Someone is willing to share the blessings only He has earned with us! For those who are in Christ, we don’t have to worry that the bad things happening in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones are some type of Karma. Karma isn’t Christian. It’s actually the opposite of what The Bible teaches. For Christians, our entire hope is in us not getting what we deserve. When we truly reflect, not just on our sins, but on the cost of our redemption, our response becomes one of gratefulness and praise. Not that hard things won’t still hurt, but that as we look to Jesus, and all of the blessing He’s secured for us, we can start to see the hard things with more clarity. And we don’t have to make the mistake of oversimplifying why bad things happen. Or the mistake of blaming others when they are suffering… but we will look at that topic more in Part 4. **Still to come:** Part 4- Why is it important for Christians to understand why bad things happen to good people Read [Part 1](https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/) or [Part 2 ](https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/why-do-bad-things-happen-to-good-people-part-2/) If you would like to receive an email as soon as a new article posts, you can sign up [here](https://www.truehopeforjoy.com/). Thank you for reading. This article was written by a real person, me 🙂, not AI. For true hope and joy, \~m