--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have a God great and transcendent…" description: "\"“If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn't stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same mom..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/timothy-keller-240_evil-and-suffering_if-you-have-a-god-great-and-transcendent_1535371.jpg" --- # If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad… ![“If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn't stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can't know. Indeed, you can't have it both ways.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/timothy-keller-240_evil-and-suffering_if-you-have-a-god-great-and-transcendent_1535371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/timothy-keller-240_evil-and-suffering_if-you-have-a-god-great-and-transcendent_1535371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7bc/timothy-keller-240_evil-and-suffering_if-you-have-a-god-great-and-transcendent_1535371.jpg) > ““If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn't stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can't know. Indeed, you can't have it both ways.”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A transcendent God may allow suffering for reasons beyond human comprehension, making both divine wrath and mercy possible. **In simple terms:** God’s reasons for suffering are beyond our understanding. Key Takeaway Accept mystery while seeking compassion. Themes theodicy faith suffering Mood contemplative somber Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - theological study - counseling sessions Key Concepts divine mystery moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does this mean for personal responsibility? - How can we respond to suffering without full knowledge? A Different Perspective Human reasoning may never fully grasp divine motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil and suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-and-suffering/) [Evil Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-suffering-262088/) [God Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-great/) [Moment God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-god-943850/) [Transcendent Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent-good-5706480/) [Transcendent Mad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent-mad-5706479/) ## Related quotes > [Just because we don't see a reason for evil and suffering doesn't mean there's not a reason for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/just-because-we-don-t-see-a-reason-for-evil-and-suffering-doesn-t/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“To judge God solely by the present world would be a tragic mistake. At one time, it may have been “the best of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/to-judge-god-solely-by-the-present-world-would-be-a-tragic-mistake-at/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [When God's children disobeyed their heavenly Father, they damaged everything. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the King of the universe, they broke the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/when-god-s-children-disobeyed-their-heavenly-father-they-damaged/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [The Biblical world-view is the only one that accepts the reality of evil and suffering while giving both the cause and the purpose, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-biblical-world-view-is-the-only-one-that-accepts-the-reality-of/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [The evil and suffering in this world are greater than any of us can comprehend. But evil and suffering are not ultimate. God is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-evil-and-suffering-in-this-world-are-greater-than-any-of-us-can/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Nevertheless, when it is your lot to have to endure something that is (or seems to you) worse than the ordinary lot of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/nevertheless-when-it-is-your-lot-to-have-to-endure-something-that-is/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. There was no greater suffering nor any greater innocence than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-greater-sin-than-to-hate-and-kill-the-son-of-god-there/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Evil is neither suffering nor sin; it is both at the same time, it is something common to them both. For they are linked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/evil-is-neither-suffering-nor-sin-it-is-both-at-the-same-time-it-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [God turns on its head one form of evil - suffering - in order to defeat another form of evil - that is, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/god-turns-on-its-head-one-form-of-evil-suffering-in-order-to-defeat/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [“Followers of Jesus stake their claim on the firm belief that God will one day heal the planet of pain and death. Until that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/followers-of-jesus-stake-their-claim-on-the-firm-belief-that-god-will/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [If Christianity is valid, why is there so much evil in the world?" To this the famous preacher replied, "With so much soap, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-christianity-is-valid-why-is-there-so-much-evil-in-the-world-to/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Does that not sound odd to you? When God decides who should live or die, he is immoral, When you decide who should live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/does-that-not-sound-odd-to-you-when-god-decides-who-should-live-or/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [God created the possibility of evil; people actualized that potentiality. The source of evil is not God's power but mankind's freedom. Even an all-powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-created-the-possibility-of-evil-people-actualized-that/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Why bad things happen to good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Evil and suffering quotes > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Why bad things happen to good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [God created the possibility of evil; people actualized that potentiality. The source of evil is not God's power but mankind's freedom. Even an all-powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-created-the-possibility-of-evil-people-actualized-that/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Does that not sound odd to you? When God decides who should live or die, he is immoral, When you decide who should live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/does-that-not-sound-odd-to-you-when-god-decides-who-should-live-or/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [If Christianity is valid, why is there so much evil in the world?" To this the famous preacher replied, "With so much soap, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-christianity-is-valid-why-is-there-so-much-evil-in-the-world-to/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“Followers of Jesus stake their claim on the firm belief that God will one day heal the planet of pain and death. Until that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/followers-of-jesus-stake-their-claim-on-the-firm-belief-that-god-will/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“There is no greater sin than to hate and kill the Son of God. There was no greater suffering nor any greater innocence than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-greater-sin-than-to-hate-and-kill-the-son-of-god-there/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Nevertheless, when it is your lot to have to endure something that is (or seems to you) worse than the ordinary lot of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/nevertheless-when-it-is-your-lot-to-have-to-endure-something-that-is/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The evil and suffering in this world are greater than any of us can comprehend. But evil and suffering are not ultimate. God is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-evil-and-suffering-in-this-world-are-greater-than-any-of-us-can/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Supposing you eliminated suffering, what a dreadful place the world would be! I would almost rather eliminate happiness. The world would be the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/supposing-you-eliminated-suffering-what-a-dreadful-place-the-world/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [I saw a young sister, just before this service; and I said to her, "When did you find the Lord?" She replied, "It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-saw-a-young-sister-just-before-this-service-and-i-said-to-her-when/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [A nominal Christian often discovers in suffering that his faith has been in his church, denomination, or family tradition, but not Christ. As he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-alcorn/a-nominal-christian-often-discovers-in-suffering-that-his-faith-has/) [Randy Alcorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-alcorn/) > [The Biblical world-view is the only one that accepts the reality of evil and suffering while giving both the cause and the purpose, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-biblical-world-view-is-the-only-one-that-accepts-the-reality-of/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [When God's children disobeyed their heavenly Father, they damaged everything. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the King of the universe, they broke the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/when-god-s-children-disobeyed-their-heavenly-father-they-damaged/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [“The name outlaw Christian describes the kind of Christian I am and the kind I’m setting myself free to become: namely, a follower of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-name-outlaw-christian-describes-the-kind-of-christian-i-am-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 22 Evil and suffering quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-and-suffering/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you have a God great and transcendent enough to be mad at because he hasn't stopped evil and suffering in the world, then you have (at the same moment) a God great and transcendent enough to have good reasons for allowing it to continue that you can't know. 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