The tsunami disaster led inevitably in the media and elsewhere to discussion about faith in God. Newspaper articles, editorials, TV and radio interviews, discussions, and pronouncements by church leaders have all said something to the general public. Sadly, these have not all, or even often, been based on biblical foundations. The great question seeking an answer seems to have been, "If God is all-powerful and all-loving how could He allow such a thing to happen?"

In the first place there must be sympathy for those who have suffered the loss of loved ones, and in many cases much more beside. What was tragic enough for holidaymakers has been even worse for those who lived and worked in the affected areas. How hard it has been too for those who could not be certain of what has happened to those who were classified as "missing". It is right that we should want to do what we can to provide help and comfort for those in such distress, and the response to such human need has been tremendous.

At the same time we cannot ignore questions directed towards us about God's part in all of this. It is vital that we do not shirk the issues or give misleading answers. People need to know that while God is all-powerful and He is love, there are other divine attributes we must take into account, and holiness is one we must never overlook.

We also have to remind people that the world in which we live is not the world as He created it. In the beginning He saw all that He had created and it was very good (Genesis 1). That is certainly not the case now, and the reason lies in the fall of man (Genesis 3). Far too many commentators ignore this completely both in and outside the churches. One recent expert in a BBC radio discussion, not on the tsunami issue, claimed that no one believed in Adam and Eve as literal human beings any more. Now he is at liberty to think that we're wrong, but he should register the fact that there are millions of Christians who do take Adam and Eve and the reality of the fall literally, and we believe that the subsequent history of man supports our conviction.

Moreover, we believe that man's sin has resulted in the whole creation being adversely affected and that all the troubles we encounter flow from the fall. That's why bad things happen and can touch any of us, whether we are categorised by our fellows as "good" or "bad". It explains the awful atrocity in Beslan, the oppression of refugees in Darfur, the terrorist activities in Iraq, and much more, including natural disasters of varying magnitude.Above all, it explains the universality of death itself. We may recognise the secondary causes discoverable by human intellect, but underlying it all, the Bible tells us, is the catastrophic effect of man's sin against God. There lies the human predicament.

Only when we realise this will we appreciate the answer to our predicament. We not only live in a fallen world. We are all fallen creatures ourselves, and our original relationship with God has been broken. Our only hope lies in the restoration of that relationship and we cannot bring this about. Only God could do it, and in His grace He has done it through our Lord Jesus Christ. Only by receiving Him can we become God's children. Without Him we are as lost as ever we were. This is the truth we have to make known, a truth that is obscured by the claim, often made, that we are all the children of God.

A disaster like that in South East Asia is a sharp reminder of the fragility of human life and our helplessness before forces far mightier than us. It can serve as a spur to recognise our need to be right with God, and so be ready to meet Him. The call to Christian compassion and love at this time is not only to deal with immediate and even longterm physical needs. It is a summons to make the Gospel known to those who are still in darkness, whether in the affluent West or in the recently devastated areas of the East. It is a summons to which Protestants should respond with vigour.

The evidence of God's love, together with all His other attributes, is to be found in the good news of redemption through a crucified Saviour and the lives of those transformed by faith in that Saviour.

Originally published in March - April 2005 issue of Protestant Truth.