Pain and Suffering: Three Points to Consider.
The Question to Ask in These Last, Insane Times:
When all seems lost and the world spins out of control, and the only good lurks in the darkness, I don’t ask:
What does this have to do me, with America, “Politics”, China, Russia, Ukraine, COVID, etc.
I ask, “What about God”?
Because, the Horizontal View of Life always distorts perspective.
And, it always distorts who God is…The world mocks God -
Why ask, “What about God”?
Because this is His universe. There is only one universe, and it is His dominion – He rules. Everything has to do with God – No exceptions.
Gen 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (It’s all His – every calendar event, every dark spot under every rock, behind every shadow…there God reigns)
God reigns in every second of every moment, over every square inch of His creation…Everywhere and forever throughout all eternity.
Neh 9:6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.
Ps 139
Job questions God, then God asks Job…
Job 38.4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,”
Isa 43.13 “Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”
Rom 11.36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Eph 1.9-12
9 For he has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.
Col 1.17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Heb 1.3 - And He (Christ) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
Everything points to this reason:
For the praise of His glory
“BUT”, one may ask, “Why all the chaos, pain, suffering, loss, agony, darkness, and evil in ‘His’ universe, if God is really in charge?”
What does this have to do with His glory?
Is He not on His Watch? Is He negligent?
It just doesn’t seem like God is really center stage in all that is going on.
Why isn’t He doing anything? Why isn’t He stopping all this insanity?
Philosopher Alvin Plantinga (early 1900's) called the problem of suffering “the only good objection to God”.
The often-quoted argument goes:
“If God is all good (all benevolent) then God has the desire to end suffering, and if God is all-powerful (omnipotent) then God has the ability to end suffering. Therefore, if God does not end suffering, then God is either not all good, or is not all-powerful, and is therefore not God”.
Epicurus' trilemma (300's BC)
If God is unable to prevent evil, then he is not all-powerful.
If God is not willing to prevent evil, then he is not all-good.
If God can’t be God, if He can’t be trusted…
then there is no point in asking our Question, “What does this have to do with God”?
He can’t do anything about it! or
He doesn’t want to do anything about it! or
There is just no God!
Let’s try to resolve this issue with three points…
POINT 1. “THE DO-OVER” PROPOSITION
If this world as it exists right now, were not the best that it could be – the most perfect design of history and events that ever could be – even down to the specific and particular events, traumas, losses and sufferings that I have or now do personally face due to this world in which I am living… then God would have started over.
“He could have started over a thousand times until He got it right and no one would have known, not even the angels.”
“What’s wrong with that statement?”
If God would ever have to start over to get it right, He wouldn’t be God.
We'd be stuck in this world with a God who is not able to do anything about this world, or
A God who doesn’t care about this world, or
A God who just can’t seem to get it right.
Or worse, we are stuck in some world where this idea of God was all a hoax, and we have no Transcendent reason for living.
NO reason outside ourselves for living.
Just do the best you can with what you have and hope in whatever gives you relief or advantage, whether good or bad, vice or not.
“Have faith” in whatever you can find and manage and manipulate your circumstances… may the strongest, most resilient win.
Again, if the way we see and experience everything now was not precisely as God ordains it, then there is no God, and everything is by chance and by manipulation of the strongest, loudest voices. The Mightiest wins. We lose.
BUT THIS IS NOT WHO OUR GOD IS!!
So it is, the day in which we start new every morning is precisely ordained for us as it is from the transcendent, yet immanent, omnipotent, sovereign, providential,
loving hand of our Father.
God is Sovereign – He has the absolute right to do all things according to His own good pleasure.
“To the praise of His glory”
God’s Providence – HOW He goes about in our lives to bring about
“The praise of His glory”
God is Sovereign – He is not arrogant.
He is God.
He isn’t “running for God”. (VB)
I am forced to look to God and ask,
“What is He up to?”
“To what end is God DOING this?”
I did not say “To what end is God permitting this?” He is the active Agent in all things.
And, because He is God, He doesn’t owe me an answer.
But He does give me answers … enough.
Before we go to Point 2… There is one more little consideration we might add to the first point.
If I think that God could have done better than what I see taking place in this world, what am I really saying?
“If I were GOD, I would not have done it this way”. Is this not the real problem? Satan offered this to Adam and Eve long ago – “You can be like God”.
Point 2. “THE ROOT-OUT” PROPOSITION
One may ask,
“Why doesn’t God just root out evil?”
Why doesn’t He just get rid of all the bad stuff?
Why is He content to let evil seem to breed?
Why does it seem He is losing, and they are winning?
If God were to root out evil, then there would be no one left. And we are the product of sin. I am a product of sin. I was conceived out of wedlock. I would never have existed.
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” (Romans 3.10-12)
Ps 14.1-3; Isa 53.1-3
In the big picture, if Adam and Even had never sinned, would you be here today?
Would you even exist? Would you have ever been born?
Would there be any hope of glory for you?
Why bemoan or travail over our condition when we have Christ, our Savior now and in glory to come?
We stand on Solid Rock now, and Eternity is just ahead.
Our only question to ask at this point is…
Would you rather have never been born?
Would you rather to have never existed?
Or….
Would you rather be alone in a universe that makes itself up every minute?
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Those who reject God always seem to blame Him in Whom they do not believe.
It is a normal thing in the heart of man to blame God when something goes wrong, that is why it was so remarkable for God to note that Job did not blame God at his loss:
Job 1.22
Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
Proverbs 19.3
The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the Lord
Rom 1.28-32
…they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer…haters of God…although they know the ordinance of God…
Reminded of the hymn: It Will Be Worth It All
Sometimes the day seems long, Our trials hard to bear.
When we are tempted to complain, to murmur and despair.
But Christ will soon appear to catch his bride away!
All tears forever over in God's eternal day!
At times the sky seems dark, with not a ray of light;
We're tossed and driven on, no human help in sight.
But there is One in heaven, Who knows our deepest care;
Let Jesus solve your problems, just go to him in prayer.
Life's day will soon be o're, all storms forever past;
We'll cross the great divide to Glory, safe at last!
We'll share the joys of heaven: a new heart, a home, a crown;
The tempter will be banished, We'll lay our burdens down.
CHORUS:
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus!
Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrow will erase.
So, bravely run the race till we see Christ.
Point 3. “THE BACK-DROP” PROPOSITION
Why even consider the thought that God would ordain or permit evil? Or why does God let what seems to be horrible, traumatic things happen to me and to the ones I love? Why has this befallen me?
Why do the long stretches of my thoughts go to the worst of fears? Why do I feed on anxiety and expect the foulest of outcomes?
When we try to answer these questions, we certainly do not need to “protect” the reputation of God. We tend to want to make God untouchable or separate from “evil” in the world and the horrific events in our lives.
We don’t want Him to be blamed for evil and sorrow in this world; and, frankly, I believe we are more concerned about our reputation than God’s. We don’t want to face the ridicule and embarrassment of attaching ourselves to a God who seems to make bad things happen to “innocent” people.
(Just for clarification…There are no innocent people {Rom 3.10-12} and God never does “bad” things. Everything that God does is wholly good. The “bad” things to which I refer only refers to how the world sees what happens {Horizontal View}. They neither know, nor care about God; but quickly blame Him for “bad” things that happen. Again, They so quickly blame a God in whom they do not believe.)
It may be that our faith is so little, and our thoughts of God are so small.
Rather, let God be God,
He reigns. Put Him out in front of everything that happens. He alone has the answers for the unanswerable. Let the Lion loose. God has never been and will never be reluctant to stand on center stage. This world is His stage. (Deut 32.39)
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”
(Deut 32.39)
This is God.
When God is most glorified, I am most satisfied.
Know that God is not all about just this life. He is not committed to providing an easy life for us in this flesh, "Our best life now".
He is so into communion with us that He ordains moments and epics in our lives that endears us to Him, reveals the greatness of so many of His attributes and causes us to walk securely by faith, not by sight.
Were we to walk this life in ease, we would always walk in fear of loss, fear of change and fear of death.
Life is too short to not be measured in view of eternity and God has better things in mind for us than we can imagine beyond this brief life.
THERE IS MUCH MORE TO LIVING THAN STAYING ALIVE IN THE BODY!
Paul says, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (2 COR 5.6-8)
God is not just about this life; this life is but a mist and eternity is our aim.
When Life is God-centered, not Man-centered, then Life makes sense.
The Vertical/Transcendent View of Life always Orders perspective
IT IS GOD-CENTERED
The Horizontal View of Life always distorts perspective
IT IS MAN-CENTERED
I can come to a point in my life, as did Job, and say,
“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless, I will argue my ways before Him. (Job 15.15)
He has all the answers I need.
We undergo hardship, suffering and trials, among other reasons, to experience God’s person and presence in such a way that we could never know in eternity!
We see Him best when the Back-Drop is at it’s darkest – His fullest glory is highlighted and on display.
Things don’t have to always be at their worst, but God is best seen when they are.
EACH OF THE GEMS IN THIS GLORIOUS DISPLAY ILLUMINATES MANY OF HIS INDIVIDUAL ATTRIBUTES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE HIDDEN WERE IT NOT FOR THE DARK BACK DROP.
This is for the praise of His glory.
This is not “Divine Egotism”.
It is the way God gives us more of Himself.
Every gem of His divine attributes are ours – Given to us in His Love…but we must see them first…and, Generally, they are better seen for eternity’s sake on the backdrop of our worst days.
This is an Active view of God’s involvement. He must be in everything. He must be out-front and, in the middle, and at the end of all things or we are left alone at the worst of times. He is God when we need God the most.
Ps 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations.
Ps 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all.
Going through trials while in fellowship with God is more like striding through life in the eye of a hurricane.
Sure, there is a storm all around us, but even though, the grace of God buffers and shields our hearts and minds from the terrors associated with the appearance of calamity.
When I look back at those dark times in my life, what do I see?
In Chaos there was calm.
In peril there was peace.
In danger there was direction.
And in death there is life.
ADDENDUM IN SIMPLE DOC FORMAT
(WAYNE GRUDEM CONTRIBUTOR)
Life is too short to not be measured in view of eternity and God has better things in mind for us than we can imagine beyond this brief life.
THERE IS MUCH MORE TO LIVING THAN STAYING ALIVE!
Yes, God is not just about this life, except for that movement of the Holy Spirit on man’s heart … from dead in sin to alive in Christ, this life is but a mist and eternity is where we are aiming. (John 5.24; Rom 5.9; Col 1.13)
After the born-again event, we abide in Christ, filled with the HS, we undergo hardship and trials, among other reasons, to experience God’s person and presence in such a way that we could never know in eternity!
Perhaps, if we were saved and immediately taken to heaven, we’d never know so many attributes of God that are only known through trials – much of God’s nature and attributes would be hidden from us or unexperienced by us for eternity – unknown forever: the depths of His love, His mercies, and His grace…never experienced – they are only known and sung by others in eternity who have suffered in this life.
Heaven is not going to be the place to know, see and experience all the attributes of God that we would have known in this evil world. In eternity, we would only know a glimpse of God were it not for him exposing the great breadth and depth of His person through the evils of this present world because there would be no evil in heaven nor occasion to give us that fuller experience of God.
Going through trials while in fellowship with God is more like striding through life in the eye of a hurricane. Sure, there is a storm all around us, but even though, the grace of God buffers and shields our hearts and minds from the terrors associated with the appearance of calamity. In Chaos is calm. In peril there is peace. In danger there is direction. And in death there is life.
Hard, impossible times are only recognized by those who are observing the perimeter of the storm. Only “they” will think that you are suffering. Only from their perspective would they consider that hard times have befallen you. And, when we look back over the saga of our lives, we will remember God more than we remember the trials.
1. Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.
Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.
2. Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.
3. Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully, all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.
Summary of the previous Three points:
1. If this world as it is were not exactly the way God ordains it, then He could have started over; but, since He is God, He would not have started over. He is simply God.
2. If God were to root out all evil, then He would root me out – and you, too.
3. There are so many things about God we would never experience in heaven were it not for our communion with Him in this life through suffering and trials.
John Calvin:
“‘For it would not be done if he did not permit it; yet he does not unwillingly permit it, but willingly; nor would he, being good, allow evil to be done, unless being also almighty he could make good even out of evil.’” —John Calvin, Institutes 1.18.3, quoting Augustine.
What does the Bible Say?
The Bible gives the most helpful and satisfying answer to the presence of evil in the world and God’s involvement and interplay of evil and the world. God is not hidden in this evil world.
God uses evil ultimately for His good purposes
God is continually involved with all created things He keeps them existing and maintains the properties with which He created them – wood is still wood and doesn’t melt into goo.
And water is still water and doesn’t turn into sand when I swallow it.
God made wood and water to continue to act this way so that I can depend on it – as we can His nature. He is continually, presently acting upon all creation to keep all things sustained in the same state of properties as He created them. Preservation.
Col 1.17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
Heb 1.3 – And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
He keeps Grass to keep growing as grass, and Clouds to keep their moisture.
This is Not deism, pantheism, chance, fatalism – It is His power and providence.
Just as God exists in the eons of eternity past and eternity future, He is also present in the micro aspects of every molecule in His creation. HE is in the microsecond, millisecond, the nanosecond, the picosecond, the femtosecond, and even the yoctosecond.
Eph 1.11 In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will. This is an Active view of God’s involvement. He must be in everything. He must be out-front and in the middle and at the end of all things or we are left alone at the worst of times. He is God when we need God the most.
Ps 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S, And He rules over the nations.
Ps 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all.
Ps 139:16 Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Thy book they were all written, The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
You might hear, “Add 10 years to your life…take this supplement…” or, “stop smoking and you’ll live longer”, “Don’t be so reckless, you’ll kill yourself…”…
I cannot add one day to my life nor can I short myself of one day. This Does not cause fatalism or recklessness. It causes peace and rest. I am invulnerable until God calls me home. There is an altogether difference between dying and being called home; finished with life and finishing the race; life’s focus ought to be on how much one lives instead of how longone lives.
And, on the other Hand, at the same time…Even though He rules…
What I do does matter, though. I count, I matter to Him. My input matters.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
He takes No delight in the death of the wicked…He wants them to turn…
Eze 18:23 “Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord GOD, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
There is a Reality of our choices, and it includes the providences of God in SOME Mysterious WAY.
Our freedom and His providence are strangely linked.
De 7:7 “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
Joh 6:70* Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”
Remember Joseph:
Gen 50.20 “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
(Sometimes, we can never get through the “evil against me” part to ever see the “God meant it for good” part. We live in such a desperate age of immediate gratification, absolute resolution, and clarity, and spiteful, “dagger-like” retorts. The Twitter/X-age has chopped us into tiny pieces of kilo bite thinking and no endurance for the long view of life. We are bent to wanting “closure” on everything. And, there is very little difference in living for “closure” and living by sight. Should we live by faith, as the Just do, then we will see “the God Who meant it for good.”)
He turns Evil deeds into good. Did God send Joseph into slavery? Or was it the evil brothers that sent him into slavery? This Moves us to a new level of trust – there are no pockets of chaos in God’s universe.
AND, then there is Pharaoh…
Pharaohs heart is hardened by God and Pharaoh hardened it himself…
Jacob and Esau – He loved one and hated the other.
Rom 9.10-19 – to show mercy or to harden – it’s a hidden secret behind the curtain
In any death of a loved one – our first thought should be…
– “Lord, you took her/him” not, “A drunk driver killed her”.
In tragedy or trauma to oneself or a loved one – our thought should be…
“Lord, you permitted this into my life” not, “Why do these bad things keep happening to me?!”
Speaking of Egypt…Ps 105.25 He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
Speaking of the inhabitants of the Land…Josh 11.20 For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be utterly destroyed, and should receive no mercy but be exterminated, as the LORD commanded Moses.
These references to God’s acts in the hearts and ways of mankind .. It’s just there in Scripture – and we don’t attribute evil to God – there is mystery
Yet we cannot “hide” God from things that look bad in this world, we don’t need to protect Him from the criticism of the world. This is His world! Let the Lion loose. Put God out there, in front where He belongs.
AND, there was Job…
Job 1 – death of 7 sons and 3 daughters and then Job worships God in the midst of unbelievable tragedy.
v20-21 Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell upon the ground, and worshiped.
And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Even in this trial he still has faith in God.
Not: “God isn’t good”, “there must not be a God” rather, blessed be the name of the LORD
The Providence of GOD is the BEST answer to all tragedy – it’s hard but good.
Tell the truth about God and put Him on stage and shine the spotlight as bright as it can be right at Him, put Him centerstage – otherwise, if He is not right in the middle of it during the event – chaos exists, calamity reigns and after the dust settles there is hopelessness, purposelessness, chance and despair.
See how God is centerstage during calamity in these following verses:
Amos 3.6
If a trumpet is blown in a city will not the people tremble? If a calamity occurs in a city has not the LORD done it?
Isa 45.7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these.
Lam 3.37-38 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth?
2 Thess 2.11-12 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
1 Pet 2.8 and ‘‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
“Yikes”. How do we handle these verses? It’s just there. It’s a mystery.
Yet, The Bible never shows God as the willing doer of evil but the God Who ordains through the evil deeds of the willing actions of men doing evil…He ordained pharaoh oppressing his people. Let God worry about how He does what He does. Make no excuses for your Creator, the Almighty. Who are you?
The Bible never blames God for evil (like Job’s wife did, “curse god and die”)
The Bible Never shows God as taking pleasure in evil, rather, He grieves over our pain
YET, Scripture never excuses mankind in the wrong that they do
Rom 8.28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
He uses evil for His glory and for our good but never does evil nor is blamed for evil.
This is the strangeness of the mingling of God and man:
Jesus said: Lu 22:22 “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
Just as you reach for that satisfying answer, “POOF”, it’s gone. My best answers may dissipate, but behind the mist stands a God unmovable.
Matt 18.7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!
“Here comes the answer….and, there it goes”.
God has ordained that evil deeds come about, but the blame is on those who willingly choose to do evil
Jas 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
God does not do evil, nor does he tempt anyone to evil…if you’re tempted and give in it’s your thought, not His.
YET, He Ordains and plans that evil will come about but not through His work but through the evil deeds of willing demons and men who chooses evil. God did not make them do it.
Man is to blame:
Isa 66.3-4…As they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, So I will choose their punishments, And I will bring on them what they dread. Because I called, but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight, And chose that in which I did not delight.”
People think about what they are going to do and then they chose it.
Eccl 7.29 “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices/schemes.”
One might ask:
If God ordained or planned it then how can he hold us responsible? Paul asks that question himself:
Rom 9.19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
Then read vs 20-24
“On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”
Rom 9… v.19 Paul does not give us a 3-hour philosophical answer…when we start asking that question, then we have come to the boundary of our understanding and will not get an answer. He is God and this is what the Bible says.
Rest in what the Bible says. And stop trying to apologize to mankind for what circumstances and events have befallen them. All their doubts and questions have been answered sufficiently in the Bible. And behind the Bible lives God the Holy Spirit Who takes His world and delivers it perfectly into the palm of their hand…should they so stop shaking their fists and extend their fingers toward Him.
Evil, pain and suffering are real, not an illusion – to do evil will always cause harm – 100% of the Bible is against us doing evil (Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil)
And we Need wisdom to discern what is evil and what is not.
James 5.19-20 we are to go to a brother and bring him back from sin
1 Pet 2.11 abstain from sin
Rom 6.1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
– why not do evil that grace may come? Don’t slander the gospel.
God ordains evil, but we must not think that we can do evil by rationalizing good from it– there are some things God can do that we cannot do… and it is not the same thing.
A wise parent can use a very sharp knife but won’t let his children touch the knife.
We are never to do evil… God will use evil to bring about His goodness, but we are never allowed to do that.
Never minimize evil that people suffer – we CAN call it evil and we can trust that God will bring about His glory in it and our good ultimately – but we do look at the thing in itself as evil…and sometimes it will take a “God’s Eye View” to worship Him through it… as did Job.
We do not understand how God can ordain evil but not be blamed for it – we just don’t understand.
Then, are we free?
We are never outside God’s control. His jurisdiction spans every inch of the universe and beyond that.
There is an old illustration that seems to fit pretty well with the distinction between God’s will and our free choice, and it goes something like this:
“A cruise ship leaves a port on one side of the Atlantic and sails to a specific port on the other side of the Atlantic. The ship is piloted by a Captain in charge and it navigates precisely on the exact course that the Captain has plotted. He is actively engaged and keeping the ship on course and it will arrive at the other port on time. The Captain may elect to pilot through a storm and the rough seas ahead or He may navigate around the storm; either way, He is the Captain. However, as the cruise ship sails, there are hundreds and hundreds of passengers who do as they’d like. Some sleep, some watch movies, some eat whenever they want, some play games and even swim in the pool on the deck. The Captain may close the pool, close the dining hall, or change the hours of both. He may select the live shows that are at choice for the passengers to attend. The Captain may change the hours of available electricity or utilities to various parts of the ship. And yet in all the directed choices that the passengers choose, they are going where the Captain sails the ship. They will go where the captain takes them. And, in all of this, even in their freedom to do as they’d like, the Captain is still the Captain.”
However, we are free in the sense that we can make real choices that make real effect and consequences in one’s life, and in the lives of those with whom we have to do.
I must be led by the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His word in my decisions and not be the one through whom evil comes to another.
Ps 103.19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all.
Dan 4.35 “And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What hast Thou done?’
Ro 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
One more time…
Was it the evil brothers of Joseph that brought him into slavery or was it ordained by God?
Perhaps it is for this reason that God turns evil into good and uses evil men to bring about His plan… that Every knee shall bow…
Ro 14:11 For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”
Php 2:10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth,
**Read Rom 8.28 with v29 - His purpose is to conform us into the image of His Son… and sometimes that may take hardship …. and it may be that “the conforming into the image of His Son” is that for which is the good purpose these things are caused.
One may not see the “good things” on the outside, but others may see the “good” that these things have brought about in you – a conformity to Christ.
The most crucial example of evil being used for good in the whole Bible is the crucifixion of Christ.
Acts 2.23 this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
Eph 1.4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
There is no such thing as luck or chance.
Nothing in me merited any good will from God for my salvation. Nor in My daily salvation and living do I merit His good will – everything flows from the kind intention of His will. Nothing about me caught His eye. For this same reason, nothing ill in my daily living will ever cause His good will toward me to change or end. Couldn’t be good enough to earn favor…can’t be bad enough to lose His favor.
Further….
How do we know how and when God answers our prayers? Sometimes we will not know in this life.
(A godly man had prayed all of his life for the salvation of his daughter. He died at about 89 years old… upon his death, his daughter, in her 60’s now, came to Christ…He never knew on earth… but God answered His prayers)
The answers to our prayers may not come at the ceasing of a particular trial, but rather, at the strength and grace we encounter through that trial. Perhaps even, when we no longer see it as a threat to us, but more as a means by which I may gain Christ…when it is no longer my focus to be rid of the suffering. but rather something to embrace. It is my shortcut to God Himself.
God ordained that evil would come about through the willing choice of satan who was a created being and then through other demons who followed him and then through the temptation of Adam and Eve who followed him.
Evil could NOT have come into the world in spite of God not wanting it to happen and He being helpless to stop it – as though He was trying to resist it but it was beyond His control… should that be the case, then He is not God.
After all, He planned before the foundations of the world to send Jesus as the Redeemer for fallen man before there was one human being and before one sin.
He ordained and planned that there would be sin – It is a mystery.
And, if for some reason you are worried about protecting the reputation of God … you can at least see that this protects the goodness of God – He brings disturbing and eventful drama about not from His own fingers, but through the choices of willing, moral creatures, e.g., angels, demons, human beings.
The view of God’s sovereignty brings comfort in the difficulties of life and gives me peace about the future of our country, my family, my children and their children. God is in control and will bring good for His people.
God “causes” (ordains/plans through the willing choices of individuals – Shakespeare and Macbeth – in the same way that clouds, moisture, temperature, and wind causes rain to fall, but God causes rain to fall) all things that happen.
Trust in God that He is good and that he will do good for his people and on the last day we will all look back and see that all was “fair”, “just” and perfectly equitable. At that day, the name of Jesus will be proclaimed, and every knee will bow, and all mouths will stop and confess the He is fair, just, good and wise.
Review:
Never does the Bible tell us that God does evil but rather ordains that evil that comes about through the willing action of moral individuals.
He does not do the evil directly. Satan, demons, josephs brothers, pharaoh, Egyptians, Canaanites, those who crucified Jesus do the evil and in all this, it shows his glory in the universe in the judgment of evil and His goodness that prevails.
God is removed from doing evil-
Rom 9 – who can resist his will… an Arminian would have said that God had to make people so that they could choose evil or else the choices wouldn’t have been real.
We don’t do a little wrong to bring about a greater good.
“Being Free” does not mean outside of God’s control (which people think that that is what freedom means) we make free choices that really bring huge effect and consequences, but we can never blame God for my wrong or sinful choices.
As a side note…True freedom is not the right to do what we want. True freedom is the ability to do what we ought. This is the peace and rest that the Christian has found in Christ. The struggle against God has ceased and the arguments of the soul to resist God has ended. There is now true passion to follow the Living Christ.
Our actions do change the course of events, and so does prayer change the course of events-because the Bible says so. We must ask and we must act.
Notice when Paul was facing opposition –
Acts 18.9-10
And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man shall attack you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
God had many people, not yet saved, but, yet to be saved (the elect) because God works through means. He used Paul. Paul didn’t just leave since God had already chosen them.
2 Tim 2.10 (All this being beaten, shipwrecked, being stoned, being imprisoned) For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with-it eternal glory.
God uses means – He uses you and me.
One might say, “Sure, Paul was exceptional – the main squeeze, the point man, the atomic pulpiteer – he had seen Christ personally and was directly and visibly appointed by Christ to the gentile world to bring them to Christ. He was special.”
And, then one may say, “Look at me, I can’t even trace where my woes begin. I’ve got way too many problems and I can’t get over any of them. I can’t be of any use to God…I’m riddled with ‘issues’. I am undone with consequences that sweep me away.
The truth is that there is no glitter on anyone of us that catches God’s eye when He surveys this earth. No one is worthy to catch His glance. YET, you and I are all He has elected to have. We were all dead in our sins but made alive together in Christ BECAUSE of the purpose of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ. All required is that we do our best and to God leave the rest.
We don’t fret if we can’t figure it all out.
Don’t be afraid but commit our way to God and He will bring it to pass. I must act and be responsible because it brings results, but I must be at peace about the outcome.
And, at the same time of all these horrific world events, terrorism, our country, our children – Matt 10.29f “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. “Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many.”
How often and how many times a day do you worry about the Sparrows.…God does, and this is detailed providential events of birds!! Overseeing guiding and directing – hairs on the head are numbered – yet we are of greatest value.
Ps 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O LORD, dost make me to dwell in safety.
1 Pet 1.6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
We May not see the reason or outcome of our hardship until the revelation of Jesus Christ, whenever that may be. – whenever he returns. We may not see the whole of it in this life – maybe not until the entire consummation of all time…
We endure trials so that genuineness and quality of character and faith is strengthened. He is pleased.
God sees it and stores it in His book…
Trust God.
Not only are we to trust God in the hard times as we consider His providence… His
Providence also causes us to thank Him when good things come into our life instead of just saying, “that stuff just happens” … or, “it would have happened anyway” – that’s just the way things go – karma.
No such thing as good luck or chance – no superstition, horoscope, doing tit for tat
All that is an echo of the world. It is a pagan worldview. Get that straight.
Rather…
“He Works all things according to the counsel of His will”
A Tale of Old
about a farmer and his horse
One day the farmer’s horse runs away.
And his neighbor comes over and says, to commiserate, “Bad luck about your horse, so sorry”.
And the farmer says, “What do I know about luck?”
The neighbor is confused because this is clearly terrible. The horse is the most valuable thing he owns.
But the horse comes back the next day and he brings with him 12 feral horses.
The neighbor comes back over to celebrate, “Congratulations on your great fortune! That was good luck!”
And the farmer replies again: “What do I know about luck?”
And the next day the farmer’s son is taming one of the wild horses and he’s thrown and breaks his leg.
The neighbor comes back over, “I’m so sorry about your son, such bad luck.”
The farmer repeats: “What do I know about luck?”
Sure enough, the next day the army comes through their village and is forcing able-bodied young men to go and fight in war, but the son is spared because of his broken leg.
The neighbor comes back over, “Good luck about your son’s broken leg.”
The farmer repeats: “What do I know about these things?”
This story has its origin in the “yin-yang” Chinese philosophy…no one really knows what is good or bad, eventually it will all work out in harmony. But many Christian philosophers have used this story to display the providence of God and how He uses one thing after the next in our lives to bring about another outcome that may truly be unexpected by the first.
When we wonder why some event seems to be wrong, unfair, evil or seemingly for nothing but suffering – Just wait – we are seeing only a snapshot moment of a God who has painted our history and will paint our future. There may seem to be “chaos” at a moment’s glance, but wait, God is still painting the canvas and it will unfold as the next day dawns.
We are created for far more than what this world can offer!
Philip 3.12-14
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Stand strong and having done all, stand!
Rom 5.1-5
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Acts 14.22
“…encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Philip 4.11-12
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
2 Tim 1.8-12
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. For this reason, I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
Be strong and in the power of His might. One day we shall be before the throne of the One Who carried us through…
Finally Home
When engulfed by the terror of the tempestuous sea,
Unknown waves before you roll;
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,
Though fear and conflict seize your soul.
But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God’s!
Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!
When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
O how lonely death can be;
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light,
For death is swallowed up in victory!
But just think of stepping on shore-And finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-And finding it God’s!
Of breathing new air-And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-And finding it home!
(Finding it Home by Don Wyrtzen)
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