If God is All-powerful Why is there Suffering? – Pondering one of the big questions

God is all powerful, and yet some Christians get sick and die. Skeptics ask, If that is true, why does he allow bad things to happen—even to believers. Let me make some general comments about this question.

Firstly, we live in a chaotic, fallen world. God did not initiate the evil that pervades our world. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James. 1:13). Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Their choice ushered the consequences of their rebellion into the world. Their choice has infected all their posterity. This inherited depravity is the root of suffering and evil which has spread throughout the world. Facing suffering is an inevitable result of living in this fallen, rebellious world.

Secondly, God overrules evil for the good of his children. Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and betrayed by Potiphar’s wife, explained God’s overruling of the evil he had suffered by saying; “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20). Paul explains in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Although bad things happen, God overrules them for the furtherance of his good purposes, of which one is to bless those who love God.

Thirdly, although mankind is fallen, the salvation of men and women out of that evil chaos, through the working of his grace in Jesus Christ will powerfully manifest God’s glory—the glory of his love and mercy. As the moon shines brightest in the night sky, so God’s grace shines forth in stunning brilliance set against the darkness of human depravity.

Fourthly, having faith in God is foundational to dealing with questions such as this. The Scriptures urge us to learn to trust God. “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6) And without faith it is also impossible to live joyfully in a chaotic world. Lord, help us to walk by faith. Without learning to trust in the revealed character of God, we will never find stability and confidence, nor be able to deal with suffering. “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” ( Gen 18:25) Can we trust his character?

Fifthly, we must accept mystery and our own limitations. The ways of God are beyond our understanding. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33). Understanding the interplay of the myriad factors that combine to form God’s inscrutable will is beyond us. Moses laid down an important principle in Deut. 29:29. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” Some things are secret. Only God understands them. The greatest mystery of all is God and how he operates. Let’s take what he has revealed about how we should live and so act. In the doing we often discover a measure of understanding. Why do we demand to know everything about how God works? Such a demand is not only arrogant but unrealistic. The complete answer to earth’s mysteries is our comprehension.

Sixthly, we need to realize that no one has a more satisfactory answer than the Christian. Most who pose this question use it as an excuse to avoid grappling with the Gospel or are dealing with grief over the suffering in a spouse or friend. Wherever we search, whether in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam or Shintoism or among atheists, we will not find a more satisfactory answer to this question. Wouldn’t you rather trust the compassionate God who sent his Son into the heart of suffering to enable us to overcome misery and hopelessness to live victorious lives in a chaotic world?

The almighty God calls us to bring our concerns to him. He has not called us to live with doubts and fears, even in the most challenging circumstances. We can find help from him. But first, we need to ensure that we have an intimate connection with this Almighty God, who can be our heavenly Father through faith in Jesus Christ. Let us make sure that we have gone to Christ for salvation, confessing our sins and trusting in the penalty he paid for them upon the cross. Then let us walk in biblical truth, rejecting the lies of our culture that seduces us into believing that there is no help in the Christian faith, urging us instead to believe in ourselves. Instead, let us “Make the Most High your dwelling” (91:9). He alone is infinite, eternal, all powerful in his wisdom love and grace.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

Celebrating the Attributes of God – Essential Beliefs

At a time when professing Christians are fuzzy about their beliefs, we need to re-affirm what must be believed by all who claim to be Christians. God exists. He has revealed himself as recorded in the infallible Word of God and in Christ, the incarnate Word, the Son of God. As Christians we affirm that God is a spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. Let me continue with these mediations.

THE JUSTICE OF GOD

Like others we lament the injustice we see all around us in the world. But Asaph, the author of the 73th Psalm, after crying out to God about the prosperity of the unjust, realizes that he missed the first step in dealing with injustice. The place to start is with our own hearts.

He cried, “when my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant” (Ps. 73:21,22). He realized that he had failed to keep his heart pure and free from bitterness, anger, and self-righteousness. Jesus taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…the pure in heart.” Instead of being self-righteous we need to realize that “there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20, KJV). That includes us.

After confessing his bitterness, Asaph remembered more of what he had forgotten. Although a victim of injustice, he forgot that “I am always with you: you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you…God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps 73:23-26). The only way to live in an unjust world is to walk daily in fellowship with God. And to remember that if we have found mercy at the cross, Jesus walks with us and will never leave us.

If we are to walk with God, we must also understand God’s treatment of the unjust. We must remember that justice delayed is not justice denied. Delay reveals the weeping heart of God who longs to hear the repentance of the wicked in order to offer them mercy. This was Jonah’s complaint with God. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh of offer mercy so he fled. But when he did preach in Nineveh and they repented, Jonah was angry. Why? He wanted Nineveh destroyed. He complained to God, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2).

Clearly, like Jonah, we need a heart change toward the unsaved even those especially unjust. Old Testament history tells us that every wicked people from the Canaanites through Assyria, Babylon, Rome, Greece and Medo-Persia were judged by God—in their time. In Romans 2:4-6 Paul warns people not to ignore or despise God’s patient kindness and tolerance towards those who do evil. Sigh. So many of our problems with life are due to our impatience. (Jan 13, 23)

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

We enjoy things that are good and usually avoid what is bad. Depending upon your preferences, what you view as really good might be a luscious, ripe peach, a perfectly blended coffee, or a tantalizing steak. We might enjoy the beauty of an amaryllis or a stroll along a sand beach. Where do all these good things come from? From God.

God has been doing good since he created the universe. In fact, he said of his creation, “It was good.” In our studies on essential beliefs, we come to a consideration of God’s essential goodness, a very rich attribute. His goodness includes his love, mercy, longsuffering, and faithfulness. First consider the perfection of his character that moves him to deal bountifully with all his creatures.

David writes, “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made…The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time” (Psalm 145:9,15). Jesus explains that God’s goodness is poured on the whole world, irrespective of men’s goodness or evil. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45). Paul explained to the idolatrous men of Lystra who worshipped Zeus and Hermes, that it was the living God “who has shown you kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he fills your hearts with joy” (Acts. 14:17).

The God we worship has been good to the earth in making us stewards of rich ecosystems where we can flourish. We can savour diverse fruits and vegetables, enjoy beautiful flowers and plants, rest beside sparkling rivers, lakes, and oceans, and marvel at the diversity of creatures in the air, on the land, and in the sea. We can discover amazing natural medicines and utilize a multiplicity of natural elements.

We cannot deny that mankind has not treated these ecosystems with the care they deserve. And yet, God continues to deal bountifully with mankind. Why? Because he is good. Lord, help us to daily give thanks for your abundant goodness knowing that “every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.”

THE MERCY OF GOD

David Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 2007 to 2014, died this recently. At age 3 he contracted polio and throughout his life struggled with accessibility challenges, a cause he promoted. His obituary states that the life he and his wife Ruth Ann built together for their family was a testament to their faith in God and love for one another in spite of all challenges. It was appropriate that he, as a Christian, championed the cause of those often forgotten. Christians have been and should always be at the forefront of those showing compassion and mercy.

In our meditations on the goodness of God, we note that throughout the Scriptures, God spoke of his compassion for orphans, widows, and all those who were poor or oppressed. “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor’” (Zechariah 7:9,10).

God’s mercy is his goodness and love, his pity and compassion expressed to those who are in misery or distress irrespective of what they deserve. The fall in the Garden of Eden introduced chaos into the world and especially into human society. As a result, many fall victim to the consequences of those who act contrary to the ten principles (ten commandments) that define human flourishing. We need but look around us in the world to see the catastrophic effects of evil on people without number.

From the very initiation of the church, Christians have been at the forefront of demonstrating mercy. Read the Gospels and note how Christ demonstrated mercy. Read Acts 6 and note the distribution of food to widows in the early church. Read of Paul’s collection for the relief of the famine-afflicted in Palestine. It has continued thus through the ages from the care of plague victims, the founding of hospitals, the teaching of literacy, the establishment of schools, colleges and universities, the founding of the hospice movement, rescue missions in our cities, and other examples too numerous to mention.

The Western Church gets a lot of flack, and there are many causes for concern. But it isn’t condemned when it shows mercy. Lord, help us to be merciful. “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

THE LONG SUFFERING OF GOD

Good parents look back over their child-rearing years and wonder why they didn’t have more patience with the minor faults of their children. Sure, they wanted them to grow up perfect. But in most cases, they now view them with pride. They turned out well.

We may look back over the way our heavenly Father has been patient with us. Haven’t we often disappointed him? Haven’t we often made the same mistakes, committed the same sins again and again? God shows his love for us in being longsuffering.

Longsuffering is a facet of God’s goodness in which he shows patience and forbearance with the continued disobedience of his creatures. The whole of Old Testament history testifies to God’s goodness moving him to delay judgement on rebellious Israel. In spite of repeated warnings from prophets his people were slow to repent.

When Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets of the ten commandments, he saw Israel dancing around a golden image and committing immorality. In anger, Moses threw down the tablets. God felt great wrath towards them but relented of the judgement he was going to rain down them. Instead he had Moses prepare two new tablets. The LORD came down in a cloud proclaiming “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6,7). And so Moses prayed; “Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin” (vs.8).

Paul urges us not to be stubborn and judgmental towards others thinking we are so much better than them. “Do you think you will escape God’s judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you towards repentance?” (Romans 2:3,4) Peter writes, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation” (2 Peter 3:15). Without God’s forbearance, we would have no hope of being saved from our sins.

Let us celebrate God’s longsuffering and forbearance.  And if we have unconfessed sins let us hasten to the mercy seat in confession and repentance. I’ll continue this series on God’s attributes in subsequent posts.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. Further articles, books, and stories at:  Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)

Where is the God of Justice?

A woman is killed by a drunken diplomat who flees so he cannot be prosecuted. A poor tenant farmer in Pakistan is cheated from his share of the crop by his landlord. “The whole of recorded history is one great longing for justice.” (Rushdoony) Atheists deny the existence of God by pointing to the apparent lack of justice in the world. They are not alone. Biblical prophets lamented the lack of justice, but without disbelieving in God. The martyrs under the throne of God cry out, “How long?”

Habakkuk complained to God, “Justice never prevails” (Hab. 1:4). Malachi wrote, “Where is the God of justice?” (Mal. 2:17). In Psalm 73, Asaph wrote about how his heart was grieved and embittered by the arrogance of the wicked who plan evil and scoff at heaven. “My feet had almost slipped…when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:1,2).

Asaph found an answer to his cry for justice in understanding that the wicked live in a slippery place. There is a cosmic moral law of cause and effect. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Gal. 6:7). The very first Psalm declares, “The wicked are…like chaff that the wind blows away”.

In Psalm 73 Asaph saw the terrible end of the unrepentant wicked. They face everlasting fire in hell. “The wicked shall be turned into hell. All the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9:17 KJV). A cursory look at history reveals that justice delayed in not justice denied. Think of the judgement of Sodom and the whole earth during the Flood. As prophesied, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome all perished in terrible judgement. Think of Hitler, Stalin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Papa Doc Duvalier, and on and on to this day. The fall of cruel and proud men is terrible. No one will escape the justice of God!

Not everyone reaps in this life the evil they sow. 1 Tim. 5:24 explains: “the sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgement ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them”.…only to be revealed in the final judgement.

Still, we may cry out, “Why Lord do you delay your justice?” Let us learn from Asaph. After crying out to God about the prosperity of the unjust, he realized that he had missed the first step in dealing with injustice. A search for justice must begin in our own hearts.

He cried, “when my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant” (Ps. 73:21,22). He came to understand that he had failed to keep his heart pure and free from bitterness, anger and self-righteousness. Jesus taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…the pure in heart.” Instead of being self-righteous we need to realize that “there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Eccl. 7:20, KJV). That includes us.

After confessing his bitterness, Asaph remembered what he had forgotten. Although a victim of injustice, he had forgotten that, “I am always with you: you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you…God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps 73:23-26). The only way to live in an unjust world is to walk daily in fellowship with God. And to remember that if we have found mercy at the cross, Jesus walks with us and will never leave us. That is why he came at Christmas.

If we are to walk with God, we must understand God’s treatment of the unjust. We must remember that justice delayed is not justice denied. Delay reveals the weeping heart of God who longs to hear the repentance of the wicked in order to offer them mercy. This was Jonah’s complaint with God. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh of offer mercy, so he fled. But when he did preach in Nineveh and they repented, Jonah was angry. Why? He wanted Nineveh destroyed. He complained to God, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity” (Jonah 4:2).

Clearly, like Jonah, we need a heart change toward the unsaved even those especially unjust. In Romans 2:4-6 Paul warns people to not ignore or despise God’s patient kindness and tolerance.

Sigh. So many of our problems with life are due to our impatience. God is a holy and just God. But he is also merciful and longsuffering. We need to trust him. He alone knows the Day of Judgement.

(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. Further articles, books, and stories at: http://www.countrywindow.ca Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ––)