joe: in response to your image question: http://talktruth.org/sites/default/files/6%20-%20HUMANITY.pdf
in response to Haley's question, and just in general...
The reason why God does not stop bad things from happening is because it would interfere with our free will. Even though God HAS the power to do ANYTHING...cause, let's face it, He does...God gave humans free will to live, choose, decide things, and act as they are freely willed to do. He did not create us to be little robots at His will, but rather delighted in the fact that He created us in this way. (Think about it--even Adam and Eve exercised free will by CHOOSING to NOT eat the forbidden fruit for a while!) But because of the fall, our human nature is sinful, which means that the free will we have is tainted. This causes us to create and cause the sin that is in the world, the "bad things" that happen. Satan also has a hold on this world and has quite a strong hold on non-believers, and so much of the evil that takes place is under his influence. However, I want to focus more on the fact that us, as humans, are sinful, and thus all the bad things that happen in the world are direct outpourings of that nature and because of our free will, we choose to exercise it to sometimes do the worst of things.
If God intervened anytime someone was about to do something bad, or anytime something bad was about to happen, that would mean that He would stop ALL bad things from happening, which would create a perfect, sinless world. This does not make sense because we do not live in such a world, because the world we currently live in is deserved because of the fall of man. And, even if God decided to stop only the really big bad things from happening, such as wars for example-- what if God decided to stop only the wars in Africa? What about the other ones? Why did He decide those over the other? And what if He stopped all wars...so that one bad thing is taken care of. But what about child molestation in rape? What if I thought, in my feeble human mind, that child molestation and rape was worse than war? Why did God decide to stop all wars and not the former? Thus, God cannot be "picky and choosy" about what bad things He could possibly stop from happening.
God allows us the opportunity for free will (although God is sovereign and has an ultimate unfolding plan that WILL be carried out) and we can ultimately choose whether we use that for good or for bad.
visit talktruth.org and click on "Schedule and notes." look at the lecture notes for Sovereignty; they provide lots of scripture and notes on this subject. also, if you want to check anything else out, you really should. there are lots of notes and scripture for all your main, heavy doctrines, including sin, grace and redemption, humanity, creation, salvation, election/predestination/free will, etc.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I don't think you have any idea how much this post helped me! It all makes sense now. It's crazy how the answer to my question seems so simple, and yet it can be so fascinating and complex when you really dive into it and really study it some more.
ReplyDeleteI love how you said that if God did decide to put an end to all of the bad things in our world, then we would find ourselves in a perfect, sinless world. But this idea of a perfect, sinless world can only be fulfilled in Heaven. Earth will never reach that high of a standard. Ahhh wow, I get so excited talking about Heaven and thinking about just how amazing it will be!
And another thing...I was so surprised today when I was talking to my dad because for the first time he said that he would be thrilled if there actually was a God (again, his words. not mine.), and that if I have any more information supporting the existence of God, that he would like to hear about it. I was so shocked! He has NEVER said that before! He actually seemed interested in what I was saying! I've been praying for him so much lately. I mean, I've accepted the fact that he won't ever change, but still...for him to want to know more information is such a step up!
Thanks again Whitley! I would've never been able to be so firm in my beliefs without your help. (:
Haley: I am praying for your dad :) keep us posted! haha
ReplyDeleteWhitley: I'm not trying to talk about this with anyone in specific, but I do find this topic insanely confusing...I checked out that website you linked to, but could you extend a little on the difference between predestination and foreknowledge? We like JUST discussed this in my bible study group this morning at church, how ironic tha I come on here and it is what yall are talking about :)
breanna, will you write a post asking about that so that others can add their insight as well? i will definitely dig into all that and get back to you :)
ReplyDeletehaley- that is AMAZING. praise GOD! please keep us updated...it seems like God working through you is stirring things up a bit!
breanna,
ReplyDeletei read something interesting today when I saw what was going on with your dad and the questions he was asking. Especailly since your dad is asking about the existence of God.
The existence of evil does not disprove God by any means, it actually proves God more than disproves. Think about it, all men are born knowing right from wrong to an extent. All across civilizations poeple believe that killing a brother is "wrong" and babies dying or mass killings, or hurricanes... everyone sees this as "evil". Evolutionists say that we are just animals that have evolved through natural selection. Well, natural selection thrives with the strong and the weak die off. As humans we see this concept of the weak dying off as immoral or "evil". This is because we are born with an "objective moral value" that was not developed through natural selection but by default had to be designed inside of us by something more intelligent. AKA God. Everyone wants "evil" do be resolved. This is universal. Where do we get this from? It is because we know there is something better than what is around us. SOOOO there must be, at least all mankind hopes that there is something better.
The fact that there is evil in the world proves that there is God. God is the answer and the one who promises something better than this world. It only makes sense. Deep inside we know this to be true.
cam- good point.
ReplyDeleteread my new post.
thanks for that cameron (it's actually my dad who's an atheist...not breanna's). i've never really thought about it that way. it's like looking at all evil in this world in a positive light by learning to rely on something so much better...God. but i was talking with my dad again today, and he doesn't understand why (if there is a God...his words not mine) would God let five-year-olds die of cancer (just an example). i told him what we talked about a while ago on this blog - about how everything happens for the greater glory of God's name, and how if a man is born blind and gains his sight later in life, then that is the work of God. but if a man is born perfectly normal and later becomes blind than that is the work of satan. mainly how God only gives and never takes. my dad (a doctor) came back and said that that barely ever happens, and how he doesn't understand why God would let satan kill a five-year-old at all...i think we've talked about this before, and i kind of know the answer to this question, but if someone could explain it some more for me that'd be great!
ReplyDeletethanks for all your help everyone (:
Haha sorry for the mix up haley ;) I have struggled through this same question...especially because I do have a sister who passed away, and for the longest time I couldn't understand why this would happen...I'm not sure I fully understand what Cameron is talking about...or well, I do...but when this had all happened, it would have been nearly impossible for me to look and say "well this must be a work of evil, let me try to find god..." the only thing I could find myself thinking was "why would god let this happen!?!"
ReplyDeleteEven though your dad might be grasping the concept that bad things come from satan, and not God... wrapping your mind around why God would even allow it...is much harder. Honestly, I recieved christ because I was so broken after that lost. So I know that God used that situation to bring himself glory. Not only was I saved, but I have been able to have several God glorifying conversations with other people who have gone through similar hardships.
So my response to why God allows it? It's just like God allowed satan to take everything from Job...his house, wife, kids...He uses it to bring people to his kingdom...sometimes it takes a tragedy for us to wake up and realize we can't handle this life on our own, and that we need God. Thanks for keeping us posted on how it's going with your dad :D
ok im working through this with you guys...
ReplyDeleteGod made the world perfect.
It was perfect and then we wanted more, which srewed it up.
Ever since the world has been a fallen, evil, place that he can not dwell in.
So satan has become the king of the evil world. We are born fallen. He just guides the sinful nature inside of us. (this is why things are bad... it is a fallen world).
But God loved us so much that he even sent his son into the evil fallen world to die for us.
Now we have a way out of the evil and can live perfectly with him.
So does God allow evil? Absolutely not. He saves us from it every day.
Why doesn't he stop it? Well... he did once and he flooded the earth and killed everything, but he promised he wouldn't do that again.
Now he is just waiting until everyone has had a chance to accept him and then he will come and get rid of all the evil like we want him too.
cam, you should repost that so people don't miss it. i think you finally nailed it. hope i didn't screw up people's thinking too much.
ReplyDeletethis makes perfect sense to me now. it's like Jesus really came to bring God into the world and try and make the world a better place again, just how it was in the beginning before our world became a "fallen" world. but, our world will never be the amazingly peaceful, evil-free world that God initially created until EVERYONE - all mankind - accepts Him. but, this may never happen, which is why this idea of a perfect world can only be found in heaven, where everyone accepts, knows, and loves God. am i getting this right? sorry i just wrote out pretty much the exact same thing you did, but i understand it more when i do. (: thank you!
ReplyDeleteand whitely...you definitely didn't mess up everyone's thinking; i love your views on this!