I had a quick question. I am interested in hearing this organization's answer to a question I'm sure you've confronted before. How does one reconcile a loving God with the suffering in the world? I am especially interested in suffering that is not caused by any direct sin. Rape, as an example, is clearly the result of sinning on the part of the rapist and thus exists because God has given us free will. My question concerns "random" suffering, such as natural disasters and other such events. Thanks in advance for your response.
Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Your question is in need of an accurate answer, individuals who do not know our Creator use "random human suffering" as a means of attempting to condemn God for His "lack of compassion." Finite man continually tries to "catch" an infinitely wise God in some "trap" to escape our own personal responsibilities.
We have been taught that "natural disasters" are random events that occur for no apparent reason. This teaching tends to create the impression that God somehow lacks control over or knowledge of His creation. This is inaccurate. God knows at all times what is taking place in the world. He always stands ready to respond in love to humble calls for help.
The Bible explains that God opposes the proud and gives grace (His power to make and carryout correct decisions, which allows the recipient to experience God's love) to the humble. Man has a strong propensity toward arrogance and the belief he can control his own destiny (a belief contrary to evidence). Without disasters larger than we can handle, we would continue in our incorrect beliefs until we destroy ourselves. When we have "natural disasters," if we are willing, we will see our own weaknesses and inability to handle the situation. This gives us the opportunity to humbly cry out to our Creator for help or to curse Him for interfering with our own arrogant self-interest. He will come to the aid of the humble with resources so deep and comforting that the individual has the opportunity to experience God's love in a depth not possible under normal circumstances. Throughout history there have been accounts of changed lives as a result of going through "suffering."
About twenty years ago my automobile was "randomly" struck from behind by another car. My spinal column, except for the cord, was severed. It was six months before a decision on the best course of action was made. The pain would have been "unendurable" if it were not for the inner peace the Holy Spirit of God gave me at the time. After surgery, I spent three and one half years on crutches learning to walk again (I learned better the first time when I was about a year old). Now I have a greater capacity to understand and relate to individuals in pain. Four years ago I had a section of my colon removed due to colon cancer. Again, God's peace, which surpasses all understanding, sustained me. Without chemotherapy or radiation I have been cancer free since surgery. I do, however, have a greater capacity to relate to those who have cancer. The value of these experiences to prepare me to help others has far outweighed the pain and suffering (which has been intense) I have experienced.
"Suffering" can be used as a catalyst to lead us to trust our Creator, while in "prosperity" we may trust ourselves, mistakenly thinking we do not need Him. When compared to eternity, suffering on this earth may be just what is needed to turn one from his arrogant selfishness to recognizing his true need for his Creator, which in turn would eliminate his eternal suffering (with no hope of relief). Our human perspective usually views the immediate consequences rather focusing on the long term effects.
I hope this answer to your "quick" question has helped your perspective on "suffering" from "natural disasters" and challenged you to seek the Lord's perspective in each area of your life.
I met you on the University of Florida's campus last week and I was reading through your website and I had a few questions: What are your over all goals? Are you a pastor? Do you want to spread the teachings of the bible, or do you want to give a more logical insight on them? I hope that you get this in the best health, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you for taking the time to contact our website and your willingness to ask questions. Also, thank you for the wish for good health.
I am actually a retired tax attorney and I have now devoted my life to helping others answer life's most important questions. Through legal and historical evidence I have been able to establish the authenticity of the Bible as God's Word. I have found, however, that most individuals who I have encountered who profess Christianity do not act as though the Bible is truly the Word of the Creator of the universe. They seldom read It, much less apply It. One of our goals is to change this sad situation by demonstrating the power of following God's Word, so others will be encouraged to do so.
I have also found that among those who do not profess Christianity, because of their poor education (usually indoctrination) there is a great difficulty believing there is an absolute truth. This is usually not addressed in evangelism so the Christian message is lost because there is no foundation or understanding to build it upon. Our "pre-evangelism" goal (as Francis Schaeffer would have called it) is to disprove the three false foundations upon which American education is based. This should be done with reason and evidence so those individuals would then see the necessity of replacing their false beliefs with the truth.
Our other goal is to help individuals to find their life's ultimate goal. The reason why they live. And to show them the best ultimate goal and how to live it. (see our section entitled "Life's Ultimate Goals").
I hope these answers have been helpful. If you have any other questions or thoughts please contact us again.
I have a follow up question to Brett's which is something I have been struggling with. I was in a very severe accident myself. Like you, I developed a strong appreciation for life and a great deal of empathy for the suffering of others. My accident was very painful and difficult to deal with and I would never want to go through it again but in other ways my life has become enriched. So I understand that difficult and near-death experiences can bring about positive change for those who survive. My question involves what I see as needless suffering. What about the suffering of young innocent children, such as those in Haiti who never even had a chance to be unselfish or sin let alone live a good life. How come God didn't come to their aid? Additionally, I'm sure there were plenty of humble and unselfish people who were killed or worse yet died of painful starvation after days in the rubble. What lesson did they learn through all their suffering and death? Why does God use such a violent means to teach these lessons? It is hard to fathom that a God of love would do something like that. Would I respect a boss at work, who maintained morale by selecting employees to physically abuse and occasionally kill to teach us all that we should really appreciate our jobs and be unselfish in our dedication to our co-workers and company.
Thank you for your follow up to the previous question on suffering. We appreciate the depth of the question.
Your last sentence is very revealing. It gives an example of an arbitrary employer who randomly chooses to abuse and kill his employees and attempts to apply this scenario to an infinitely wise and infinitely loving God. First of all, God is in the governing business, not in the employment business. As a Sovereign Governor, God has the right and duty to punish individuals in active rebellion against His government. If, as you surmise, He were arbitrary in His exercise of punishment, He would indeed create terror in the hearts of His subjects. Since God, however, is not arbitrary, but perfectly reasonable and just in meting out punishment, He only creates fear in the hearts of those who rebel. Which is as it should be. Of course, a rebel in his bitterness and anger over being punished may incorrectly view his Sovereign as arbitrary. God does not delight in the death of any man.
As for the "innocent children" who are apparently so young they have not yet chosen to be selfish (similar to the unborn), your assumption appears to be that living in Haiti is somehow better than living in heaven. God apparently did "come to their aid" by taking them out of a life that most likely would have been full of misery and bringing them to an amazing place without pain or tears. What are a few days of suffering compared to eternity in Heaven?
You also state that you are "sure there were plenty of humble and unselfish people who were killed . . ." You may feel "sure" of this statement while it actually is only an assumption on your part. An all knowing God would be in perfect position to know if there was in fact one humble and unselfish person who died in Haiti's earthquake. Since God gives grace to the humble (and we are saved by grace) and is willing to redeem those who have truly repented of their selfishness, you can be assured that God has also made provision for them in heaven. If you read our section entitled "Life's Ultimate Goals" you will have a better grasp of God's justice and mercy.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions.
Thank you for your question, "How are you able to prove faith with evidence?"
First, a definition of "faith" would be appropriate. Faith is simply the reliance on something or someone. A person would not pick up a pen to write, if he did not have faith the pen worked. Or, a person would not insert his key in the ignition of his car to start it unless he had faith it would start (unless he had evidence his faith was unfounded due to previous car trouble - then he would only have a slight hope, but not faith).
How often do individuals have faith in someone who eventually lets them down? As it turns out, their faith was misplaced. Because we as individuals decide in what or whom we place our faith, we can be mistaken.
The proof of faith is simple. As you can see, reliance on something or someone is proof of one's faith.
Another question may be, "How do I know I have placed my faith or reliance in the right something or someone?" This can be borne out by the results of that reliance.
First, individuals may place their faith or reliance upon themselves. They may choose to believe they can trust themselves to make all the right decisions. If they are truly honest in evaluating their decisions, they will see the futility of this faith. No human being has enough knowledge or wisdom to make the right decision every time. Nor does a corporate group of human beings have the ability to make all the right decisions all the time. So humans that trust in themselves or other humans have to continue to ignore the evidence to maintain their faith.
The only rational exercise of faith would be to place one's faith in an all knowing Being who was as powerful as knowledgeable and who cared enough to give us the correct decisions in each instance, if such a Being existed. Otherwise our faith would be mistakenly applied and would actually be nothing more than a forlorn hope.
It would be incumbent upon a rational being to attempt to find someone who professed to have found this Being and ask if He is indeed trustworthy. The first inquiry of the professor should be to determine if he truly was trusting the Being. This is where evidence is important. How does this person make decisions? How does he interact with this all knowing Person? Does the all knowing Person actually provide the security that would justify the professor's faith? What has the all knowing Being done to truly demonstrate that He cares for the professor and will not mislead him? The list of questions can go on, until the inquirer has sufficient evidence to place his own faith (reliance) in this all knowing Being.
Of course there may be conditions to finding such a Being. One may have to be willing to change his way of living, if the all knowing Being so directed. The inquirer may have to undergo testing to determine if he has actually placed his faith in Him. Passing the tests is evidence of faith. Such a Being would most likely provide great peace and joy to anyone who truly found Him and was willing to obey His directions.
Ask yourself who are you really trusting and if that person is worthy of your trust. Your life will clearly reflect (give evidence of) the one you trust.
If there was a God and He truly loved you, would He not communicate to you? Would He not clearly demonstrate His love for you? But would He, if you were not interested in seeking Him?
Our hope is you place your faith in the only One worthy of your trust.
I had a quick question. I am interested in hearing this organization's answer to a question I'm sure you've confronted before. How does one reconcile a loving God with the suffering in the world? I am especially interested in suffering that is not caused by any direct sin. Rape, as an example, is clearly the result of sinning on the part of the rapist and thus exists because God has given us free will. My question concerns "random" suffering, such as natural disasters and other such events. Thanks in advance for your response.
ReplyDeleteBrett
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to contact us. Your question is in need of an accurate answer, individuals who do not know our Creator use "random human suffering" as a means of attempting to condemn God for His "lack of compassion." Finite man continually tries to "catch" an infinitely wise God in some "trap" to escape our own personal responsibilities.
We have been taught that "natural disasters" are random events that occur for no apparent reason. This teaching tends to create the impression that God somehow lacks control over or knowledge of His creation. This is inaccurate. God knows at all times what is taking place in the world. He always stands ready to respond in love to humble calls for help.
The Bible explains that God opposes the proud and gives grace (His power to make and carryout correct decisions, which allows the recipient to experience God's love) to the humble. Man has a strong propensity toward arrogance and the belief he can control his own destiny (a belief contrary to evidence). Without disasters larger than we can handle, we would continue in our incorrect beliefs until we destroy ourselves. When we have "natural disasters," if we are willing, we will see our own weaknesses and inability to handle the situation. This gives us the opportunity to humbly cry out to our Creator for help or to curse Him for interfering with our own arrogant self-interest. He will come to the aid of the humble with resources so deep and comforting that the individual has the opportunity to experience God's love in a depth not possible under normal circumstances. Throughout history there have been accounts of changed lives as a result of going through "suffering."
About twenty years ago my automobile was "randomly" struck from behind by another car. My spinal column, except for the cord, was severed. It was six months before a decision on the best course of action was made. The pain would have been "unendurable" if it were not for the inner peace the Holy Spirit of God gave me at the time. After surgery, I spent three and one half years on crutches learning to walk again (I learned better the first time when I was about a year old). Now I have a greater capacity to understand and relate to individuals in pain. Four years ago I had a section of my colon removed due to colon cancer. Again, God's peace, which surpasses all understanding, sustained me. Without chemotherapy or radiation I have been cancer free since surgery. I do, however, have a greater capacity to relate to those who have cancer. The value of these experiences to prepare me to help others has far outweighed the pain and suffering (which has been intense) I have experienced.
"Suffering" can be used as a catalyst to lead us to trust our Creator, while in "prosperity" we may trust ourselves, mistakenly thinking we do not need Him. When compared to eternity, suffering on this earth may be just what is needed to turn one from his arrogant selfishness to recognizing his true need for his Creator, which in turn would eliminate his eternal suffering (with no hope of relief). Our human perspective usually views the immediate consequences rather focusing on the long term effects.
I hope this answer to your "quick" question has helped your perspective on "suffering" from "natural disasters" and challenged you to seek the Lord's perspective in each area of your life.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share.
Brian Pappas
I met you on the University of Florida's campus last week and I was reading through your website and I had a few questions: What are your over all goals? Are you a pastor? Do you want to spread the teachings of the bible, or do you want to give a more logical insight on them? I hope that you get this in the best health, and I hope to hear from you soon.
ReplyDeleteDear M.S.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to contact our website and your willingness to ask questions. Also, thank you for the wish for good health.
I am actually a retired tax attorney and I have now devoted my life to helping others answer life's most important questions. Through legal and historical evidence I have been able to establish the authenticity of the Bible as God's Word. I have found, however, that most individuals who I have encountered who profess Christianity do not act as though the Bible is truly the Word of the Creator of the universe. They seldom read It, much less apply It. One of our goals is to change this sad situation by demonstrating the power of following God's Word, so others will be encouraged to do so.
I have also found that among those who do not profess Christianity, because of their poor education (usually indoctrination) there is a great difficulty believing there is an absolute truth. This is usually not addressed in evangelism so the Christian message is lost because there is no foundation or understanding to build it upon. Our "pre-evangelism" goal (as Francis Schaeffer would have called it) is to disprove the three false foundations upon which American education is based. This should be done with reason and evidence so those individuals would then see the necessity of replacing their false beliefs with the truth.
Our other goal is to help individuals to find their life's ultimate goal. The reason why they live. And to show them the best ultimate goal and how to live it. (see our section entitled "Life's Ultimate Goals").
I hope these answers have been helpful. If you have any other questions or thoughts please contact us again.
Brian Pappas
I have a follow up question to Brett's which is something I have been struggling with. I was in a very severe accident myself. Like you, I developed a strong appreciation for life and a great deal of empathy for the suffering of others. My accident was very painful and difficult to deal with and I would never want to go through it again but in other ways my life has become enriched. So I understand that difficult and near-death experiences can bring about positive change for those who survive. My question involves what I see as needless suffering. What about the suffering of young innocent children, such as those in Haiti who never even had a chance to be unselfish or sin let alone live a good life. How come God didn't come to their aid? Additionally, I'm sure there were plenty of humble and unselfish people who were killed or worse yet died of painful starvation after days in the rubble. What lesson did they learn through all their suffering and death? Why does God use such a violent means to teach these lessons? It is hard to fathom that a God of love would do something like that. Would I respect a boss at work, who maintained morale by selecting employees to physically abuse and occasionally kill to teach us all that we should really appreciate our jobs and be unselfish in our dedication to our co-workers and company.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your follow up to the previous question on suffering. We appreciate the depth of the question.
ReplyDeleteYour last sentence is very revealing. It gives an example of an arbitrary employer who randomly chooses to abuse and kill his employees and attempts to apply this scenario to an infinitely wise and infinitely loving God. First of all, God is in the governing business, not in the employment business. As a Sovereign Governor, God has the right and duty to punish individuals in active rebellion against His government. If, as you surmise, He were arbitrary in His exercise of punishment, He would indeed create terror in the hearts of His subjects. Since God, however, is not arbitrary, but perfectly reasonable and just in meting out punishment, He only creates fear in the hearts of those who rebel. Which is as it should be. Of course, a rebel in his bitterness and anger over being punished may incorrectly view his Sovereign as arbitrary. God does not delight in the death of any man.
As for the "innocent children" who are apparently so young they have not yet chosen to be selfish (similar to the unborn), your assumption appears to be that living in Haiti is somehow better than living in heaven. God apparently did "come to their aid" by taking them out of a life that most likely would have been full of misery and bringing them to an amazing place without pain or tears. What are a few days of suffering compared to eternity in Heaven?
You also state that you are "sure there were plenty of humble and unselfish people who were killed . . ." You may feel "sure" of this statement while it actually is only an assumption on your part. An all knowing God would be in perfect position to know if there was in fact one humble and unselfish person who died in Haiti's earthquake. Since God gives grace to the humble (and we are saved by grace) and is willing to redeem those who have truly repented of their selfishness, you can be assured that God has also made provision for them in heaven. If you read our section entitled "Life's Ultimate Goals" you will have a better grasp of God's justice and mercy.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions.
How are you able to prove faith with evidence?
ReplyDeleteAdrian,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your question, "How are you able to prove faith with evidence?"
First, a definition of "faith" would be appropriate. Faith is simply the reliance on something or someone. A person would not pick up a pen to write, if he did not have faith the pen worked. Or, a person would not insert his key in the ignition of his car to start it unless he had faith it would start (unless he had evidence his faith was unfounded due to previous car trouble - then he would only have a slight hope, but not faith).
How often do individuals have faith in someone who eventually lets them down? As it turns out, their faith was misplaced. Because we as individuals decide in what or whom we place our faith, we can be mistaken.
The proof of faith is simple. As you can see, reliance on something or someone is proof of one's faith.
Another question may be, "How do I know I have placed my faith or reliance in the right something or someone?" This can be borne out by the results of that reliance.
First, individuals may place their faith or reliance upon themselves. They may choose to believe they can trust themselves to make all the right decisions. If they are truly honest in evaluating their decisions, they will see the futility of this faith. No human being has enough knowledge or wisdom to make the right decision every time. Nor does a corporate group of human beings have the ability to make all the right decisions all the time. So humans that trust in themselves or other humans have to continue to ignore the evidence to maintain their faith.
The only rational exercise of faith would be to place one's faith in an all knowing Being who was as powerful as knowledgeable and who cared enough to give us the correct decisions in each instance, if such a Being existed. Otherwise our faith would be mistakenly applied and would actually be nothing more than a forlorn hope.
It would be incumbent upon a rational being to attempt to find someone who professed to have found this Being and ask if He is indeed trustworthy. The first inquiry of the professor should be to determine if he truly was trusting the Being. This is where evidence is important. How does this person make decisions? How does he interact with this all knowing Person? Does the all knowing Person actually provide the security that would justify the professor's faith? What has the all knowing Being done to truly demonstrate that He cares for the professor and will not mislead him? The list of questions can go on, until the inquirer has sufficient evidence to place his own faith (reliance) in this all knowing Being.
Of course there may be conditions to finding such a Being. One may have to be willing to change his way of living, if the all knowing Being so directed. The inquirer may have to undergo testing to determine if he has actually placed his faith in Him. Passing the tests is evidence of faith. Such a Being would most likely provide great peace and joy to anyone who truly found Him and was willing to obey His directions.
Ask yourself who are you really trusting and if that person is worthy of your trust. Your life will clearly reflect (give evidence of) the one you trust.
If there was a God and He truly loved you, would He not communicate to you? Would He not clearly demonstrate His love for you? But would He, if you were not interested in seeking Him?
Our hope is you place your faith in the only One worthy of your trust.