“Everything happens for a reason.” How many times have you heard this short, pithy saying echoed in response to tragedy? Hospital rooms and crime scenes across the world are littered with these words. Such a seemingly innocent idea appears to provide many Christians with serenity and strength in the midst of great calamity. It is truly a concept that has brought many Christian sufferers a profound sense of security and comfort in moments of intense grief. The notion that there is a reason, or a purpose, for all events seems to say something positive about the sovereign care of God. To affirm this popular Christian idea is to affirm that, even in the midst of utter chaos and confusion, God has everything under control; all events are a part of God’s magnificent, immutable plan for his creation. When viewed in this light, it is no wonder why so many well-meaning believers hold on to this popular Christian motto.

But what are the dangers, if any, of such an understanding? It seems to me that this seemingly harmless idea carries with it some heavy theological implications. A quick analysis of the key terms used in this common Christian saying will be more than sufficient in demonstrating this. The word “everything” obviously means “all occurrences,” or “all events”—from the greatest acts of self-sacrificial love, or pure altruism, to the most horrendous evils imaginable.

The phrase “for a reason” seems to imply that the event in question was necessary to some greater good; it is a part of a greater divine plan. In this schema, there are no accidents, no pointless events; nothing happens merely by chance. This means that God is involved in every single event; the hand of God is somehow behind all occurrences. Thus, meaning can be found everywhere. There is hope that even the most horrific evils serve some higher purpose.

Overall, this weighty Christian motto seems to lead to two possible theological conclusions: Either (1) all events are caused by God or (2) God deliberately chooses not to intervene in particular situations, and thus not to prevent certain evils, in order to fulfill his set purposes, which would not have materialized had he intervened. In other words, either all things are divinely determined or God allows particular evils to occur in particular situations because they are necessary to greater goods which justify their occurrence.

Both of these options are based on the notion of particular providence, or meticulous divine governance, and thus both of them deny the existence of gratuitous evils. Again, if everything indeed happens for a reason, then there is no such thing as a pointless, purely accidental, or even unnecessary evil.

Based on this analysis, it should not be surprising that this common Christian understanding has often led to some controversial public pronouncements, to say the least. For instance, in the time before the election, a certain Republican senate candidate allegedly claimed that rape is the will of God. Whether or not this is actually what the prospective senator meant is unclear (personally I do not think that it was). Nevertheless, the words of this senatorial candidate have been interpreted in this very manner.

This recent charade is just another example of how problematic, and even dangerous, this theological viewpoint can be. Not only can it be detrimental to Christian witness in the world—as it can easily portray God as the author of evil—but it can also be injurious to personal faith for the same exact reasons. One can imagine the trauma that a person can undergo when that person sincerely believes that God is the cause of her husband’s physical suffering or her daughter’s mental disability. The trauma might even be more intense in cases that involve the repugnant stain of moral evils (all evil that stems from the will of human beings) like rape.

With all of this in mind, my purpose in writing is to correct what I see as a highly-problematic misunderstanding in popular Christian theology. In order to effectively deal with the troubling words of the Indiana senatorial candidate mentioned above, I will narrow my focus to the concept of moral evil in particular.

It is impossible to prove that the idea of particular providence, or meticulous divine governance, actually corresponds to reality. Unfortunately, it is also impossible to prove that it does not. Thus, when discussing such matters, we must be willing to put aside our desire to make objective, matter-of-fact claims. What we can do, however, is discuss what we think is reasonable.

I would argue that the ontological existence of gratuitous, pointless, unnecessary evil makes much more sense of Christian theology and human experience than its nonexistence does. Likewise, I would also argue that the notion of genuine libertarian free will, which allows for the existence of gratuitous evils, makes more sense of reality and Christian theology than its alternatives--either the idea that God causes everything or the idea that God meticulously overrides all human actions that would have resulted in moral evils except for those that are necessary to greater goods. 

Human beings are free moral agents and thus possess the God-given capacity to make free moral choices. God endowed human beings with personal and moral freedom because he values sincerity of choice and sincerity of action. God is not in the business of creating robots that are programmed to think and act in a set, predetermined manner. Instead, God created human beings in his image, which involves personal and moral freedom, so that they may be able to choose the good out of the sincerity of their heart, rather than out of the coercion of the divine will.

In a world where sincere human freedom exists, and thus in a world where God does not jeopardize the integrity of the moral order by continually tinkering in human affairs, the potentiality for gratuitous, or pointless, evil exists; gratuitous evil will always be a possibility in a world occupied by free moral agents who are generally unabated by the coercive will of God. In fact, the same moral freedom that allows for some of the most selfless acts of love also allows for some of the most horrific acts of evil. Mother Teresa used her moral freedom to minister to the poor of India; Ted Bundy used his moral freedom to murder innocent young women. Freedom is a beautiful thing, but it can also be a dangerous thing.

In light of this, I tend to believe that, more often than not, evil is an abuse of human freedom, rather than an abuse of divine freedom; God does not force people to do bad things, people sincerely choose to do bad things. We must allow man to be evil and God to be good. When we ascribe evil to the will of God, we basically blame God for things that he plays no part in, things that he actually despises. To be quite honest, this is insulting to the nature and character of God.

If human beings truly are free moral agents, equipped with the ability to make free moral choices, and if God truly values the sincerity of human action and the integrity of the moral order, then it follows that some things do not happen for a higher, divine purpose. Again, if God truly allows his creatures to act as they may, without intervening every time they are about to commit a moral evil that is not necessary to a greater good, then some evil is entirely pointless. Because moral evil is often the sole result of human perversity, evil is not always necessary to greater goods. In a world endowed with human freedom, some evil is simply meaningless.

So, in response to the recent controversial remarks from the Indiana senatorial candidate mentioned above, we can rightly say that rape is not the will of God. Instead, it can be said that rape is a perverse expression of the depraved human will. In general, the act of rape is a meaningless, pointless, gratuitous evil that opposes God’s good purposes for his creation; it is a good example of a thing that happens for no higher purpose, or reason.

Fortunately, however, we do serve a God who both can and will redeem all evils, and who, in some way, can beautify even the ugliest perversities of the human will. Even though some things may not happen for a reason, and even though God’s perfect will does not always come to fruition in the midst of a rebellious world, God is never far from us. He is here. He has not abandoned us, and never will he. Though it may not always seem like it, God is working to make all things new. He will not allow evil to reign in this world forever. Although our world may be consumed with evil, even gratuitous evil, God is surely able to turn that which is ugly into something that is beautiful, even glorious; we worship a God who seeks to use the bad for good. This is what Christians call redemption, and this is the eternal plan of the Triune God.

This post was written by Ryan Ragozine who is a Master Arts in Theological Studies student at Asbury Theological Seminary. He received a B.A. in theological studies from Southwestern Assemblies of God University and plans to pursue a Ph.D in historical theology.


For the original post, go to:  http://seedbed.com/feed/evil-sometimes-the-human-explanation-is-better-than-the-divine-explanation

I’ve been reading much on blogs and other sites that we are heading toward persecution here in the West.  As our society grows more and more tolerant of sin, they will begin to turn their hatred toward anyone who preaches against sin or who cries that their view is the only true truth such as Jesus being the only way to God (John 14:6) or even that Jesus is the only true God (1 Timothy 6:15-16).  Postmodernism loves tolerance (so long as you agree with them on what is right) and embraces ambiguity as a virtue.  Thus our culture adores anyone who claims that they embrace mystery (such as emergents) above truth or who teaches that they we all are accepted by God no matter what our lifestyle or what god we worship or don’t worship.  Our culture will indeed lash out at anyone who claims absolute truth such as true disciples of Jesus (John 17:17) or who claim that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ or even the fact that we need a Savior is offensive to them (Romans 3:10-18).

Yet I am convinced that Satan doesn’t care about the church that meets and doesn’t seek to preach the gospel both to the church and to the lost.  Satan doesn’t care that you meet in a house with other disciples so long as you do nothing in the process.  He doesn’t care that you read your Bible.  He doesn’t care that you claim Christianity.  Satan will only begin to attack when you begin to step out of your comfort zone and begin to seek to glorify God through faithful evangelism and praise to Jesus’ name openly and without shame (Acts 4:29-31).  The church that just meets, sings a few songs, talks about Jesus, prays a little, and goes home is not what causes havoc in the kingdom of darkness.  It is those disciples of Jesus who follow Him daily and seek to engage our world with His gospel whom Satan despises and will attack.

The good thing about entering these dark days is that the true Church will arise.  Those who have been playing games with faith, not truly saved by the Lord, and those living in sin will be exposed.  A time of separation is coming.  True disciples of Jesus need not fear (John 16:33).  We know from God’s Word that true disciples will face persecution (2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-19).  We know that God is faithful to those who remain steadfast in Him (Revelation 2:10).  Our lives do not matter.  Only eternity matters (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  Even now prepare yourself to embrace Jesus as your everything being willing to lay all down for Him and His glory (Luke 9:23-25).  Do not dread but rejoice because our God is the one true and living God and He will reign forever and ever!

This post is written by the Seeking Disciple.  You can view his original post here: 
http://arminiantoday.com/2012/11/18/satan-doesnt-mind-you-if-you-remain-comfortable/

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

I was with him in the hospital.  This missionary had been hospitalized for anxiety.  "I don't know what's wrong with me, I can't stop worrying and shaking.  My insides just feel like they are made of jello."  

This missionary had been on the mission field  for several years and had much success at bringing the gospel to an indigenous people in a country in South America.  However, now, he was having emotional issues that have taken him out of his ministry.  We discussed his past, his calling, his mission and he was truly a remarkable man.  We discussed his spiritual life and all seemed in place, with one exception:  he had been cursed by the local "bruja".  This witch had performed a ceremony to bring down Christ's influence among "her people."   Her home was within site of the church that had been established in this community.  He had seen her performing her "brujeria" during one of his sermons in his church.  

Somehow, this witch's "power" had gotten to him and he began to worry, doubting God's ability to protect him from such brujeria.  We prayed at every session asking God to protect him and show us what He wanted us to do.  One time, while praying, the missionary stopped praying and yelled, "that is it!"  A big smile spread across his face and he said, "I now know what's been going on!" He proceeded to tell me he had heard a cryptic story that a few of the church members told him about a "service" that the bruja held just outside the church in the middle of the nite.  From that point on, the missionary became stronger and much less anxious.  He began to talk about "taking the church back from the witch."  Within less than two weeks after his epiphany, he was discharged and returned to his mission field.

About a month later, I received a terrific letter of explanation and testimony from this missionary.  Evidently, what had happened, when he returned to the church, he told his congregation about his feelings about this bruja and told them he was determined to not let her win this spiritual battle.  During prayer with his congregation, it was revealed to them that they should dig in the dirt of the northwest corner, just outside the church.  Several members and the missionary went outside and started digging.  After a bit, they found a talisman buried there.  One of the members, who used to be into brujeria identified the object as something used to curse people.  The missionary promptly continued the service where the talisman was burned in a fire.    In his letter, he proceeded to tell me how he felt as if there was a new freedom in the church after that.

However, what was most interesting, is that he wrote me, "I was foolish to believe that satan had any power over me and the church.  I was fighting to defeat the devil and I had no need to do so.  A talisman is just that, a talisman.  It has no power and no ability to hurt me.  I learned from that experience that I didn't need to fight, I just needed to relax and let God fight for me.  I was being a missionary under my own power.  Now, Jesus is running this mission field."

This story was a real faith builder for me and I hope it is for you.  We don't need to fear, we need to trust God and count on His faithfulness.  Satan can't do anything except try to intimidate and scare.  His power lies in his ability to spread fear and doubt.  Satan is full of bluster and bluff and has no power over us.  As long as we stay connected to God's Holy Spirit, we are victorious.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Each Christian must be prepared for conflict.  Paul calls this wrestling with wicked spirits (Eph 6:10-20).   No Christian can hope to enter the warfare of the ages without first learning to sit with Christ and rest in what He has done, and then, thru the power of the Holy Spirit within, to follow Him in a practical , holy life here on earth.  If the Christian is deficient in either of these, he will find that all the talk about spiritual warfare remains only talk; he will never know its reality. We sat and rested with Christ and are learning how to walk with Him before the world but how are we to conduct ourselves in the presence of God's adversary (and ours)?  

God's word is STAND.  Put on the whole armor of God that may be able to STAND against the schemes of the devil.  The Greek verb STAND with its following preposition AGAINST really means HOLD YOUR GROUND.

This is a truth found in God's Word.  It is not a command to invade a foreign territory.  Warfare would imply a command to march.  Armies march into other countries to occupy and to subdue.  However, God has not told us to do this.  

We are not to march but STAND.  

The word STAND implies that the ground disputed by the enemy is really God's and therefore ours.  We need not struggle to gain a foothold of it.  Jesus' victory on the cross was offensive.  He won us back from satan.  That mean's our warfare is, in essence, defensive.  We war against satan only to maintain and consolidate the victory which Jesus has already gained. 

In Christ, we are more than conquerors.  

In Jesus, we STAND.  Thus, we do not fight for victory; we fight from victory.

We must not ask the LORD to enable us to overcome the enemy, nor even look to Him to overcome, but praise Him because He has already done so.  


He is Victor.  

It is all a matter of faith in Him.  If we believe the LORD, we shall not pray so much but rather we shall praise Him more.  The simpler and clearer our faith in Him, the less we shall pray in such situations and the more we shall praise.  In Christ, we are already conquerors.

Do you see what it means to STAND?  We do not try to gain ground; we merely stand on the ground which the Lord Jesus has gained for us, and resolutely refuse to be moved from it.  

The Christian life then, consists of sitting with Christ, walking by Him and standing in Him.  We begin our spiritual life by resting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus.  That rest is the source of our strength for a consistent and unfaltering walk in this world.  And at the end of a grueling warfare with the hosts of darkness we are found standing with Him at last in triumphant possession of the field.

This post is adapted from the book, SIT, WALK, STAND by Watchman Nee.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these:  Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.   

Last Saturday we discussed adultery (porneia).  Today, we are going to talk about uncleanness and next Saturday, conclude this three part series on Galatians 5:19 with a look at lasciviousness.

The word uncleanness is the Greek word akatharsia, which is the word kathairo with prefix a added.  The word kathairo means cleansed or pure but when you add the prefix a, the condition is reversed, making the object dirty or unclean.  In the New Testatment, akatharsia refers to lewd or unclean thoughts that eventually produce lewd or unclean actions.  So, there is a strong suggestion that actions begin in the mind as unclean thoughts before they manifest as unclean deeds.

"And there was in the synagogue a man with an unclean spirit..."  The Greek actually says that this man was "gripped by the control of an unclean spirit."  It seems that this man had pondered on lewd thoughts for so long that he had thrown open the door for these to seize and control him.  In this verse the word akatharsia is used.  It implies that a demon found entrance into this man's life because he had committed mental prostitution.  He allowed his mind to dwell on things that were forbidden.

"A man with an unclean spirit met him..."   Here akatharsia is used in describing the man possessed by a legion of demons.  In Mark chapter one and now in chapter five, we have two men who are in the grip of an unclean spirit.  It appears that their demon-possessed condition started with impure, lewd, dirty thoughts, since the Greek word akatharsia is used in both verses.  Did Satan lure them into the pornography of unclean ideas or into adultery, and then build a stronghold of uncleanness so robust in their minds that he was able to eventually cause unclean actions to be manifested in their lives and thus completely control them?

Whatever you give your mind to will eventually be your master.   

Next Saturday we will discuss the word lasciviousness.

This study is taken from Sparkling Gems from the Greek

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Last week, we talked about the "Kratos" power of God.  Today, we are discussing the power that is behind Kratos.  "Finally, my brothers, be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might."  Just as Kratos power is available to every believer, so is Ischuos power.  

Ischuos is translated here as "might."  Ischuos conveys the picture of a very, very strong man, such as a bodybuilder or a mighty man with muscular capabilities.  If you look in the verse above, you see that Paul is attributing Ischuos power to God, not to any human.  Paul sees God as One who is able, mighty and muscular.

It is Ischuos that is backing up Kratos.  Kratos, if you remember is the outwardly manifested, eruptive power of God.  Ischuos is the force that works behind the Kratos power.  

All that God is, all the power He possesses, and all the energy of His muscular, mighty ability now energizes the Kratos power that is at work within you.  With this power at your disposal today, you can confront the unseen demonic spirits that come to wage war against your flesh and your soul -- and you can win every time!  Since this power is available to you today, you are ready to lay hands on the sick, pray with power and authority, speak God's Word in every situation, and see mountains move on your behalf!

So the next time that you run into a problem that seems a little overwhelming, remind yourself that "...greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world."  You have no need to be afraid and no need to shrink back in timidity, for there's enough power at work in you to resist ANY force that comes against you and to supernaturally remedy anything that need to be changed!

Taken form Sparkling Gems from the Greek (pg 348-350).

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might.

Ephesians 6:10 is a verse about the supernatural power God has made available for our fight with unseen, demonic forces that come to war against the soul.  

The word "strong" is taken from the Greek word endunamao, which describes a power whose purpose is to infuse a believer with an excessive dose of inward strength.  This particular type of endunamao power is so strong that it can withstand any attack and successfully oppose any force.   Observe that this kind of strength is found "in the LORD."    You gotta stay connected.

The word "power" is taken from the Greek word kratos, and it describes demonstrated power.   In other words, kratos power is not a power that one merely adheres to and believes in intellectually.  Rather, this kratos power is a power that is demonstrative, eruptive and tangible.  It almost always comes with some type of external, outward manifestation that one can actually see with his or her eyes.  This means that kratos power is not a hypothetical power; this is real power!  

 Paul uses kratos in Ephesians 1: 19-20 in his description of the power that raised Jesus from the dead.  This was an eruptive power, a demonstrated power, an outwardly visible power.  It was the strongest kind of power known to God or man.

Paul uses this very word to describe the power that is available for our use!  With this empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we can expect the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead to operate in us!  Remember, this is a demonstrated or outwardly manifested kind of power.  So, when this power begins to operate in us, it immediately seeks an avenue of release so it can demonstrate itself.

So, turn up your level of expectation!  Start anticipating that this mighty power of God will begin to flow through you!

Click here to see the force behind Kratos power.

Adapted from Sparkling Gems from the Greek

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.