In my own church an emotional video was played with a compassionate male voice talking about how God was at the Twin Towers in a deep personal way. "I was there." was literally repeated over and over again. It was almost nauseating for the answers were not coming (atleast they weren't till I preached. I simply hate contradicting others in my own church, but oh well.).
One web site asks the relevant questions about the recent situation at Virginia Tech:
Immense tragedies such as this raise a host of questions. Where is God in all this? How could he allow this to happen? What kind of anguish would cause someone to randomly shoot people, and then commit suicide? What can we do as a society to prevent such tragedies in the future?
These questions are needed to be dealt with but must be done not seeking some way to help God out. God doesn't need a defense minister. This is exactly what happened when the Tsunami occurred and 9/11. Minister after minister came running out to defend why God would allow such things. None of the answers were ever dealing with the Biblical text.
For instance, Father John was asked why did these shootings happen. His response to Fox News:
Antoinette, I have been asking myself similar questions. Over the last few days, as new information about Cho has been revealed, my opinion on how this particular case is relatable to societal causes has evolved. From conversations with medical professionals and from my own pastoral experience, I think an increase in this type of violent act is due primarily to a combination of things. First, it’s due to an upswing in psychiatric instability in our youth. Secondly, a copycat phenomenon is made possible by worldwide communication. In response to other e-mails, I will explain later on why I think we are seeing an increase in psychotic behavior.
Mental instability is the problem. Perhaps if this man lived during the times when Asians were being used to forge the Railroad in this country, he would have shot all of the fat cats too? Was this man living in such a life of poverty or lower class or race that he had to have hatred for fellow students?
At Christianpost.com CBN is quoted as saying:
Meanwhile, the world-renowned evangelist says, "God has given us a free choice and there's evil in this world. I tag this on the devil. He's responsible. He's the one who wants to seek and he's the one who wants to destroy," according to CBN.
So now the Devil made me do it is being offered by some Christians. The glaring contradiction should be obvious to all. Free choice, but the devil....
Graham says,
"The Bible makes it very clear that God loves us. He cares for us," he added. "I want students to know that God loves them and God has not abandoned them and that He's there for them right now if they'll just reach out by faith."
What does this mean? Tell that to those non-Christian students being shot. "Hey, on your way to destruction I just want you to know God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life."
Grant Thomas comments on Christianity Today:
Why do people wonder why God doesn't stop all evil in the world? God allows us to make the choice and most people choose to follow the evil human nature. People are NOT innately good. They are wicked and selfish by nature and the problems caused by humans are their fault NOT God's. It has always been that way and it always will. God will not intervene and stop all evil, but He will punish the evildoers. The people who follow God will get their reward when they are judged. In the meantime, WE are responsible for the evil that happens. If anything...God weeps at how wicked we are.
God is weeping and is wondering what to do. In the end He will judge us, but why bother with all of this. This is no answer. In fact, if we are just "choosing to follow the evil human nature", how could God ever stop sin? Will there be the ability to sin in heaven? What is the purpose of sin?
I'd like to attempt to give a more Biblically based answer in 3 points. First the wrath of God as explained in Romans 1 and 9, then the nature of sin in sinners from Romans 3 & 5 and finally looking at the Son of God as Lord and Judge of men.
1) On September 10th 2000, I was talking with my son about Romans 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,..." Here we have a text that speaks of God's wrath always being revealed from heaven above. Yes, I admit I am an oddball. Talking with my then 4 year-old son is hardly something that is practiced by most Christian parents. Yet is it not going to eventually have to be dealt with? The next day I had to only reinforce what I had already been teaching my son, while many were coming up with excuses.
God's wrath is being displayed in this world. It is an attribute of God that He actually desires to demonstrate. For my 15 years as a Christian I have seen this attribute displayed in various ways I would never have guessed God would do. Yet every time this happens, God is being blamed for destroying the lives of innocent men and women. Although it is true that the students at Virginia Tech were innocent in the sense they did nothing to deserve being shot by some murderous geek, yet no one is innocent. All men must die and then the judgment.
Events like Virginia Tech, 9/11 and the Tsunami are great reminders that men are by nature children of wrath and abide under His wrath. Without reminders like these men would simply ignore God. Notice this text in 2 Peter, "He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;"
There you have it. God has been reminding men with examples of a coming Day of Judgment. You might ask what is the purpose? Why does God allow evil men in the world. Romans 9 is very clear, though you might not know it from Christians who manipulate the text.
Romans 9:17 says, "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.'"
It is God's purpose to display His wrath against sin and ungodliness. Who better than the mighty Pharaoh and his many false gods to destroy? God has chosen to display not only His wrath but to use wrath as a backdrop for His even greater display of Grace in the salvation of His elect.
Evil has a purpose. Calamity has a purpose. At Plymouth Plantation an acting Pilgrim was asked "Why do you believe in a God that took away half of your settlement that first winter?" His response was most Biblical. "Who are we to question God?"
We may not know what the purpose of a particular event is in the life of this passing age. We do know this. "...that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." If you are a Christian, we have enough Biblical witness from Joseph and his evil brothers to Christ's crucifixion that God is truly working all things for His own glory and our good.
2) The problem of evil is the fact that men are sinners from the heart. How often do we hear today the Semi-Pelagian view that men are sinners but that men still have a free-will. Roman 3 says,
""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."
"THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS";
"WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS";
"THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD,
DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,
AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN."
"THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."
How often this text is said to refer to just those who are not seeking God. Yet we know there are God-seekers, so this text can't be referring to everyone. Much of the problem with Christianity today is that we have appealed to the evangelistic model of "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" that there is simply no fear of God even by many Christians. As has been said, "What you win them with is what you must keep them with."
If we continue to preach a Gospel that doesn't deal with sin and God's Law we will continue to see people attempting to make excuses for God when evil or calamities happen. Our response should be Jesus' words, "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
We must get back to explaining what the Bible actually teaches about men. All are in Adam and in Adam all die. Men are dead in trespasses and sin. Men are slaves of sin. This isn't just parts of men while their will is unaffected. It is all of man's faculties, mind, body, soul, will, ect..
3) The last point is Christians must stop proclaiming a Jesus that is getting on His hands and knees and begging and failing to save over and over again, but a Jesus that commands men everywhere to repent. We must remind men (and apparently Christians as well) that Jesus is the Lord of Glory. He is the Judge of men's souls. There is a Day coming in which the Son of Man will be revealed in all His power and glory, and He will execute judgment and wrath on all ungodliness. He will also gather His elect to Himself.
This point can not be understated. Simply saying Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life is simply to shallow. We must bring men to an understanding that they must face Christ in the final day. That He will judge their sin and cast out all those not written in the Book of Life. We see everyday, including at Virginia Tech, that Christ has the ultimate authority to bring men to judgment at any time.
Our days in this life are numbered, and men, according to the Scriptures, are like grass in the field. We are here today and gone tomorrow. Jesus said all who come to Him will have eternal life. Come to Him today.
I realize this could be far better said and probably could have used better arguments. Then again, it is just me.
Soli Deo Gloria
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