Monday - November 4, 2013
Today was the start of our two day seminar in the Arusha area. We were scheduled to begin at 10:30am to allow time for those who were coming from a distance. After finishing up breakfast and finishing up a few things in my room, I pack my backpack and started on my 1 mile hike up the hill to Jeremiah's church. I left early because I wasn't sure how long the walk would be or how long it would take me to walk it. It only took 20 minutes (even with a two stops to try and purchase some AA batteries for my camera), so I arrived early as well. By 10:30 only one other person was there. This always gets under my skin a bit. If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time, right? And yet, the wait causes me to reflect a bit. Ask any of the members back home in Atlanta, and they will probably tell you that we seldom start church on time. My flesh would like me to believe that it's someone else's fault, but in truth, I am to blame. All of a sudden, "If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time." takes on a different application for me....
After a longer wait, we find out that the men coming from Arusha were caught up in traffic. A truck had turned over on the highway over a bridge blocking traffic going both directions. They didn't know how long it would take them to get through the traffic. Another man was sick and not feeling well. We decided to begin with those who were there, instead of waiting for everyone to arrive. So we settled down for study.
We began with prayer and a hymn in Swahili, and then I was invited to teach. I decided to take up a study of God, based on Article 1 of the Augsburg Confession. I presented the difference between the natural knowledge of God and the revealed knowledge of God, and we discussed the various religions of the world and their views of God and their similarities, based on the incomplete knowledge we have of God from nature. Then we talked about the doctrine of the Trinity and the three persons of the Godhead.
During our class, one of the men asked a good question related to God: "Is God the cause of evil?" Is it correct to say when I have an accident, that God wanted it to happen for some reason I cannot understand?" We had several good examples to consider this morning. Did God desire or even cause the accident that stopped traffic? Did he cause the pastor to be sick? I've heard many Christians in the US talk this way. "It was God's will that I contracted cancer" or something along those lines. They are not trying to blame God intentionally, but in essence that is exactly what they are saying: "God caused this bad thing to happen."
This kind of thinking is the result of Calvinist thinking that says that God is sovereign over everything. He is ultimately responsible for both good and bad. Calvinism even goes so far as to say that God chose some to go to hell (double predestination). But this is not what the Bible teaches us about God. God is good, he is not the author or cause of evil of any kind. God is also just and does demand punishment for sin, but that does not make him the author or cause of evil. He cannot be good AND the cause of evil! Discipline is good, and the result of evil not the cause of evil. We need to take care not to confuse these two.
Is God the cause of evil? Certainly not! The Psalmist proclaims: "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9). Sin and the Devil are the cause of evil in this fallen world. So give credit where credit is due, but let's not blame God for what is not from Him!
What joy and comfort are ours knowing that God is not evil and bent on causing us pain. The Triune God is just and good and has accomplished our salvation.
Praise God for that!
Today was the start of our two day seminar in the Arusha area. We were scheduled to begin at 10:30am to allow time for those who were coming from a distance. After finishing up breakfast and finishing up a few things in my room, I pack my backpack and started on my 1 mile hike up the hill to Jeremiah's church. I left early because I wasn't sure how long the walk would be or how long it would take me to walk it. It only took 20 minutes (even with a two stops to try and purchase some AA batteries for my camera), so I arrived early as well. By 10:30 only one other person was there. This always gets under my skin a bit. If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time, right? And yet, the wait causes me to reflect a bit. Ask any of the members back home in Atlanta, and they will probably tell you that we seldom start church on time. My flesh would like me to believe that it's someone else's fault, but in truth, I am to blame. All of a sudden, "If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time." takes on a different application for me....
After a longer wait, we find out that the men coming from Arusha were caught up in traffic. A truck had turned over on the highway over a bridge blocking traffic going both directions. They didn't know how long it would take them to get through the traffic. Another man was sick and not feeling well. We decided to begin with those who were there, instead of waiting for everyone to arrive. So we settled down for study.
We began with prayer and a hymn in Swahili, and then I was invited to teach. I decided to take up a study of God, based on Article 1 of the Augsburg Confession. I presented the difference between the natural knowledge of God and the revealed knowledge of God, and we discussed the various religions of the world and their views of God and their similarities, based on the incomplete knowledge we have of God from nature. Then we talked about the doctrine of the Trinity and the three persons of the Godhead. During our class, one of the men asked a good question related to God: "Is God the cause of evil?" Is it correct to say when I have an accident, that God wanted it to happen for some reason I cannot understand?" We had several good examples to consider this morning. Did God desire or even cause the accident that stopped traffic? Did he cause the pastor to be sick? I've heard many Christians in the US talk this way. "It was God's will that I contracted cancer" or something along those lines. They are not trying to blame God intentionally, but in essence that is exactly what they are saying: "God caused this bad thing to happen."
This kind of thinking is the result of Calvinist thinking that says that God is sovereign over everything. He is ultimately responsible for both good and bad. Calvinism even goes so far as to say that God chose some to go to hell (double predestination). But this is not what the Bible teaches us about God. God is good, he is not the author or cause of evil of any kind. God is also just and does demand punishment for sin, but that does not make him the author or cause of evil. He cannot be good AND the cause of evil! Discipline is good, and the result of evil not the cause of evil. We need to take care not to confuse these two. Is God the cause of evil? Certainly not! The Psalmist proclaims: "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9). Sin and the Devil are the cause of evil in this fallen world. So give credit where credit is due, but let's not blame God for what is not from Him!
What joy and comfort are ours knowing that God is not evil and bent on causing us pain. The Triune God is just and good and has accomplished our salvation.
Praise God for that!
1 comment:
Hi Dad! As always, you have a very good point. I am so proud of everything you are doing for Him!
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