Today, I read a blog from someone, who until recently was unknown to me; although, my interest has definitely been piqued. Their post, I believe, may show some confusion in understanding the Christian God of the bible. I will paste my response first; and then follow up with a paste of their post.
————— My Response ————————–
Hello, I’m a visitor, but wanted to comment. I’m basing this comment on an understanding of a common Christian Orthodoxy, which, I admit, as a visitor, I may be out of step with the general consensus in the various discussions, or may miss the context of the conversation all together.
While the bible agrees with the view of a loving and compassionate God, we have to be careful not to sacrifice one of his qualities for any other (for example the justice of God). Will there be justice on the Day of Judgment for those who never accepted the work of redemption done on their behalf? Will there be justice for those whom, through Christ’s work of redemption, are thus rewarded, not based on something they have done, but on a work that was completed despite (and in spite) of their own desires?
If God is truly God, then he is omnipotent. As an all powerful God, there is nothing that happens outside of his control, he knows beforehand all things that are to happen. Whether there is a disagreement on the semantics of whether God is the primary or secondary cause, at the very least, he knows that bad things are going to happen, has the power to stop them, and yet, still chooses not to. Why? There are many reasons we could speculate, in fact many have.
This is one major paradox: if God is all powerful and loving, how can there be evil in the world. But in our quest to explain this, let’s be careful not to sacrifice one quality for another (the love of God for the sovereignty of God or omnipotence) to fulfill our desire to answer that question in a satisfactory way. In trying to understand this, it may be like trying to explain to a rock what it’s like to be a dove, when we ourselves are only fish. It may, in fact, be a futile endeavor; but our inability to describe a dove does not indeed make the idea of a Dove nonsense.
What father, that loves his child, would not allow them to face adversity [Not beyond what they are capable of handling], or permit or exact punishment, to refine them. Gold is purer when refined by fire, iron is stronger. Adversity brings character.
I don’t view the Christian God of the bible as being sadistic or schizophrenic, although I confess that the New Testament clearly portrays him as a loving father who disciplines and allows hardships to come under all of his Children. If he did not allow this, then we could be assured of one thing: That we are illegitimate children and not sons of God.
(Heb 12:7) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
(Heb 12:8) If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
(Heb 12:9) Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
(Heb 12:10) Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
(Heb 12:11) No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
—————Original Post —————————-
It’s so sad to hear and know that there are actually people out there who believe that God literally controls and “ordains” everything that happens in their lives. How depressing it must be to serve such a sadistic, cruel and tyrannical being. I honestly can’t imagine serving someone who uses his adversary to torment his own children!
If God is ultimately responsible for and controlling everything that happens, then that would mean Jesus and God worked against each other quite often while Jesus walked this earth. That would mean that God caused storms and then Jesus reversed God’s work by calming them. God made people sick and then Jesus destroyed His work by healing them. God gave people demons and then Jesus cast them out. You’d think that Jesus would have eventually been annoyed by such ridiculous behavior on God’s part. Then again, since Jesus is God, I guess God was actually working against Himself! Wow… what a great way to make God look like a complete idiot!
The Bible says that Jesus went about doing good and healing everyone who was sick. It also says that He was sent [by God] to destroy [and undo] the works of the devil (1 John 3:8; Acts 10:38). The works of who? So God and the devil were actually working together to make people sick and bring pain into their lives? Hmm… how comforting and edifying to believe that God is actually the tormentor!
If God “ordained” that satan bring sin, sickness, and problems into peoples’ lives (as religion claims), then what was Jesus doing destroying those works?? If God “controls everything”, then all of those works of the devil were ultimately works of God, right? How can we ever resist (actively fight against) the devil (James 4:7) if we believe that God is using him to “develop our faith” and teach us a lesson??? Hmm… what amazing theology religion has introduced to us! The sad part is that people actually believe this stuff!
It’s amazing how people can make God out to be so schizophrenic. It’s no wonder why so many millions of people are rejecting God on a daily basis. They probably believe that following Him will make them as confused as the religious people who have described God in such a confusing, unscriptural way.
I’ve got an outstanding idea…. Let’s consider presenting the same Father God to people that Jesus did. People have heard enough false doctrine about God controlling their problems and “ordaining” the hell in their lives as a part of His “sovereign plan”. Isn’t the Gospel supposed to be GOOD News? I don’t think telling someone that God is the one behind the garbage in their lives is Good News.
That is not at all what people are needing to hear from us. We need to allow Jesus to reverse the works of the devil in peoples’ lives. We don’t need to teach them that the devil’s work in their lives is actually God’s work and God’s desire for them!
All I ask is that everyone please consider their beliefs and doctrines about God. Do they line up with what the New Testament proclaims and do they line up with the God that Jesus presented to us? Jesus told us that He was an exact representation of the Father. Did Jesus ever do the things that religion has blamed God for and claimed that God is responsible for?
Have you presented a confusing image of God to other people?
If so, please consider what you’re doing. You’re not helping people, you’re hurting them. People need to know and experience a loving and compassionate God who’s willing to help them… and religion has presented to them a sadistic, all-controlling “God” who is actually the one hurting them and “sovereignly ordaining” their pain!