Why do bad things happen ~ Evil in the World!

Me ~ We can hear a certain question every day. "So, why do bad things happen" or what some ask, "why does God let bad things happen?"

John ~ God does not let them happen. But, because of original sin, God knows that bad things will happen and yet He can turn them around for good...for His good which is for all our good. This, we may not, from the perspective of this world, understand. What we know is that God suffered far more than anyone has or will ever have. Jesus Christ came into this world to show us that the only escape of this fallen world with all its sin is death. God gave us free will, and He acknowledges our choice and He allows us to experience the outcome of our choices, trouble and suffering is part of that.

Effectively, we are blessed even when bad things happen. How? When we give ourselves to Him, trusting in Him that good will ultimately reign when the bad things happen, then we are blessed. Trusting in Him to turn things around for His glory which is ultimately ours. We know this to be true as His Word promises.

Me ~ Now, someone can say, "Well,  my brother never chose cancer or my son never chose to be killed in a car accident."

John ~ Our remote ancestors Adam and Ever made a decision that affected every person born since then as well as nature itself. We put a curse on ourselves and the world because we choose to disobey God, the curse is 'corruption' which means that the world is now operating in a way that it was never intended to.

Cancer is a result of this world because our body is not able to function in the perfect way that it was intended to. An accident is also the result of our being in an imperfect corrupted world.

Me ~ Did  Jesus's coming really change that circumstance as in create an 'out'...?

John ~ Yes, by accepting Jesus' as the new Adam a new kind of man as in 'reborn' (God in the flesh - born to die and be resurrected) we are able (being born again -baptized) to be changed on the inside with the expectation of the outside being changed soon along with the restoration of the earth and nature as it was before the fall of man.

This world is a fallen world. Jesus reminded us that though we are in it, we are not of it- John 15:18. In Him, we overcome this world, through death of this world and resurrection in Christ.

Me ~ What about prayer, don't some people pray and actually experience miracles?

John ~ Yes, that can happen. We can call on the Holy Spirit to help us overcome this world and ask if that is God's will that a person remain with us, he/she will be healed; because, by God the Holy Spirit's intervention His Will / His Glory will be revealed and recognized. And, sometimes, God shows another way to overcome this world and that is through death which is also His good as such it also reveals His Will/Glory arriving at the same result... which is "...he who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

"For anyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world... anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart.  And, this is the testimony - God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."  1 John 5

God and Social Justice

Me ~ There is a lot of discussion today about social justice. If I am correct in reading the news, the Pope is encouraging this discussion. What do you say about God and social justice?

John ~ There is a heresy that has crept into the Church that God/Jesus was concerned about Social Justice. God our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was concerned with every individuals' salvation. Yes, He addressed many poor as they reached out to Him eager to listen. That did not mean Jesus did not reach out to the wealthy, he did; and, even had dinner at their house. Christ was about the salvation of every man - rich and poor. He was not about 'group' justice. This is what we are being subjected to today.

Me ~ What do you mean 'group' justice?

John ~ Jesus was concerned first and foremost with individual righteousness and the Kingdom of God. Our so called social justice is concerned with group identity and political manipulation of groups in the name of "justice". So, what is happening is that certain groups are being politically favored in order that the controlling group who really rule over and above every man are given the right to take property and wealth from particular groups under them and redistribute their wealth by 'their' made man law which seems 'righteous' but what it really does is allow the controlling group to keep their wealth by making others (not in their circle group) pay what they (control group) deem to be their fair share.

The Lord God has always been concerned with the heart of individuals and as we read His Word, we come to know that He never conducted group healing or group therapies or group talk shows (orchestrated by Him) proposing a certain agenda. Yes, many poor gathered around Him and He talked to them but not as if they were a kind of group that needed special attention. He said himself, "the poor you will always have" Matthew 26:11. And thus, He demanded from every individual to those less fortunate. He was concerned about the purity of the individual heart and the calling of the elect into God's Kingdom - His social justice.

Jesus never called upon the slaves or poor to rise up and demand political redress by violence of fiat. This notion was devised by atheists who do not believe that the human heart can be saved and therefore choose to make laws to make people behave by threat of violence to them. Hardly the same message that the Lord and Savior Christ Jesus preached.

"If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
 1 COR 13:3

Looking at that scripture from Corinthians, we can ask "What does that mean?" It means that no matter what you are rich or poor, if you have not love in your heart you gain nothing. A poor man can be as unloving and hateful as any rich man. We assume today that the rich are hateful and that the poor are loving and kind =  the 'good' people. This is not true but a slogan of propaganda used by the control group. This was the agenda the control group used against society in Jesus's time.

God's Promise for Eternal life is not the Promise for Happiness in this life

Me ~ So many people today are confused. They think that God's Promise for eternal life means the pursuit of and guarantee of happiness in this life. The question I hear..."God wants us to be happy, right?"

John ~ Nowhere in scripture does God promise happiness in our life. Yes, some people like to point Ecclesiastes 3:12 where Solomon pretty much states that men in this life should pursue happiness. However, Solomon lived in the Old Testament times without the Holy Spirit to guide him. Yes, he believed in the God of Abraham and God in fact gave wisdom to Solomon but that soon was corrupted by the numerous wives of Solomon who worshiped pagan deities. God warned Solomon, but Solomon left his wisdom behind.

Me ~ Ok, what about being happy? Aren't people supposed to be happy, maybe that is what Solomon wanted... to be happy?

John ~ We all want to be happy because it makes us feel good. But happiness is based on fickle conditions, like how our body feels, how people treat us today and yesterday and how we think they will tomorrow, the weather, etc. Living in a fallen world, we can never achieve perfect happiness because it is not possible. To pursue it, is foolishness and leads to depravity and a reprobate mind. Jesus came to give us joy and peace. His Joy, His Peace... which are spiritual not based on the flesh.

Me ~ Why is perfect happiness not possible?

John ~ We live in a fallen world!

Me ~ Well, what can people expect?

John ~ We can expect to have good days and bad days, to be happy and sad depending on our circumstances.  God never promised us 'happiness' in this life in this world because it is impossible. However, with the peace and joy of God in our lives, we no longer experience what we think of as the loss of happiness brought about by anxiety and  fear. By having God in our lives, we do not seek after depraved and dangerous activities; like: the use of recreational drugs or engaging in sexual promiscuity or even the drive to acquire wealth, prestige and property for example, to recover feelings of lost happiness. Having His Holy Spirit within us helps us; and, guides our life in this world with its ups and downs which without His Holy Spirit would cause us to lose all happiness and any peace and joy. Because we know that God is always with us and loves us, our peace and joy will never be lost ~ that's His happiness for us and that's forever!

Living Under The Law

Me ~ Paul said in Romans "that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law... and that it was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, because law brings wrath... the law was added so that the trespass might increase; but, where sin increased grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The law and laws are what make civilized people and free. I think most people would agree with that. Perhaps, it is for this reason that the law is what we in this fallen world have been subjected to in order that we overcome this fallen world.

John ~ Well, the law increases where sin increases. This is a fallen world and sin is ever increasing; the world of nature and science reveal the state of decay - corruption. Because sin is so onerous God introduced grace knowing that man could not save himself in this state of decay. If sin remained unchecked without the presence of God's spirit in this world it would destroy the entire world.

Me ~ But, isn't total destruction revealed in Revelations?

John ~ Jesus said that if he did not return to stop the march of sin, everything would be destroyed. He is going to intervene in time to stop it.  This is a future event.

Me ~ I understand. Let's go back to the law. Jesus through Paul and in His own teachings showed us that the law is more than we can accomplish on our own. Right?

John ~ Correct, the law is impossible for fallen man to obey. The law does not restrain evil. God's spirit does. God's law was very comprehensive covering every conceivable behavior that people could commit. He had prescriptions on how to deal with it. It was so detailed that it was burdensome, in fact impossible for anyone to fully obey. Which is why God introduced the blood sacrifices for the atonement of sin for the breaking of the law. He sent His only Son to atone for sin for those who would accept it.

Me ~ Why does man then continue to make laws which he thinks will make this world a better place?

John ~ Because, laws do temporarily restrain sin but do not eliminate sin. Hence, laws are strengthen and created; however this has the unfortunate affect of eliminating personal freedom. God's solution goes directly to the heart of the matter by changing the hearts of people; so that they no longer desire to do wrong.  Thus, preserving individual liberty and increasing it.

Me ~ Amen!!!

What Does Toleration and Being Tolerant Mean to the Christian?

Me ~ Opponents of Christianity make the claim that toleration and being tolerant are not part of the Christian world view. Why is that?

John ~ First, we have to define what tolerance is. It is putting up with things such as  ideas or views that people have which are relativistic and arbitrarily arrived at. The tolerance we as Christians should have is that we can only put up with so much ungodly behavior based on what God expects, using His standard of measure. In saying that, we as Christians are not out to condemn people and throw them into the lions den; rather we call out the sin and try to guide the sinner back onto a path toward salvation.

Opponents of Christianity want us to judge using their standard which is always in flux, whatever the culture feels like at the time, this is their basis. For example, we cannot criticize homosexuals today but we can criticize Christians for being Christians.  If opponents of Christianity claim that Christians are intolerant of what God says is evil, then they are correct. What opponents are actually saying is that Christians are intolerant of what they say is evil, not God. 

They are saying that Christians are hypocrites because they claim to be tolerant yet call out sin. Christians are not hypocrites in this respect. Because, they are tolerant to a certain point. That means when they can no longer put up with the sin that they recognize based on God's standards not their own they have a right to call out the sin in order to save the individual from further damnation.

Christ himself told his people to judge with a righteous judgement and to discern good from evil. If we as Christians fail to do that, then we as Christians are not being the salt in light in the world that they are called to be. It means that we as Christians are looking the other way instead of being salt and light. Salt burns the darkness and sin away... light exposes the truth!

God's Genetic Programming

Me ~ There is a new agenda on the horizon, genetic enhancement. The argument is that such manipulation of genes is evolutionary for man. What do you think?

John ~ First of all, the idea of intentional evolution is an oxymoron. Darwinist evolution is a mindless process that takes place over eons of time without purpose or direction. Gene manipulation in the laboratory is not evolution in fact it is creation which is the very thing that scientists deny happens in nature. So, if we are going to manipulate our own genes, this is creation and we are playing God.

Secondly, the whole idea that life is getting better through Darwinist evolution is in contradiction to the second law of thermo-dynamics. I point this because, evolution requires energy. In a state of entropy any kind of change for the 'better' (and what would that be?) would not be necessary. Better actually would be conservation of energy and thus less evolution; it would be better in fact to be a single cell that stores energy.

Me ~ I know that we are in a state of entropy because this is a fallen world. However, when you look at the world, you see incredible complexity which definitely has the Creator's mark on it. God seems to have a plan... are we evolving in God's program? Some say yes as we select our mates. In fact, this is part of the argument being used to do genetic enhancement. What do you think?

John ~The idea that we must improve ourselves physically is not scriptural. In fact, the flesh is called the enemy of the spirit. Because the spirit is the true nature of man in the image of God. And, as scripture says over and over everything physical will be destroyed by fire included fools who think that they can live forever by becoming machines. The entropy in the universe was put there by the creator so that evil would not continue forever. It has an expiration date. And the entropy in the universe prevents corruption from spreading to far before succumbing to this natural decay.

Me ~ I agree, but what about man's (including woman) choosing a mate. Don't we make choices based on physical appearance? 

John ~ Yes we do. All based in the five senses which are of the flesh and are corrupt and not an accurate means of choosing a mate. But, certainly it is the means used by fallen man which is why it is not working so well. We should be choosing someone that God selects for us. I mean we should be making a choice based on God's selection for us, God brings you together. If you seek the Lord, you will know the 'right' person when you meet them.

What Consequences Can We Expect?

Me ~ Not so many posts ago, we blogged about marriage between a man and a woman. As of this past week, the US Supreme Court recognized 'gay' marriage. There is no need to go on about marriage between a man and a woman in this post because if anyone wants to know what we blogged they can go back and read it. Now, I just want to ask, what consequences can be expected from this decision?

John ~  Legally, the supreme court has decided that laws no longer have meaning which means that laws are arbitrary and we no longer live under the rule of law which was established about 400 years ago. This essentially is where the Roman Empire was just before its collapsed as the emperors became arbitrary and tyrannical. What this means for the individual as the group is that we cannot trust the written laws to mean what they say.  

Socially, this means that the fundamental construct of human society is now loosely associate in fact by bare threads. What once was stable society held together by a strong fabric of God fearing people has been changed by costumed individuals playing God.  If the family wasn't already on death's door, it is certainly in the coffin now. What does this mean for the future? It means chaos and anarchy for social reality.

Religiously, it means that the state now will work very hard to shut down any religion that contradicts the dictates of the state. Which is essentially is where we were 200 years ago. So, we have gone from tyranny to liberty to corruption back to tyranny.

Ultimately, we have moved from a nation that trusted God to a nation that leans on its own whims. The covenant we made founding this country has been broken and now we will pay the price for our folly. It will be the most devastating, destructive and terrifying upheaval since the fall of the Roman Empire in Europe.

What will come out on the other end side of this is any one's guess, it may not be the country we once lived in nor be a country at all.  God is going to the only thing He can do once a society codifies sodomy into law and that is wipe it out.