“WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?”

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of well-known book, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”, was sought out for commentary in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. He wrote about that time in his book, “Conquering Fear”, devoting a chapter to the fallout. He found that the attacks left people across the U.S. with a deep sense of vulnerability. Kushner explains terrorism and its power: “Terrorist math is simple. Kill one person, frighten a thousand. Kill a few thousand people, terrify an entire population. ... The power of a terrorist act, the secret of its effectiveness, lies in its randomness.” But he also wrote of conquering the power of terrorism: “We will have to hold on to our faith that God has given us a world where evil is possible but evil will ultimately consume itself.”

Mr. Kushner’s statement that “our faith that God has given us” is key to understanding why bad things happen to good people as well as understanding how to conquer fear. HOW HAS GOD GIVEN US FAITH; AND WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THAT FAITH? While faith is personal, this does not mean that each person can determine the kind of faith that he desires. Man has no authority or freedom from God to develop his ‘own unique, personal’ faith without regard to what the word of God declares about faith. 

Faith, while “like precious” (2 Peter 1:1); is also said to be ‘common’ (Titus 1:4). This means that it is shared by all who are in Christ (cf. Acts 2:44; 4:32). Yet, faith is individual in that each person must ‘come to’ his own knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2:4), before he can be saved. In this sense, repentance is ‘common’ as each must turn from his own sins (2 Peter 3:8). Even sin is ‘common’ in that sin is a transgression of God’s will; and every accountable person has done so (Romans 3:23). 

Salvation is also ‘common’ and ‘like precious’, but personal (Jude 1:3). Furthermore, salvation is only as God has decreed. Peter acknowledged this saying, “…in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:35). Peter further acknowledged that God purifies Jew and Gentile in a ‘common’ way, “purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:9). It was God’s purpose from eternity for all the saved to be united in one body, through a ‘common’ faith, thus having a ‘common’ salvation (Ephesians 2:16). 

Salvation is based upon love…God’s love for us and our love for Him. His love for us is stated in John 3:16. God’s love is also seen in giving us guidance and purpose for living through the teachings that came by inspiration of His Spirit. Jesus’ teachings on love were by commandment from God and according to the word that His Father gave Him (John 12:49-50). Thus, what man knows of love, he has learned from God.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends…” (John 15:13). Man would never have known the concept of love had God not shown man how to love. This did not come from creation, but from His revelation to man. But neither would we know how to love God in return had God not taught us. Jesus told the apostles in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” In John 14:15, 21, He taught these words: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments…whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

But we also learn how to love one another from what God has taught us. In 1 John 3:16 we read, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” Having learned how to express love back to God and to our fellow man, we overcome fear.

Because man has failed to express love AS GOD ORDAINED, bad things happen to good people. This is the spiritual lesson to be learned from the tragedy of 9/11 and any other tragedy. Life is not random, but according to God’s eternal purpose. The lesson we need to learn is, “…Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2).

3/20/22

“OUT of UR, EGYPT, and SIN”

 

“Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham.” (Nehemiah 9:7).

While it is stated in the verse above that God brought Abraham out of Ur, it doesn’t explain the manner in which God did so. However, there are other texts that do explain how, and these passages will be the focus of the article. As we examine these additional texts, we will find that both God and Abraham had active roles. If it were to be asked, ‘Did Abraham DO anything’, then the answer is clearly ‘yes’. We find that God gave a command to Abraham to leave Ur and Abraham obeyed (cf. Genesis 12:1-4; Acts 7:2-3; Hebrews 11:8). God promised an inheritance to Abraham and Abraham believed God would fulfill His oath (Hebrews 11:9-10).

Abraham’s faith was not dead, like his own body was said to be (Hebrews 11:12). His faith was strong, fully trusting that God would accomplish whatever God declared. The apostle Paul stated the following words of Abraham: “Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:18-21).

Apart from declaring His will to (and for) Abraham, would Abraham have chosen to leave Ur? What reason(s) would have sufficed for Abraham to even consider such a move?  In giving commands and promises to Abraham, God would know whether or not Abraham feared Him above all else. God did not force Abraham to leave Ur. That is an important fact to recognize. God gave Abraham a choice in regard to the matter. We see his faith made perfect by his obedience. THIS was how God ‘brought’ Abraham out.

What was true in the case of Abraham coming out of Ur was also true with the children of Israel. We see this from Stephen’s words in Acts 7. In v. 36, Stephen said that God ‘brought’ them out of Egypt. Yet in vss. 25 and 40 we find that God did so by the hand of Moses. God promised the blessings of Abraham to the people of Israel through Moses and gave them commands. They believed and obeyed (Exodus 3:21-22; 12:35). God fulfilled His promise. The psalmist declared, “He brought the Israelites out with silver and gold, and among His tribes, there was not one who stumbled.” (Psalm 105:37). THIS was how God ‘brought’ them out of Egypt. As with Abraham, so likewise God did not force these people to submit. He gave them evidence whereby they could choose to believe in His power to fulfill His promises if they so desired.

This same thing is true with us in regard to our salvation from sin. We are not forced to stop committing sin, however we have the resurrection as proof of our eternal inheritance (Acts 17:30-31).

In view of this, we can choose to repent or perish (2 Peter 3:9). This eternal inheritance was the same promise God made to Abraham and to the children of Israel. These promises are related. God’s bringing Abraham out of Ur and Israel out of Egypt was with a view to bringing us out of sin. This was what He purposed from eternity. God ‘brought’ Abraham out of Ur to “bless ALL” in the future, in Christ (cf. Genesis 12:3; Acts 3:26).

The apostle Peter wrote that God has given us “exceeding great and precious promises” through Christ (2 Peter 1:4). Our blessings were promised upon the same conditions that were stated to Abraham and his descendants: faith and compliance. In this manner, God ‘brings’ us out of sin. We see the power of God’s word from this process. God’s word has the power to convict the heart to repent and accept God’s offer of salvation (Romans 1:16). The apostle Paul described our blessings this way, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, ‘In thee shall all the nations be blessed’.” (Galatians 3:8).

Let us learn from the example of how God ‘brought’ Abraham out and have hope “through patience and comfort of the scriptures” (Romans 15:4).

3/14/22

“THE TASSEL”

“The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a violet thread. It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so that you will do them and not follow your own heart and your own eyes, which led you to prostitute yourselves, so that you will remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God.” (Numbers 15:37-40).

There are two interesting words in the text above that will be the focus of this week’s article. These words point out what is necessary for every Christian. The first word is ‘fringe’. Some versions have the word ‘tassel’. We are familiar with a tassel as it is prevalent in graduation ceremonies in our culture. The children of Israel were given a command to wear tassels on the borders of their garments throughout their generations. The purpose being a reminder of something which was most important: Be obedient to Jehovah’s commands! While we are familiar with a similar act of tying a string around one of our fingers, such is not done as a reminder to obey God. While we are not commanded to wear tassels, we are given other commands from God which serves as reminders to be obedient.

For example, the command to assemble is our “tassel” reminder. We assemble to be reminded of the commands of the gospel to keep them; to be holy. We also assemble to be reminded NOT to follow after the lusts and desires of our own heart. Our ‘coming together’ can be for the better, or for the worse (1 Corinthians 11:20); depending upon how well we remember.

There is no greater event to remember than the sacrifice of Jesus. The purpose for which He shed His blood was for the remission of our sins. Therefore we have been given a command to proclaim His death. We find from all the records of the observance of the Lord’s supper (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:117-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28), that disciples are to be together when partaking. Yes, we are to come together! It should be no surprise to find a “tassel-reminder” in connection with this memorial. In Hebrews 10:24-25 we read, “…let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.”

It is ironic that this most significant event is the very one that is least remembered by those who have been taught human traditions and human theology. Satan’s deception of how to observe this memorial has been the springboard for all other deceptions. Therefore, a few words regarding the manner in which this remembering is to be done is in order. Must we “proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns?” ‘Of course’, you might reply. How then shall we proclaim it? Do we have any inspired language from the Holy Spirit as to how we are to remember, or may we decide this according to our own wisdom? We find that practices vary from weekly, to monthly, to yearly. Some partake on Thursday night, some on Saturday, and others on Sunday. Some now do it from home without any regard to the command to ‘come together’ in Hebrews 10:25.

The variance in practice is indicative that either no divine guidance exists, or the divine guidance is simply not followed. Which is it? The answer lies in a brief study of the second term. It is the word ‘follow’ or ‘seek’ (KJV). The Israelites were told to ‘not follow’ something (re-read v. 39 above). The word ‘follow’ means to follow much as the hind leg of an animal follows the front leg. It goes wherever the front leg steps. There is no decision made regarding whether the path is a path of danger, it just follows without thinking. What God was then meaning was to NOT follow your heart’s desire without any consideration of whether your heart is following the Lord’s commandments; remember THEM! We need to remember what God spoke to Noah when He gave the reminder of the rainbow: “the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth…” (Genesis 8:21).

Attaching a tassel to their garments was such an insignificant act, yet it had profound purpose. How important was it? Assembling is a very insignificant thing for many, yet it likewise has an equally profound purpose. How important is it to you? Remember, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

3/6/22