 |
 |
Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Violence and Suffering:
Could God Prevent Them from Happening?
Tragic accidents do happen, and when they do, someone is bound to ask, "Why did God let that happen?" The fact that floods, earthquakes and violent deaths take place is reason enough for some to bring charges against God.
We are often told by our preachers that God loves us and cares for us. But, with Gideon in the Bible, we ask, "If the Lord he with us, why is all this befallen us?" Judges 6:13. If God really cares for His c;'eation, why does He allow suffering, pain and evil to exist? "How are you going to answer that. Preacher?"
First of all, I don't pretend to know all of the ways of God. While God's mind is revealed in the Bible, we are also told, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Romans 11:33.
That does not mean we can know nothing of God's ways, but His "ways" are often not our ways. When God made us with the ability to make our own choices, some of our choices were almost certain to become a source of danger to ourselves and others. That's just the way this world is. God could have programmed us in such a way that we would always do the right thing and make the right choices, but He did not. So, when one person causes harm to another, or makes a mistake that harms others or himself, it's not because God doesn't care, but because God made man with the right to choose. God never promised that this world would be what man wants it to be, but it is precisely what God needs it to be: that is, a proving ground for man; a place for us human beings to prove our fitness for the Kingdom of Heaven. We know that death is a part of life, and 'hat death is often untimely and difficult to understand. When a drunk driver kills someone, many are prone to question God's omnipotence or His love. Of course. God did not want that person to die, but the man got drunk, anyway. He could have made that man in such a way that he could not get drunk. But that was not His plan. Remember, God's only Son lived in this world, and He died an untimely death.
God created man with "dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing," Genesis 1:26.
But sin took away that dominion. Genesis 3:14-24. Today, at least to some degree, the earth has dominion over us. Weeds, thorns and pain frustrate us. Weather patterns provide us with the changes of seasons, sunshine and rain, seed time and harvest, but can also result in pain and inconvenience. When did God promise rain would only come when I want it? Where did He ever promise life on this planet would be free from pain? Those promises are not there, but many assume they should be. Interestingly, man is just now realizing that suffering and pain are not always negative, but can result in such positive qualities as tenderness, strength, empathy, maturity, and endurance.
Yes, God cares, and He could eliminate all the evil in the world. But again, that's not His plan. Besides, the cost of that Utopian world would likely be more than most of us would be willing to pay.
Heaven is a place filled with bliss and joy, and it is available to "all who obey Him," Hebrews 5:9. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly," John 10:10. Even so, with Paul I long for that eternal home where tears, death and suffering are no more, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8. As with those everyday decisions, however, the choice is yours. What will you choose?
|
|
|
|
|
The Woman's Role in the Church
(1st of 3 parts)
I have in my file a twenty-page document sent by the elders of a church in Alabama to the members of that church. This document was under date of January 1990, and it tells about plans to change what they refer to as “traditional” roles for women. Among other things, they said they would appoint some deacons, and then the statement is made: “Deacons will be male and female.” The document further states that the elders would “initiate gradual change in the Sunday morning worship assembly.” Notice that word gradual. We can’t do it all at once; it has to be done gradually. Those elders know that some of the members of that church, liberal as it is, would still rebel against what those elders were about to instigate if they did it all at once.
We need to learn a lesson from this. Departures from the faith usually come rather gradually. Little changes take place; they are so little that nobody pays much attention. But pretty soon we look around and realize we are a long way from where we were.
This document goes on to say that by 1994 women in that church would be reading Scripture, serving communion, leading prayers, presiding at the table, leading singing, and yes, preaching. All this would be done with the support of the elders.
Another church in Alabama advertised in its bulletin a “Community Enrichment Seminar,” with one of its members, a woman, speaking on “Grief, The Road to Recovery.” The bulletin urged the members to “use this as an opportunity to invite a friend to visit the [blank] church.”
The battleground on which this matter must be decided is I Timothy 2:8-15: I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
There is some confusion with reference to what is taught in these verses, but the confusion is not necessary. There are extremes in both directions. Some would forbid a woman’s asking a question or making a comment in a Bible class. They would not allow her to teach even a class of women or little children. Others, as we have already seen, would allow her to teach a mixed class of adults, lead singing, lead prayer, serve as a deacon, or even preach. Let us analyze this passage very carefully to see what it teaches.
Notice, in the first place, that what Paul here writes, he writes as an apostle of Jesus Christ. In verse 7 he says: “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle...” The very next verse begins with the words, “I will therefore...” The therefore refers to his apostleship. It must be remembered that the Holy Spirit, not Paul himself, is the author of what he writes here. What he says he wills or desires is not merely his personal preference, but his deliberate purpose as an inspired apostle. Compare this to verse 12: “But I suffer not a woman to teach...” That is, “I do not allow,” or “I do not permit.” Paul is here referring to his apostolic will, or to what we sometimes call apostolic authority. [To be continued].
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
