A Hyperbolic Misconception

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" 1Cor 2:2

I was speaking with a friend a while ago and we were discussing the doctrine of predestination and election and sovereignty and 'free will' and all the other philosophical and theological associations. It was a pleasant conversation, but as I have encountered many times with one who opposes Calvinism, he posed this question:

How can you say that God purposed and planned and predestined an evil act such as rape, or child molestation and sexual abuse? How could a loving God do this?

I understand his dilemma ... he believes that God is holy and that all his ways are righteous (Ps 143:17) and that in him is found no evil or sin. And because he believes this, he wants to keep God from ever being wrongly accused of evil. But in his attempt to vindicate God, I think that he has stepped beyond the bounds of Scripture.

Indeed, rape, sexual abuse and mutilation, ESPECIALLY when done to children is heinous and wicked and evil and that all perpetrators ought to be punished for their crimes! I believe this strongly, and without diminishing its wickedness, I would want to bring up one point. Whenever we are attempting to argue a point we often use hyperbole. That is, we attempt to use the most extreme cases to prove our points, because we assume (and I think there is truth in this assumption) that if our hyperbolic example holds true than, lesser and more frequent examples would also apply.

To apply this to the current argument ... it acceptable to think that God is in control of a "bird dying" since this is not a major moral infraction, but to say that God is in control of a small child being forced to eat excrement and then sexually abused and killed is to make God a monster, one who has the ability to stop this evil but chooses not to. This is because we think than any right minded human being would keep this atrocity from occurring, thus, because God is more righteous than man, he would do just that ... but because these evils do exist, then there must be another explanation ... God must not be in absolute control.

The major objection that I have to this argument is that objectors hyperbolic example is not extreme enough. There is one example that is unprecedented in its wickedness. One example that because it is overlooked, creates a hyperbolic misconception. The most nefarious act ever committed is not the abuse of a child, but the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. We must make this paradigmatic shift in our thinking if we are to begin to understand the suffering and the sovereignty of God. Scripture is clear, God willed the death of his son (Isa 53:10) before the ages began (1Cor 2:7). He was and is the only innocent one who never deserved death and yet the in the mysterious plan of God, he willed that his son should suffer and die. If there is any example that we can use to refute the Sovereignty of God in the work of evil then this is it ... yet the Bible leaves us no room to think that the Crucifixion was a mishap, an alternate plan, an uncontrollable outcome ... no, it was the will of God who ordained all these events to take place (Acts 4:25-7).

Therefore, I will say as Paul, "I have decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." This is the only way I will be able to understand the mysteries of God and the marvelous glory of his grace.

How Can you Believe this?

"I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." John 14:6

A few nights ago I was speaking with a young lady about religion. After drawing her out for nearly an hour, I began to ask her more specific questions. The conversation soon focused on the issue of truth and absolutes, right and wrong.

"You mean to say that you think that you are right and that all other religions are wrong?"

"What would you say if I answered that question in the affirmative?"

"I don't know how you could think that you are right and that others are wrong."

"So it is wrong to think "I am right" and "that person is wrong?"

"I just don't know how you could say that."

"Sure you do, because you are making the same statement. Tell me, do you think that you are right ... or that I am wrong? Of course you do, that is why you are in disbelief over what I say. If I may, I think the problem you have is not about 'right and wrong' but about how a person applies what they think is right and wrong. Would you rather have a person be right or be loving?"

"Loving, because that is the 'right' thing"

"Yes, I am called to love everyone, even my enemies and those who disagree with me. But you see, I extend to them the right to make truth claims ... that is, I believe that I am right and they are wrong, and if they disagree with me they can do so and not fear that I will manipulate or force them to believe what I believe. BUT, they, as well as I, must argue for why they believe what they believe ....... so to answer your question, yes, I think that I am right and that I have reasons for thinking this way."

"What are they?"

"To put it simply, you believe your best friend when he or she tells you something, right? Likewise, I believe what Jesus said when he said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the father except through me.' In the simplest form, that is it. I believe what Jesus said and who he is."

Food For Thought: Isaiah 55:1-3 Part IV

Isaiah 55:1-3
"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; ..."

Listen diligently
As I sit in this Panera I hear many sounds ... the ripping of a receipt, the crunching of falling ice, the clinking of spoons, the rumble of a lowrider passing by, the slamming of an oven door, and the babble of lively conversations. I hear it, but I am not really listening to it ... at least not diligently. Numerous times has my father given me oral instructions only for me to quickly forget them because I was too busy doing something else while he was talking to me. I hear him, but I was not listening to him ... at least not diligently.

In either case, when I fail to listen diligently, I fail to comprehend and apply what is being communicated. It is impossible to "listen diligently" to everything ... I would go insane attempting to "listen" to everything in the Panera ... but I am foolish when I don't listen to my father. I think that I can multitask, when in reality I do a poorer job on the task at hand and the one he instructed me to do. Therefore, I must make a choice. What am I going to listen to?

Listen to me
I must listen to God. But how do I practice this? But how do I learn his voice? How do I know when he is speaking? For starters ... why not listen to those who I do know. The habits I cultivate with others spill over into my relationship with God. If I don't practice listening to my parents, friends, or teachers ... why would I think that listening to God would be different?

God speaks through his word. So how often do I go to his word and listen? How often do I read the Bible? This is how I learn his voice and discern "good" and "rich" food from the poor bland generic brand.

In What do I delight?
Where is my delight? For there is my treasure and my desire? Do I come to God? Do I hear God? Do I delight myself in the food of the King? Or have I satisfied myself with empty calories ... all this talk is making me hungry. I'm going to go eat the word.