Is God Capricious?

 To know the true and living God is the greatest of all blessings. Proverbs 9:10 says, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” To know God truly is to understand His nature; what brings Him joy, and what angers Him. For any relationship to be deep and intimate, one must learn about the one they claim to love. As believers we know the Lord. It must be an ongoing love affair with our Savior. The more we know Him, the more we understand His ways – how perfect they are- how imperfect and sinful we are. The closer we get to the Lord, the more our wretchedness is revealed to us. 

This should provide us with great comfort. Why? Because, despite our weaknesses, God still loves us, and delights in being our Father. He forgave our sins when we first trusted in Christ for our salvation, and He continually forgives our sins when we disobey now.  

What extraordinary grace! 

Sadly, most of the world is blinded to the goodness of God. As a result of this blindness, they have concluded the God of the Bible is a monster. Why? Well, look at all of the evil in our world today. The crime, murder of innocent children. Infants dying of diseases. The Coronavirus pandemic. Extreme poverty and homelessness and starvation. How can anyone say God is good when all this evil is prevailing in the world. Why doesn’t God stop all this madness?  

Because of all of the above, many have concluded that God is not loving, or all powerful. They say God does not care, and/or He does not have the power to do anything about it. But if He is powerful enough to get rid of all this evil and suffering and it continues, then He is capricious1. What is even worse there are those that say God is responsible for the world’s mess because He created it this way. In other words, God in his anger created a world of evil so that we would live in misery and pain. 

You see, those who do not know God have come up and will continue to say things that are antithetical to God’s nature – lies! You see why it is so important to study the Bible and know what God has revealed about Himself?  

In 2 Corinthians 3-4 we read this, “and if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.” 

My Lord is not capricious. Genesis 1:31 said God looked at everything He made it was very good. So now we must discover what went so wrong. Why is the world the way it is? 

The Bible provides the answer. Our world is in ruin morally because of the disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eve. When they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened (Genesis 3:7). They experienced guilt and shame for the first time ever. They brought sin into the world. 

Their sin nature was imputed2 to all their descendants (Romans 5:12). That means you and me. Why? Because we are all in the loins of Adam when He committed the initial sin of treachery against the Lord.  

Because of this act of rebellion against God, we are currently in the mess we are in. And mankind from that infamous day up until the present day has continued to rebel against God which incurs God’s wrath. It is amazing to me that sinful man pridefully blames God for the evil in the world when he is the one that commits the evil. Why is man demanding God get rid of evil when man loves his sin? Here is what I have discovered, sinful man is the ultimate hypocrite. He loves his sin because he believes it does no harm. But he hates the sin of others – that is repulsive to him; even God’s “sins” in his corrupt mind. 

I have said it before, if you want God to get rid of evil now, God will have to get rid of all of us right now! God has not destroyed evil yet because evil is in man and God is long suffering toward rebellious man. Not willing that anyone should perish, but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). 

God permitting evil and suffering is an ongoing act of mercy 

Even for the Christian the above declaration sounds ridiculous. How is all this pain and suffering and act of mercy by God? Because of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, God has provided the perfect and only solution for mankind’s sin – one MUST place their faith in the completed atoning work of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). When one does this, they are free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Let me explain, free from sin because Jesus washed away your sins with His own blood. We are free from the law of death because we have now inherited eternal life. 

At this point someone may disagree and say “wait a minute! What you Christians are saying is not true. Everyone still dies when they believe so how can the Bible say you are free from the law of sin and death?” Because our sins have been removed forever in a forensic or judicial sense by Christ, we can never be judged guilty for them. Jesus took the guilty plea and was punished by the Father on our behalf (Isaiah 53:5). So, when a believer dies, it is a graduation into glory not a punishment. Paul said it this way, “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). So why is death gain? 

Because when a believer dies, they are in presence of God. They literally see God the Father, Jesus Christ, the holy angels, and all the saints of God face to face in heaven. 

Death for the Christian is the manifestation of our hope being realized. The promises of God have been fulfilled. We have arrived at our final and eternal destination – glorification. When we know what God has and is doing for us, we do not get discouraged to the point of no hope. Why? Because God promised us that all of the pain and suffering the world is experiencing now will one day disappear. God will fix all that is broken. What man has ruined due his willful rebellion God will burn and make brand new (Revelation 21:1-5). 

Man’s rebellion is an affront to God. As a result, God reacts against that rebellion through causing and allowing pain, suffering, and death. God is arresting our attention to the fact that He is displeased. You see God could forgo His mercy and simply exercise His justice. If He did that, every human being would be sent straight to hell the moment they committed one sin. Thank God He allows the wickedness of man (for now) so that He can share His love for him in Jesus Christ so that we all can repent of their sins, believe the gospel, and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior before one die in their sins and is lost forever. 

 

 

 

Can I Vent?!

Let me begin by saying that the title may have more appeal than the article. In Bible times, they did not use the word vent. They used complaint or grumble. Are we as children of God allowed to vent or complain in any way? What happened to those who complained in the Bible? Let’s look at some accounts and find out.      

“I loathe my life. I will give free utterance to my complaint. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul” (Job 10:1). 

The Psalmist asks the Lord,”Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do hide yourself in times of trouble” (Psalm 10:1)?  

The psalmist is pleading the cause of the poor and innocent against the wicked who plunders and murders them. The writer desires justice, but the Lord seems to be nowhere around to take vengeance against the wicked. This is a legitimate complaint. The writer is complaining to God; the only one who can bring deliverance. Notice the psalmist is not accusing God of any wrongdoing. 

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child, to the land that you swore to give their fathers?  

Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness” (Numbers 11:10-15). 

Notice when Moses complained to the Lord regarding the burden of the people, God did not rebuke him. Rather, he told Moses what he needed to do; get capable men to assist him regarding all the matters of the people so that he does not have to bear the burden of the people alone (Numbers 11:16-17). Notice also Moses had enough fear of God not charge Him with wrongdoing. He simply was frustrated as to why he was being burdened with all of the nation’s problems. 

“Do not grumble against one another brothers so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful” (James 5:9-11). 

 

We need to examine Job for a moment. In the first and second chapters of Job everything that could go wrong in a man’s life happened to Job; he lost his business, his children were killed, and his health deteriorated to the point of death. Even his wife turned against him and said, “Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:9-11).  

Even his so-called friends provided bad counsel. Job called them “Worthless Physicians” (Job 13:4). 

How did Job complain? 

Job was devasted by the drastic turn of events in his life. Anybody in his state of extreme grief would be upset and have something to say to perhaps anyone who would listen. Let’s face it, we all complain over far less than what Job experienced. Job first cursed the day of his birth. He regretted it (Job 3). Job was convinced that God was punishing him. What frustrated Job is that he wanted specific answers from the Lord regarding his suffering, but the Lord never provided them. Several chapters Job declares his innocence (chapters 7,9-10, et al). God over a period of four chapters, 38-41 rebukes Job for his ignorance and presumption and challenges Job’s knowledge of the origins of the universe and the behaviors of the animal world along with the wonders of the stellar heavens. 

Once God gets done with Job, his reply to God is, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak. I will question you, and you make it known to me. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you; therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:2-6). 

In the end Job realized he put the cart before the horse with God; he assumed he knew why he was suffering; that it was God who was afflicting him. What frustrated Job is that he felt his suffering was not justified for he was a righteous man. Job knew he was not sinless, but he also knew he feared God so to him the suffering was unfair.    

What should we learn from this? There is nothing wrong with complaining to God. It is sin to complain about God. Remember what Adam did when God confronted him about eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, “The woman whom you gave to be with me gave me the fruit and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12). Adam ignored his sin of disobedience and had the audacity to accuse God; “it was the woman you gave to be with me...”Adam blamed God and Eve for his sin. We are never to question God in an accusatory way; meaning we are to never to complain to him as if He has done wrong to us. Just like Job there are things that we have no knowledge of. These are the times we are to trust God; sure, we can question why we are suffering, but we must approach the Lord with reverence, worship and if need be, tears of distress with humility as we vent to Him. 

 

Here is the attitude we must exhibit when we approach the Lord, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). 

Paul continues by saying, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything of praise, think about these things (emphasis added). What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9). 

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

 

I

 heard a sermon by a well-respected expository pastor that taught verse nine and ten which says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexual immoral (or fornicators), nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God”, declare that the unrighteous here are believers. He went on to say they are in the kingdom, but because of their sinful behavior they will not receive the benefits of the kingdom. He does not describe what these benefits are.

I respectfully disagree with his interpretation. It is tragically misleading and wrong. The unrighteous Paul is referring to are unbelievers. They are the ones that will not inherit the kingdom of God. Translation, those who never profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and never repent of their sins will never see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

It is essential we understand Paul is differentiating between believers and non-believers. Believers commit sin as well. The difference is that a true believer bemoans their sin and confesses it to God (1 John 1:9). They continue to struggle to conquer it in their lives (Romans 7:1-25). Sin for the true believer is ever present, but it cannot be the hallmark of their lives. Whereas the wicked loves their sin (John 3:19). Sin for them is an addictive drug they cannot get enough of. The unrighteous practice sin which a child of God cannot do (1 John 3:9). Those who practice righteousness prove they are born of God (1 John 2:29).

Concluding, to be clear, those that habitually practice sinful behavior prove they have not been redeemed by Christ. Those who habitually practice righteousness prove they have been redeemed by Christ. Believers cannot continue in sin. The Holy Spirit will bring conviction. The unrighteous sin on a wholesale basis.

Here is the admonition we must follow when we hear anyone speak on God’s word, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).

We must examine all things. Hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, instead test the spirits to see whether they are from

God, because many false prophets and teachers have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).

 

David's Sin In Numbering The People

 I am currently studying the book of 1 Chronicles. When one arrives at chapter 21 the Bible says Satan stood up against Israel and tempted David to count Israel. The reason this occurred is because the same account is in 2 Samuel 24 where it declares the anger of the Lord burned against Israel (We are not given the reason why the Lord was angry). David gave the command to Joab and his leaders to count Israel from Beersheba to Dan so he could know the size of his army. (From north to south). Joab objected to this command because he knew David’s motive behind the numbering – to boast in his military might rather in the power of God who had given him every victory through the army He (God) raised up for David. The Bible says David’s word prevailed over Joab, so he counted all the men that carried the sword. Only the tribes of Levi and Benjamin were not counted because the command of David to number the people was an abomination to Joab his military commander (1 Chronicles 21:6). David’s conscience was smitten after the census. He immediately confessed his sin to God and pleaded for mercy. The Lord took away David’s sin as He did when David committed adultery and murder, but there were tragic consequences to follow. 

The prophet came to David and told him the Lord told me to tell you that you have three choices of what the Lord will do to you. 1) three years of famine in the land. 2) three months of being pursued and defeated by your enemies with the sword. 3) three days of the sword of the Lord a plaque sweeping across the land (1 Chronicles 21:10-13). 

David distressed by the choices offered, “said let me fall into the hands of the Lord for His mercies are very great.” The Lord sent a plaque through an avenging angel that killed 70,000 people in 3 days! Once the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Bible says God relented or repented of the evil and said, “It is enough!” To be clear God, was sorry for the evil that had to befall the people because of the sin of David. The punishment was very severe and just, but I believe in some sense very regrettable to the Lord. Remember. God is a tender loving Father. He does not take pleasure in punishing His children, but to teach David a most costly lesson, He sanctioned the punishment.  

 The Lord commanded the angel to put his sword away. When David saw the angel with the sword in hand, he asked God, why do these innocent sheep (the people) have to die? Wasn’t it I who commanded the people to be counted? I am the one who committed evil. David preferred that God’s hand be upon him and his family, not against those who committed no sin (1 Chronicles 21:17). 

The writer wondered the same thing David did. Why didn’t God just punish David? My theory is the Lord wanted David to witness the devastating effects of his sin on others which God knew would be a much more painful judgement against David than God punishing him directly. The other important matter that had to be resolved was God’s anger had to be appeased. Remember, God was gracious in giving David three choices on how he was to be punished for his sin. The Lord was under no obligation to even consult David on how he would punish him and the people. I believe God did it this way because of David’s willingness to repent quickly. He realized he had sinned greatly. 

 

In order for the plague to end, David was commanded to build and altar on the threshing floor of Ornan (or Araunah) the Jebusite (2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Chronicles 21:18). David bought the threshing floor and the materials and sacrificed there. This is what stopped the plague. 

This is a valuable lesson to learn. Even when we confess our sins, God forgives us of our sins, but the result of that sin can bring painful consequences. Mainly punishment of some sort. At the worst, death of innocent people. Sin infuriates God Almighty. He requires payment for sin. And understand the price is always high to appease his anger. We must be willing to confess sin quickly and often to remain in God’s favor and not incur His wrath.