Continued from FAQ Page...
The short answer is that God was in the same place and doing the same thing then, as He was when His only Son was crucified. The throne room of God is located in the 3rd Heaven spoken of in 1 Cor. 15. His omnipresence allows Him to be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. As far as what He was doing then and now, He was/is exercising His will over His creation.
The plan of God is unfolded and manifested in ALL that He does when exercising His direct (what He sends), permissive (what He allows), or over-ruling (what He prevents) will.
For the spiritually mature believer, he/she knows that EVERYTHING can be categorized as being a manifestation of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will. Spiritually mature believers will recover much more quickly from the shock that a traumatic event can trigger. At the same time, the last thing that a wounded immature soul wants to hear in the midst of tragedy is that whatever he/she is facing was the will of God.
When ministering to others, there is the need to be sensitive to the Biblical principle that there is, "A time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl. 3: 7b NASB)." Responding to the immediate practical needs of wounded soul may open the door for a later opportunity for evangelism or edification.
God does not always act in ways that we expect. Scripture (Isa. 55: 8) make it clear that the ways of God and the ways of Man are not the same. When things happen or fail to happen as we desire or expect, it is a test of faith to accept the fact that e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g that happens or fails to happen serves a d-i-v-i-n-e purpose and that God's plan for us as an individual will involve adversity as well as blessings (Job 2: 10).
There has never been anything happen anywhere that did not first pass through the filters of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will.
Humanly speaking, this is not an easy pill to swallow when what God sends or allows results in such things as terminal illness, serious injury, or the "premature" death of a child or loved one. Adding more salt to the wound is that God knew all about it (omniscience), but chose not to exercise His over-ruling will to intervene.
There is a whole realm of emotions that can be involved when the storms of life strike, but disciples are not called to react "naturally", but to respond supernaturally with the enabling power of John 15: 5 as we apply the principles of doctrine that (should be) are circulating in our edified soul structures (Matt. 7: 24-27).
I placed quotation marks around the adjective "premature" when referring to death, as from God's viewpoint there is no such thing as death being early or late. The timing and circumstances of one's birth and death are in His hands (Psalms 31: 15). In order to fulfil God's plan, Adam's life span on Earth was 930 years (Gen. 5: 5); approx. 33 yrs. for the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and rather brief for child of David (2Sam 12: 14). Yet all three completely fulfilled the part of God plan that was divinely determined BEFORE each one took his first breath of natural life.
In the cases of the latter two, neither one did anything wrong, but died (for different reasons) due to the sins of others. The humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ died to atone for the world's sin debt. The child of David and Bathsheba died as the means o disciplining David for his adultery and his conspiracy to kill Bathsheba's husband to cover it up.
Of the three different ways (direct will/ permissive will/ over-ruling will) through which the plan of God unfolds, what God allows via His permissive will is by far the hardest one to understand, but the acceptance/rejection of what it allows causes our faith to grow in leaps and bounds or turn bitter cold.
Especially in the times in which we are now living, one will not be too far along the road of life before he/she witnesses or experiences things for which there is no rational explanation or justification beyond the foregoing principles of the sovereignty and three ways in which the will of God is manifested. It is at such times that our own faith is tested, but no more so when the events come to our own door. God, via His Word, has not left us here in the aftermath of adversity to fend for ourselves (John 14: 18), but has provided us with the means to acquire insight as to what is going on for our spiritual benefit.
Does this mean that we are to like the adversity we are called to face? Of course not. We do not cease to be human as a result of being born again, nor is God impressed by self-induced suffering.
If the detailed prophecies of what would be taking place INSIDE (1 Tim. 4: 1) as well as outside of the Christian Community had not be revealed to us, believers would be hard-pressed to provide answers to all that is going in the Church or out in the word us. When an advancing disciple realizes that all the craziness we see in the headlines are just as GOD said they would be just before His return, we can begin to see a silver lining around the darkest clouds of doom that the devil's world can produce.
Like a pile of clay on a potter's wheel, we are shaped by the timing and the amount of pressure that is applied to our soul structure. God can apply this pressure directly or via a host of other means, but it is He that is using the pressure to mold us and to conform us into the likeness of His Son (Rom. 3: 29).
One might think that the greatest progress would be accomplished in times of pleasantness and prosperity, but the pressure on the soul is so light that it is in the "good" times that we tend to drift away from God and the things of God. It is in times of adversity that we get refocused on God and/or the things of God. God does NOT force us to be, "...conformed to the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29 NASB)", but He will send, allow, and over-rule the daily events of our lives, calling us to get back on the potter's wheel where He do some more work towards bringing us to the next level of spiritual maturity.
The submission and humility it takes to learn and apply the principles of the Word of God will never find a home in the soul structure of a believer when he/she in under the influence of the fallen, self-centered, nature in Man, or when he is "hiding out" in his/her personal comfort zone. If one finds himself "satisfied" where he is in the his walk with the Lord and has no genuine interst in advancing, there is a good chance that the devil is equally satisfied.
There are many "Christians" who haven't taken as much as a baby step forward along the path to spiritual maturity in the last 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, 6 years, or the last 6 decades! The more time that passes in which no growth is experienced, the spiritual ears of soul is closing and the heart is hardening towards God and the things of God to the point that one does not care one way or the other.
Another issue is what happened to the "promises" of God" in light of these traumatic events?
Some of God's promises ONLY apply to "qualified" recipients. For example, the Lord Jesus Christ atoned for the world's sin debt on the cross (1 John 2: 2), yet the John 3: 16 promise of eternal life only applies to those who choose to believe (John 3: 18) in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. Those who reject the Gospel are equally promised an eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). To the extent that this principle applies to the FAQ at hand, let's take a look at to whom the promise of Romans 3: 28 were made.
Scripture: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His Psalms 31: 15 purpose (Rom. 3: 28 NASB)."
The promise: Having ALL things work together for good. "Good" meaning in favor of the plan of God, not ours (Luke 22: 42), unless ours and His are one in the same. Only IF and WHEN we reach the highest level of spiritual maturity will the plan of God and "ours" be in one in the same. Many "Christians" are "in it" for what they want or expect God to do for them, as opposed to the advancing disciple who desires to learn and to do what God desires to do through him (John 15: 5), with or without reward.
The qualifications to receive the Rom. 3: 28 benefits: #1: One must "love" God, evidenced by obedience (John 14: 15) and priority (Luke 14: 26), and #2 being among those who choose to respond to the post salvation calls to discipleship to serve HIS purpose. The primary "purpose" for the Church at large, and each Church Age believer is to fulfill his/her assigned place/role (1 Cor. 12: 11) in the completion of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20).
Many "Christians" do not even know what the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor. 12 are; let alone what their gift may be!
Many "Christians" choose to take the route of least resistance by accepting an alternative (religion, good works, relatively good behavior, etc.) rather than engage and remain in the uphill battle of the true post salvation spiritual life. The human being likes his "comfort zone", and the devil is more than happy to provide one.
God's purpose for sending, allowing, or over-ruling what would have otherwise taken place, is to conform the born again believer into the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29). This "likeness" begins with "repentance", that is, a change of mind. One changes from a self-centered state of mind that is naturally hostile (Rom. 8: 7) towards God and the things of God, to a Christ-centered state of mind. The advancing disciple develops the discernment to see things God's way (1 Cor. 2: 16), and to conform his attitudes and behaviors to correspond to it.
This conformation brings glory to God, fulfilling the divine purpose for which God created Man. We are conformed to the likeness of Christ as we spiritually spiritual mature through the study and application of the Word of God, with the long term goal of being prepared to fulfil our assigned role in the ongoing fulfillment of The Great Commission.
If one does not experience the pressure of God's hand on the potter's wheel from time to time, such a person has either reached the point of perfection (LOL!), or is not engaged in the true post salvation spiritual life. There will NEVER come a time this side of Heaven when God is through conforming us to the likeness of His Son. As God reaches one goal, He then brings us to the next issue, usually ore challenging to address, to the previous one(s).
Note that nowhere in this conforming scenario is the mention of any our plans or desires (outside of the will of God) being fulfilled.
Praying for things "in Jesus' name" does NOT obligate God to respond in the way we desire (John 16: 23).
Praying in the name of Jesus is acknowledging the access to the throne of grace that we, as a child of God, have as a result of the authority granted to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing wrong with making prayer REQUESTS, but ALL prayer requests are subject to consistency with the will of God in any given situation. What the promise of Rom. 3: 28 assures the advancing disciple is that no matter what happens (or fails to materialize), the end result will be that God's purpose will be fulfilled.
By making things a matter of prayer, we have another layer of asuurance that what takes place IS His will, after having placed the matter in His hands in an act of faith, providing we refrain from trying to manipulate an outcome of our own design.
I have benefitted many times from personal prayer requests and from prayers of others made in my behalf. I would NEVER dispute the power of prayer, but what I am saying is that prayer does NOT obligate God to dd anyrhing contrary to His will. My faith has been put to the test MANY times when I received the NO answers from God. Its not hard to be " a person of faith" when things are generally going our way, but remaining faithful when things go against us, especially when the matter had been made a matter of prayer, is another matter altogether.
The Apostle Paul prayed for relief from his "thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12: 7" three times 2 Cor. 12: 8), but the answer was NO. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed if it be the will of the Father (Luke 22: 42) that the cup of suffering be removed, but the answer was No. When God says NO, He has a divine purpose for doing so.
We ( especially in the role of parents) would like to think that it is the good home, positive encouragement, promoting self-esteem, education, financial support/security, social status, etc.) that makes one what he/she turns out to be here in the devil's world. While such things have their input concerning s-e-c-u-l-a-r issues, the greatest advances in the spiritual realm most often take place as a result of such things as humiliation and submission. Humility and submission that are repulsive to the pride and arrogance of our fallen nature.
Many of the "positive" things that well-intending parents provide or that are obtained by self effort, can actually work towards reinforcing the pride, arrogance, and a false sense of self-sufficiency (Rev. 3: 17) that promotes the fallen nature, and a perceived "insignificance" of God and/or the things of God.
As long as the "safety net" is there, there is little concern for errors in judgment. As long as WE get what WE want and when we want it, there is little desire to "fix" what "works" for us. Perceived self-sufficiency and desire for independence from God was what motivated the devil to rebel (Isa. 14: 13, 14) BEFORE the human race was even created. No matter now otherwise successful and prosperous we may otherwise become, in the spiritual realm we can do NOTHING (John 15: 5) apart from God.
What have we or our children accomplished if we/they garner everything that this world has to offer if we/they forfeit (Mark 8: 36) all that God had in mind for us/them here on Earth (3John 1: 2) and in Heaven (1 Cor. 3: 14)? Whatever losses God sends or allows us to experience here on Earth, will contribute to the development of our spiritual maturity here on Earth and a greater reward in Heaven. If God does not want us to receive or retain something, neither should we.
A wild horse, by nature, does NOT want to be corralled, saddled, or led around with bit in its mouth. Until it is "broken", it will resist with all its ability any attempts to restrict and to control it. The hostility (Romans 8: 7) that the fallen nature of Man possesses, responds in like manner to any one or any thing that tries to force him/her to do what he/she doesn't want to do. Fallen Man is equally resistant to give up the sinful and evil desires
that he/she desires to do.
The desires of fallen nature (Romans 7) within us struggles with with desires and mentorship of God the Holy Spirit who comes to indwell us as of the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 3: 16). Some of these desires may not even be (in of themselves) a sin, but do not fit who we are in Christ (1 Cor. 5: 17). Discipleship goes beyond choosing between right and wrong, as it encompasses what is best over what is good.
We make choices every day that either satisfies the desires of self, the fallen nature, other people, the devil, or God. Although most of us will try to keep one foot in the camp of God and the other foot in another that caters to OUR plans, this is not possible. Either one is under complete submission to the leading of God the Holy Spirit at any given time, or is under submission to an alternative. There is no neutrality in the spiritual realm. We are free to choose to what we submit ourselves to, but we are not free from having to make that choice.
God must "break" us BEFORE He can begin the process of conforming us into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8: 29). This process begins at salvation and continues on throughout the course of one's post salvation spiritual life as long as one chooses to engage in true discipleship. All one has to do to get out from under the pressure of spiritual combat is to desert the battlefield in the face of the enemy.
In the spiritual realm, we ARE what we think. Our behavior will follow the will. Repentance, that is the changing the way we think, can be a very painful process. This explains much about the need for the many painful things that God will send or allow, and many of the temporal blessings that He withholds from us. The devil will be glad to accommodate us, but God will NOT give us anything that will promote the rise the sin nature or that will take us away from the plan that He has for our lives. This explains much about WHERE God is and WHAT He is (or is not) doing when things takes place that upset us.
Never assume that Earthly prosperity (yours or others) has necessarily come from God, nor be so foolish to think that even the temporal blessings that did come from God aren't ALL going to go away some day. All the temporal things that ANY of us may ever acquire here on Earth are all going to go away some day when we depart. The day of our departure may not arrive for decades, but could be TODAY. There are many, many souls who got up this morning with death being the last thing on their minds or on the minds of those who knew them, but never the less will no longer be here on Earth by the time the sun goes down.
Not all, but many of the wealthiest people to have ever walked on the face of the Earth are poor in the eyes of God. IF they have been born again, such believers will arrive and spend all of eternity with God as all believers will, but they will do so without reward(s) and accompanying privileges there awaiting them. They will stand "naked- Rev. 3: 17), that is without a uniform of glory (Rev. 3: 18), but that is another subject for another day.
"And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. And he reasoning to himself, saying. "What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?" And he said, "This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry." But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God."
Those who are "rich towards God have an eternal bank account awaiting them in Heaven (Matt. 6: 20)." As in the case of banks here on Earth, one must have a deposit slip or have made direct deposit arrangements to make a deposit. In order to make a deposit in the "Bank of Heven", one must participate in the production of "divine" good. Divine good, symbolized as gold. silver, precious stones) must be distinguished from human good (symbolized as wood, hay, straw) in the 1 Cor, 3 passage, as only deeds of divine good can result in a "deposit" that can later be "withdrawn" in Heaven.
"Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, (Rev 3: 17 NASB)."
Obviously the Lord is speaking of spiritual poverty, wretchedness, misery, blindness and nakedness, as one would certainly know it if one was any of these in the temporal realm. Keep in mind that in this passage, the Lord is speaking to Church Age believers.
Of course the devil has a plan that will appear to allow us to avoid the pain and to obtain and retain what we want independently of the plan of God. It is a good chance that if the gain cost no pain, then the gain did not come from God. Very few "worth while" things come without sacrifice.
Satan offered a "crown" without the "cross" to the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4: 6), and to the extent that God allows, the devil will do the same to each one of us. The Lord Jesus Christ saw what the devil was after and rejected the devil's plan. Many of us who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ sell out to the devil every day for a lot less than what he would be willing to pay for the control of a human soul. For the devil, it is not our gain or loss that he is focused on, but the opportunity to deny God the glory He receives when one of His children chooses obedience, especially at the cost of personal sacrifice.
After initially being broken, there will be follow-up discipline (Heb. 12: 6) when we wander from the individual path or the pace on it that God has in mind for us. This path is true post salvation spiritual life. Again, the devil will offer many alternatives with the objective of denying God the glory that He would otherwise receive.
These "alternatives" include, but are not limited to the path(s) of Man-made religion, humanitarian endeavors, and human good in the labor and professional realm. All such alternatives are held in high esteem by Man and in most cases can provide great Earthly benefits to those who pursue them, but contribute NOTHING of value in the spiritual realm. The pursuit of such things can be a great distraction to the true post salvation spiritual life. The devil considers it a win-win scenario when his world reeps the benefits of the human good that God's people produce while God is denied the glory that the side-lined spiritual life would have brought to God.
The many different means of one making a living while producing HUMAN good plays an important part in the individual plan that God has in mind. The part it plays is that THIS is one of the major areas of our individual lives WHERE each one of us are called to be Christ's ambassador (2 Cor. 5: 20). An ambassador is one who fully understands the policies of the kingdom he/she represents, and functions in the capacity of a spokesperson in the post where he/she is assigned.
Ambassadors NEVER voice their OWN opinions when functioning in their official capacity. This underscores the need to know what God has to say in any given scenario. One cannot be used of God to pass along anything until he/she has learned what the, "mind of Christ (1 COr. 2: 16) has to say. The devil will use the ignorance and the arrogance of spiritually immature believers to promote "religion" while deceiving them into believing that they are doing the will of God.
While we will perform the same type of human good as will others in the same work place, domestic setting, recreational activity, or profession, the advancing disciple is called to share the Gospel Message with unbelievers and edifying principles of doctrine with fellow believers. This underscores the need for discipleship that begins with the building of one's OWN edified soul structure with the long term objective of being used of God to evangelize and/or edify others.
To exclude God from the daily time that one devotes to his/her production of human good or any other time-consuming daily activity would neutralize at least one third of the 24hrs. that God gives us each day to glorify Him. When considering the hours spent sleeping during each 24 hr. day, the 8 - 10 hrs. spent in the workplace could represent more that half of one's conscious lifetime.
This does NOT mean that we are called to be the type of co-worker or companion that pushes his/her faith onto others.
IF one is growing in his/her knowledge of the Lord (2 Pet. 3: 18) and applying that knowledge to his/her own life (Matt. 7: 24), his/her thoughts, attitudes, and actions will be so different from others that God will use this difference to draw inquirers to the advancing disciple. This scenario affords the advancing disciple the opportunity to respond to the questions he/she will be asked (1Pet. 3: 15).
Even if the purpose of the public inquiry is for the purpose of persecuting or trying to discredit him/her, the Word is still be promoted and one might be surprised of the ripple effect that this may have on others who silently listen and observe.
Every day is a day for giving a testimony of one's faith. Sometimes the opportunities given to us will allow us to share the Gospel or an edifying principle of doctrine, but EVERY day we are given the opportunity to provide the unspoken, but powerful testimony of a life of one who walks the walk as well as talks the talk. There is hardly a moment when we are not under the observation of other people, angels, or the Eph. 6: 16 forces of evil, waiting to see if we choose to bring glory or deny God the glory a result of the choices we make every day.
Like a single brick in a giant brick wall, one brick does not seem to be all that significant, yet without, the wall will not be complete. There is a place and purpose for EVERY Church Age believer. God knows who among us will respond to the post salvation call to discipleship. Although many are called, few are chosen (Matt. 22: 14). One becomes one of the chosen IF and when we CHOOSE to respond to God's invitation to engage in post salvation discipleship.
The plan of God will forward with or without our individual cooperation and participation. It is s the indifferent believers who will suffer the ultimate loss (1 Cor. 3: 15) as they stand naked (without a uniform of glory) and without reward, but that's another subject for another day.
There is no such thing as a little lie or a little fraud when one considers that the glory of God is on the line. Those who function by the ways of the of the world will almost always get more than they would have if they chose to do the right thing and glorify God in the same scenario but at what total cost when all is said and done.
Note that there is NEVER a time that ANYTHING we think, say, or do that gets by the omniscience and omnipresence of God. Contrary to what we would like to think, NO ONE has gotten away with anything when it comes to dealing with the One to whom we ALL must give an accounting of ourselves (Rom. 14: 12).
There is NOTHING wrong with obtaining or enjoying the benefits of secular success IF one does not compromise his/her walk with the Lord in order to either obtain or retain them. At the same time, secular success without God is a satanic trap. It can deceive those who experience such success as evidence that God is pleased with them when it fact they have never been born again, or have been born again but have no clue as to what the true post salvation spiritual life is all about. Such success is also cannon fodder in the realm of spiritual combat as the devil parades such success in view of God's people to demonstrate what one can have if they did things his (the devil's ) way!
But, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul (Mark 8: 6 NASB)?
Secular success when accompanied with a life that prioritizes God and the things of God is a tremendous blessing and is getting the best of two worlds. Secular success and its benefits, without God, comes to an end when one departs this world. Never-ending eternity is going to last a lot longer that even the longest life here on Earth has ever been. Only a fool would prioritize the here and now above and beyond eternity future, but people do that every day.
God will NOT give or promote ANYTHING that competes for His place in the life of a believer.
"I am the Lord, that is My name. I will not give my glory (honor/credit) to another, Nor my praise to graven images (Isa. 42:8 NASB parenthesis mine)."
An "idol" (and the sin of idolatry) involves any one or any thing that is put ahead of one's relationship with God, or takes the place of God in one's thinking or behavior. Seeking the aid or intervention of departed human beings, and the wearing of medals, jewelry, or religious icons for the purpose of warding off evil and evil spirits are among the things that are held in high esteem by Man, but are detestable in the eyes of God (Luke 16: 15). The perceived need and use of such things for these purposes are an insult to God.
There is no such thing as "luck", good or bad, as this concept opposes the principle of the sovereignty of God.
Graven images (Exodus 20: 4) and "deified furnishings" (statues/altars) have been successfully established and promoted by Man-made religious authorities within the Man-made houses of "worship" within the "Christian Community" of the Church Age.
In past dispensations, God DID authorize the construction of tent and building structures for worship and points of contact between He and His people, but the last physical altar that God acknowledged was the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The temple of God (here on Earth) for the dispensation of the Church Age is the collective physical bodies of Spirit-indwelled believers (1 Cor. 3: 16) at large. Church Age believers do NOT go to Church, but ARE the Church that gathers together for corporate worship (Heb. 10: 25). Unlike in the case of past dispensations, the local, type of structure (if any) where the Church gathers together for worship is of NO spiritual significance here in the Church Age.
The perceived need for physical altars, officiating priests, and other apparatus within the houses of worship during the Church Age was the result of re-introducing such thngs that were ordained by God during and for the Old Testament dispensation (period of time). While held in high esteem with "religious" circles, such things have no part and serve no purpose for the type of worship that God desires for the Church Age.
Once in place, "religion" has added more and more functions for its "priesthood" to perform; many of which were NEVER given to any group of men to perfrom during the dispensation of the Church Age.
The celebration of the Lord's Supper did NOT involve an altar nor a "priest" of that day, nor does it require either one now. Not
being of the tribe of Levi, the Lord Jesus Christ did not qualify for the "priesthood" of His day. The need for the Old Testament priesthood was about to come to its end with the final sacrifice that He would make on the cross. There was NO altar in the upper room that He arranged for the event.
The stated (1 Cor. 11: 24, 25) purpose of the ritual is to "bring into remembrance" not to reproduce either the Humanity or the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He performed on the cross! This celebration of the Lord's Supper as it was intended to be, and the teaching of the Word of God for the purpose of making disciples is the type of worship that God desires here in the Church Age. Pastor teachers, who have both administrative as well as teaching authority, often lead congregations in the celebration of the Lord' Supper, but this function can be delegated to qualified believers under the direction and responsibility of the pastor teacher. The celebration of the Lord's Supper does not call for physical altars or "officiating" priests. The "priesthood" of the Church Age (1 Pet. 2: 9) is made up of each and every born again believer, but that is another subject for another day.
ALL Church Age prayer is to be directed to God the Father (Matt. 6: 9), in the name (authority given ) of/by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14: 14), via the enabling power (John 15: 5) of God the Holy Spirit. Prayer plays a significant role in the life of an advancing disciple, but prayer is NOT to be viewed as a problem solving device. To be classified as a problem solving device, it must have a 100% rate of achieving its intended purpose. Among the problem solving devices of Scripture, there is faith (trusting/believing) in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that ALWAYS results in salvation (John 3: 16), and confession (1 Jon 1: 9) that ALWAYS results in forgiveness. But since prayer requests do NOT always result in what was asked for, prayer does not qualify as a problem solving device. If it did, all one would have to do would be to engage in prayer and God would always grant the request.
See Doctrine of Prayer for further details.
Nowhere in Scripture are Church Age believers taught to pray to ANY other beings than God, but such things have been a long-standing practice by many who claim to be Christians.
Seeking the help of ANY other being than God is an insult to the triune Godhead (Father, Son. and Holy Spirit) who has promised to fulfill ALL our needs, and requires no help or pleading from other sources outside of the Trinity (Rom. 8: 26, 27, 34).
Going to another source when one does not get what he/she wants through prayer requests to God raises serious questions as to if it is the will of God. Exactly what is it that a subordinate being of God can or would do that God Himself cannot or will not do, if it is truly His will?
One may prove to be like some of the ancient Jews by attributing the Work of God to demonic activity when he/she assumes that miraculous activity of God is of the devil (Luke 11: 15). Its not for me to say (outside of what is documented in Scripture) when, through whom, or through what means God may choose to work miracles. I do know that when the apostles were involved, they made it perfectly clear that the miraculous activity was NOT of their own doing, but of God (Luke 14: 15). They would have clearly REJECTED (Acts 14: 14, 15) the later to be implemented concept of erecting a shrine or ANY other activity that would accredit them (or anyone else) for the miraculous activity that God did through them (Jon 15: 5). PRAYER is the means of communication between God and Man, and is NEVER to be directed towards another human being, alive on Earth or departed.
The idea of praying to ANYONE for ANYTHING other than to God would be totally foreign to them, and will be rejected when one has a Biblically edified soul structure. This is not to dispute the part that ANY human being played in the plan of God, but such involvement NEVER entitled ANY of them to be the recipient of prayer or any other activity that belongs to God alone. God will honor those who honors Him, but God will share the category of praise that belongs to Him alone with NO ONE.
The kind of intercessory prayer that the apostles DID promote involved prayers made by believers for believers HERE on Earth. Once the soul departs, there is NO prayer or ANY other activity (including post modem arrangements) that can get a soul of an UNBELIEVER out of the Torments of Hades or save them from the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) to come. There is no need to pray for ANYTHING that God has promised to do for the soul of a departed believer (John 3: 16/1 Cor. 3: 14, etc,). GOd needs not to be reminded or to interceded with concerning ANYTHING that He has already promised to do.
On some rare occasions and for specific reasons, the plan of God called for departed souls (Mark 5: 35-43/John 11: 43-44) to return to their natural bodies, but even when this was the case, there still was an appointed time for their final departure.
One of the reasons I make mention of all these events is to make the point that God is where He has always been, is now, and will forever be, exercising His will over His creation. Sometime we may like and agree with what God does (or does not do), and sometimes we will fail to see the divine purpose for what He does or does not do. Its when we choose to trust in the Lord when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel that our faith grows in leaps and bounds, as painful as the process may be.
It is important in this study for one to know what an "idol" in the times in which we live can consist of, as this explains why in so many cases God's answer to our prayer requests is "No". An idol is anyone (including one self) or any thing that is given a higher place of priority (Luke 14: 26) that is higher that the place of priority that one gives to God and/or the things of God. People make sacrifices every day to serve the interests of the "almighty buck" idol. Adam placed his personal relationship with the woman (Eve) over and above his relationship with God (Gen. 3: 17). One's lifetime (secular) work or career can easily become an idol. The desire to engage in certain forms of sin can easily become an idol.
God (in most cases) will not require one to give up all his/her money and possessions as He did in the case of the rich man (Matt. 19: 21), but He will tolerate the sin of idolatry. God will arrange "tests" from time to time to us to see where each one of us stands when it comes to finances and his/her relationship with God. The bottom line is that one can not serve the interests of God and the interests of money at the same time (Matt. 6: 24). The long term goal of discipleship is about the SERVICE we provide to OTHERS (1 Cor. 12:7), often times at the cost of personal sacrifice.
Wherever or on what/who ever one spends his money is where his/her heart is (Matt. 6: 21). Be honest when conducting your 2 Cor : 13: 5 SELF examinations. Where is your heart when it comes to the investment of your time and treasure? Has an idol taken what should be God's place on your list of priorities?
This is not a plug for financial support of the Biblical Answers To Man's Questions ministry. BATMQ is financially self-sustained (Matt. 10: 8). BATMQ.NET does not solicit or receive ANY financial support, but prayers for its continued success is much appreciated.
I am merely pointing our that this is one of the ways that one can examine and evaluate where he/she really stands in his/her relationship with the Lord. It was the Lord Jesus Christ that made the statement, not Pastor Doug! God does not want money that you don't have to give (Mark 7: 11), but when we spend more money that we do have on our own pleasures than what we give to God on a regular basis, its time for a 2 Cor. 13:5 evaluation.
Coming to the realization of what we are in our pre-salvation status in the eyes of God (Isa. 1: 6) and our inability (apart from God) to do ANYTHING about it can be a very humbling experience. Without such an self-evaluation, one will never come to understand his/her NEED for salvation, nor will he/she ever understand why FAITH (placing one's trust) in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY means to receive Eternal Life (John 3: 16), the regeneration (Titus 3: 5) and the sealing/baptism (identifying) Work of God the Holy Spirit. It is likewise important to keep in mind that AFTER we are saved, we still can produce NOTHING of value in the spiritual realm apart from God (John 15: 5).
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14: 15 NASB)."
There are more than 300 such commandments found in New Testament alone!
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and mother and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14: 26 NASB)."
The word "hate" in Luke 14: 26 means to "love less" when it comes down to setting priorities.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I an with you always, even to the end of age (Matt. 28: 19, 20 NASB)."
The English word d-i-s-c-i-p-l-e is a translation of the Greek word m-a-t-h-e-t-e-s, meaning a student and applier of the Word of God. The "all" that I have commanded you" refers directly to the TRUE Gospel Message and principles of discipleship that He announced, and indirectly to the teachings of God the Holy Spirit that was to come (John 14: 26). The "end of age" is the end of the Church Age. The Church Age began in the approx. year 33-34 AD (Acts 2) and will come to its end when God unites the entire Church, those members who have departed and those who are on the Earth at the time) together to be with the Lord forever (1Thess. 4: 13-17). Note that is is the end of the Church Age, and not the end of the category of believers referred to in Scripture as the Church.
In the meantime, the primary "purpose" of the Church, and each and every member of it, being here on Earth is clearly outlined in the Great Commission. Before on can teach by word and example, the believer must be conformed in thought and action to the likeness of Christ, once again explaining the need for much of the adversity that God sends or allows to take place in the life of an advancing disciple. Never lose sight of the fact that although there is suffering and adversity coming from God when divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) takes place, there is suffering and adversity coming from the devil when we are making the right choices, as well (Phil. 1: 29).
Correctly identifying the source of one's suffering (God, Satan, self, or other people) can go along way in understanding that God has sent or allowed it. When will it end? It will end when it has accomplished its divine purpose. Until either the divine (spiritual growth) or the diabolical (destruction of the productivity of one's post salvation spiritual life) objective is secured, the form of suffering and/or intensity is destined to continue with ever increasing frequency and intensity. This is what the daily combat (Eph. 6) of the post salvation spiritual life is all about!
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8: 28 NASB)."
"...who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to OUR works, but according to HIS own PURPOSE and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity (2Tim. 1: 9 NASB)."
The devil has an never-ending, daily, alternative agenda for the Church at large and for each and every member of it. If the Church at large or any local assembly, ministry, or individual believer is not directly or indirectly engaged in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers and making students and appliers of the Word of God out of believers) that it, he, or she has failed to serve the divine purpose for which God created them, here in the Church Age. EVERY day is a day in which all Church Age believers are called to work on the edification and maintaining of his/her own soul structure to foster spiritual growth.
EVERY day is a day in which all Church Age believers are to witness for Christ, either by the non-verbal testimony of the life he/she is living, or by communicating (when God gives the opportunity) the TRUE Gospel to unbelievers that cross our path, and/or principles of doctrine to fellow believers. IF one is advancing in discipleship, the obvious difference between his/her attitudes, choices, and behavior from the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of unbelievers or back-sliding believers will be what God will use to attact the attention of the people within one's personal periphery with whom God desires to minister. If there is NO overt differences between one's life and the lives of unbelievers and back-sliding believers, then its time for a 2Cor. 13: 5 examination and a follow-up plan of correction.
We all go through periods of time when we fall victim to the schemes of the devil, evidenced by the fact that we make decisions that pleases the desires of the self-centered fallen nature within us (Rom. 7), other people (Gen. 3: 17), or the devil himself, even though we know in our hearts we are making a wrong turn. ANY decision to develop an attitude or act contrary to what the Word of God has to say pleases the devil. If for no other reason, it denies God the glory that He would have otherwise received. A born again (John 3: 3), Spirit indwelled (1 Cor. 3: 16), Spirit-led (Gal. 5: 16) believer will NOT sin until he/she first decides to say "No!" to the voice of God speaking inaudibly through one's edified soul structure, or first decides to get out from under His authority in order to pursue his/her own agenda (Isa. 14: 13, 14!
Only a small minority of believers are called to stand behind a traditional pulpit or otherwise communicate and teach doctrine on the larger scale. Those who do so are there to develop post salvation discipleship in the lives of other believers. Discipleship is initially for the development of one's own post salvation spiritual life, with the long term goal of participating in the Great Commission for the benefit of others (1Cor. 12: 7).
All believers are called to participate in the Great Commission by personally learning and applying the knowledge (2 Pet. 3: 18) they (should) receive from the pulpit on a regular basis. If and as they do, their very lives will become an unspoken testimony that will attract the attention of those he/she interacts with on a regular basis. This is the scenario and setting that God the Holy Spirit will use for the sharing of the Gospel with unbelievers and post salvation doctrine with unbelievers.
OK. but what does all this have to do with God sending or allowing tragedy, pain, suffering, conflict and adversity into the lives of His children?
The human race was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing conflict between divine and diabolical spiritual forces. Yes, God could have chosen to just wipe out the devil and the fallen angels (not to mention Adam and Eve BEFORE any offspring arrived on the scene), but the grace of God chose all of them to continue on and use the conflicting scenarios that they create to provide an environment in which the individual souls of Man would make their own choices. God does NOT desire robotic worship. It is when one chooses to glorify God that He is honored.
There is a coming day (Rev. 20) when the devil, the demons, the fallen angels, and all the human souls that choose to reject the Gospel Message will be forever incarcerated in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). The lake of fire is NOT a place of extermination, but one of never-ending incarceration, separated from a relationship and fellowship with God.
But in the meantime, to the extent that God allows and in order to provide Man with DAILY choices, there are temporal and eternal consequences to be experienced as a result of the wrong choices that we and others make. At times, these negative choices are the result of choosing to cave in to the pressure that the devil and/or his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil place on our soul structure. At other times, these negative choices are the result of caving it to the pressure that the evil desires of our own fallen nature place on our soul structure. In either case, these temporal consequences are the end result of the wrong choices that we (or others who are in position to impact our lives) make.
There are eternal consequences for unbelieving souls who reject the true Gospel Message (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 13, 15), and there are consequences for believers who choose not to participate in the production of divine good in post salvation discipleship (1 Cor. 3: 12-15). Just as a loving father here on Earth will discipline his children for a good end result, so will our Father in Heaven so work the details of our life in a way that will direct and give HIs children the opportunity to receive all that He desires to provide them with here on Earth and in Heaven.
God will impose divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) for choosing to engage in post (after) salvation sin. One does not lose his salvation, but divine discipline here on Earth can range in anything from living with a guilty conscience, up to and including physical ailments and physical death (Acts 5). Everyone has an appointed time to experience physical death and the passing of a believer is a precious event () in the eyes of the Lord. Accordinglyy, it should never be assumed that anyone's death was the result of divine discipline, but neither should this concept be ignored. God did not include the Acts 5 event for our entertainment!
Much of the misery we experience during our time here on Earth is self-induced. As far as the misery we encounter for making the right choices, such suffering is a part of the cross-bearing that all disciples will experience. As one spiritually matures, the suffering that is the result of divine discipline will decrease, but the suffering that comes from moving forward in the plan of God will increase!
There are many Earthly blessings (purpose in life, confidence, security, peace of mind, contentment, etc.) that one can experience here on Earth for growing up spiritually, but the cost of TRUE discipleship has NEVER come cheap. The devil will do all that God allows to try to take us off the battlefield of spiritual combat. The more we advance, the more of a target of interest we become.
If a relatively long, materially prosperous, comfortable life that ends in an easy-going departure is what living a godly life entitles one to, then the Lord Jesus Christ got the short end of the stick.
We might be able to imagine the physical torment He endured on the cross, but it is beyond our capacity to comprehend what it must have been like for our Lord to feel the breach of fellowship when the sin debt of the whole human race was placed on His Humanity.
Like the Lord Jesus Christ, Christians are NOT here to have their own"way and to fulfil their own plans, preferences, and desires. Disciples are here to learn of and to fulfill the will of God. Everything they do (or don't do) is subject to the principles of the Word of God in which God and/or the things of God are given first place. Easy to say, but challenging to do.
It has been my experience to note that the one's who exhibit the greatest faith and glorify God to the maximum are the ones that God has "broken", some times more than once, as He conforms us to the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29). Being broken is a very painful experience, but in the long run will never be regretted. Sending (or allowing) painful experiences to take place in our personal lives is the means through which God brings us to the end of our ropes where there is just God and us, with no one else or nothing else to grab onto.
Nothing (good or bad) can happen to any one of us without it impacting the lives of many people around us. Only the omniscience of God has the ability to work ALL things together for good of EVERYONE involved. Willing to be the sacrificial lamb for the benefit of others was the standard set by the Lord Jesus Christ. Being willing to suffer loss or pain for the advancement of the Master Plan of God is what it means to pick up one's cross daily and follow the Lord. For the advancing disciple, it matters not WHERE he/she is or WHAT it is that God sends or allows, as long as he/she is knows that he/she is living in the will of God. Being the recipient of a painfull blow, but continuing on with one's own personal walk with the Lord speaks volumes to those around us.
When one becomes a disciple, he/she acknowledges that he/she has surrendered e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g he/she has to the c-o-n-t-r-o-l of God. God does not need our permission to add or to take things (or people) away (Job 2: 10), but being willing to accept all that takes away as well as what He gives is a good indicator of where we are in our walk with the Lord. A-c-k-n-o-w-l-e-d-g-i-n-g that something has happened is NOT the same thing as willingly a-c-c-e-p-t-i-n-g it. We have little choice, but to acknowledge it, but having the spiritual discernment and maturity to accept it is a totally different matter. The spiritually mature disiciple does not ask, " Why has God sent this or allowed this to happen to me?" The spiritually mature disciples asks, "What is it that God desires to me to do in this situation?"
"...Shall we indeed accept good things from God and not accept adversity... (Job 2: 10 NASB)?."
Other than to leave in denial, we have no choice but to acknowledge that something (good or bad-humanly speaking) has happened. From divine viewpoint, there are no bad events as even all events contribute to the manifestation of the Master Plan of God.
Accepting ALL that God sends or allows, good or bad (humanly speaking) is a matter of desiring HIS will over our own (Lke 22: 42). Easy to say, not so easy to do until we are spiritually mature enough to walk the walk as well as we talk the talk.
God only sends His elite commandos into the most difficult missions within the realm of spiritual combat.
As far as "things" are concerned, we brought NO THING into this world and we can take NO THING with us when we leave. We can however, store up rewards to be later received in Heaven (1 Cor. 3: 12-15). As for the "things" of Earth, enjoy them as long as you can, but don't grip them so hard that you can't let go if God chooses to remove them in order to accomplish His plan. If God does not want something to part of our lives, neither should we.
Sometimes there is nothing "wrong" with the things He removes, but does so to provide us with the time and opportunity to invest our time more wisely.
As far as "people" are concerned, people who do not reach the age or stage of moral accountability (as in the case of David's child - ) go to Heaven, as do those who do reach the age or stage of moral accountability and choose to believe in a presentation of the Gospel Message.. Among BELIEVERS, the separation caused by physical death is temporary, but the reunion (1 Thess. 4: 14-7) is permanent. Despite the reality of (Mark 6: 4), there is perhaps no greater personal motivation to share the Gospel with family and friends than knowing that separation caused by physical death need only be temporary.
Where was God? He was and is where He always has been, and where He is going to be when each one of us gives an account (Rom. 14: 12/2 Cor. 5: 10) of ourselves to Him. While not denying Man the freedom of choice, God does intervene in human activity as He exercise His sovereignty via what He commands to take place though His direct will; what He allows via His permissive will, and what He prevents via His over-ruling will.
Generally speaking, it is what God allows to take place that raises the greatest challenges to our faith.
It's easy to say God's in charge when things are going way, but can be a real test of faith to continue to acknowledge God's sovereignty when we can find no explanation for some of the things that God's permissive will allows to take place here on Earth. An equally trying test of faith is the knowledge that God could have intervened, but chose NOT to do so.
I believe that there have been more times that we can possibly know of that God prevented each one of us from serious injury or premature death during the course of our timer here on Earth. Sometimes, the only way to overcome survivor's guilt is to get on with life and discover what it is that God wants you to accomplish before your own time to depart finally comes.
The divine attribute of sovereignty means that as God, He has the right to rule, and in doing so, the right to do anything He wants to do with the Creation He established for His own glory. The only limitations are self-imposed in that God cannot do anything inconsistent with His own divine nature and expressed will. This does NOT mean that He cannot allow evil to manifest itself order to achieve His own purposes. God the Father allowed His Son to be betrayed, arrested, falsely convicted, beaten, scourged, crucified, and executed in order to atone for the lost human race.
The divine omniscience of God sees the future just as clearly as He sees the past and present. It was via His omniscience that enabled Him to know of EVERY negative decision and sin that EVERY member of the human race had committed, was committing at the time, and would commit in the future. This knowledge was necessary in order for God the Father to place ALL of world's sin debt on the sacrificial, atoning, suffering humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ while ON the cross ( 1 John 2: 2)., and have the atoning Work declared "finished - John 19: 30 (NASB)."
It is via this same omniscience, that God knows every action, good or evil, that every human being will engage in throughout all of human history. Only God with such knowledge can so arrange the interaction and impact of the freedom choice being exercised by millions of souls on the Earth and still have ALL things so work together that the Master Plan of God will unfold just as He planned.
One must ask how God can hold us accountable since He knew before the creation of the world EVERY sin that every human soul would commit throughout the course of human history. The answer is that at the time we sin, it is a choice that we make.
In closing, the answer to this FAQ, "Where was God when ________took place?", is that God was (and remains) in the same place that He always has been, is now, and forever will be, exercising His sovereignty that is manifested through His direct, permissive, or over-ruling will in order for His purposes to be accomplished. Man was created to bring glory to God. Everything that happens serves a divine purpose. Job, being the classic example of undeserved suffering for the glory of God, asked the rhetorical question. "Shall we indeed accept good from God and adversity (Job 2: 10 NASB)?" For the spiritually mature advancing disciple, adversity, trials, and tribulation will not be strangers. All he needs to know is that in whatever circumstances he finds himself, he brings glory to God.
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The short answer is that God was in the same place and doing the same thing then, as He was when His only Son was crucified. The throne room of God is located in the 3rd Heaven spoken of in 1 Cor. 15. His omnipresence allows Him to be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. As far as what He was doing then and now, He was/is exercising His will over His creation.
The plan of God is unfolded and manifested in ALL that He does when exercising His direct (what He sends), permissive (what He allows), or over-ruling (what He prevents) will.
For the spiritually mature believer, he/she knows that EVERYTHING can be categorized as being a manifestation of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will. Spiritually mature believers will recover much more quickly from the shock that a traumatic event can trigger. At the same time, the last thing that a wounded immature soul wants to hear in the midst of tragedy is that whatever he/she is facing was the will of God.
When ministering to others, there is the need to be sensitive to the Biblical principle that there is, "A time to be silent and a time to speak (Eccl. 3: 7b NASB)." Responding to the immediate practical needs of wounded soul may open the door for a later opportunity for evangelism or edification.
God does not always act in ways that we expect. Scripture (Isa. 55: 8) make it clear that the ways of God and the ways of Man are not the same. When things happen or fail to happen as we desire or expect, it is a test of faith to accept the fact that e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g that happens or fails to happen serves a d-i-v-i-n-e purpose and that God's plan for us as an individual will involve adversity as well as blessings (Job 2: 10).
There has never been anything happen anywhere that did not first pass through the filters of God's direct, permissive, or over-ruling will.
Humanly speaking, this is not an easy pill to swallow when what God sends or allows results in such things as terminal illness, serious injury, or the "premature" death of a child or loved one. Adding more salt to the wound is that God knew all about it (omniscience), but chose not to exercise His over-ruling will to intervene.
There is a whole realm of emotions that can be involved when the storms of life strike, but disciples are not called to react "naturally", but to respond supernaturally with the enabling power of John 15: 5 as we apply the principles of doctrine that (should be) are circulating in our edified soul structures (Matt. 7: 24-27).
I placed quotation marks around the adjective "premature" when referring to death, as from God's viewpoint there is no such thing as death being early or late. The timing and circumstances of one's birth and death are in His hands (Psalms 31: 15). In order to fulfil God's plan, Adam's life span on Earth was 930 years (Gen. 5: 5); approx. 33 yrs. for the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and rather brief for child of David (2Sam 12: 14). Yet all three completely fulfilled the part of God plan that was divinely determined BEFORE each one took his first breath of natural life.
In the cases of the latter two, neither one did anything wrong, but died (for different reasons) due to the sins of others. The humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ died to atone for the world's sin debt. The child of David and Bathsheba died as the means o disciplining David for his adultery and his conspiracy to kill Bathsheba's husband to cover it up.
Of the three different ways (direct will/ permissive will/ over-ruling will) through which the plan of God unfolds, what God allows via His permissive will is by far the hardest one to understand, but the acceptance/rejection of what it allows causes our faith to grow in leaps and bounds or turn bitter cold.
Especially in the times in which we are now living, one will not be too far along the road of life before he/she witnesses or experiences things for which there is no rational explanation or justification beyond the foregoing principles of the sovereignty and three ways in which the will of God is manifested. It is at such times that our own faith is tested, but no more so when the events come to our own door. God, via His Word, has not left us here in the aftermath of adversity to fend for ourselves (John 14: 18), but has provided us with the means to acquire insight as to what is going on for our spiritual benefit.
Does this mean that we are to like the adversity we are called to face? Of course not. We do not cease to be human as a result of being born again, nor is God impressed by self-induced suffering.
If the detailed prophecies of what would be taking place INSIDE (1 Tim. 4: 1) as well as outside of the Christian Community had not be revealed to us, believers would be hard-pressed to provide answers to all that is going in the Church or out in the word us. When an advancing disciple realizes that all the craziness we see in the headlines are just as GOD said they would be just before His return, we can begin to see a silver lining around the darkest clouds of doom that the devil's world can produce.
Like a pile of clay on a potter's wheel, we are shaped by the timing and the amount of pressure that is applied to our soul structure. God can apply this pressure directly or via a host of other means, but it is He that is using the pressure to mold us and to conform us into the likeness of His Son (Rom. 3: 29).
One might think that the greatest progress would be accomplished in times of pleasantness and prosperity, but the pressure on the soul is so light that it is in the "good" times that we tend to drift away from God and the things of God. It is in times of adversity that we get refocused on God and/or the things of God. God does NOT force us to be, "...conformed to the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29 NASB)", but He will send, allow, and over-rule the daily events of our lives, calling us to get back on the potter's wheel where He do some more work towards bringing us to the next level of spiritual maturity.
The submission and humility it takes to learn and apply the principles of the Word of God will never find a home in the soul structure of a believer when he/she in under the influence of the fallen, self-centered, nature in Man, or when he is "hiding out" in his/her personal comfort zone. If one finds himself "satisfied" where he is in the his walk with the Lord and has no genuine interst in advancing, there is a good chance that the devil is equally satisfied.
There are many "Christians" who haven't taken as much as a baby step forward along the path to spiritual maturity in the last 6 days, 6 weeks, 6 months, 6 years, or the last 6 decades! The more time that passes in which no growth is experienced, the spiritual ears of soul is closing and the heart is hardening towards God and the things of God to the point that one does not care one way or the other.
Another issue is what happened to the "promises" of God" in light of these traumatic events?
Some of God's promises ONLY apply to "qualified" recipients. For example, the Lord Jesus Christ atoned for the world's sin debt on the cross (1 John 2: 2), yet the John 3: 16 promise of eternal life only applies to those who choose to believe (John 3: 18) in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. Those who reject the Gospel are equally promised an eternity in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). To the extent that this principle applies to the FAQ at hand, let's take a look at to whom the promise of Romans 3: 28 were made.
Scripture: "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His Psalms 31: 15 purpose (Rom. 3: 28 NASB)."
The promise: Having ALL things work together for good. "Good" meaning in favor of the plan of God, not ours (Luke 22: 42), unless ours and His are one in the same. Only IF and WHEN we reach the highest level of spiritual maturity will the plan of God and "ours" be in one in the same. Many "Christians" are "in it" for what they want or expect God to do for them, as opposed to the advancing disciple who desires to learn and to do what God desires to do through him (John 15: 5), with or without reward.
The qualifications to receive the Rom. 3: 28 benefits: #1: One must "love" God, evidenced by obedience (John 14: 15) and priority (Luke 14: 26), and #2 being among those who choose to respond to the post salvation calls to discipleship to serve HIS purpose. The primary "purpose" for the Church at large, and each Church Age believer is to fulfill his/her assigned place/role (1 Cor. 12: 11) in the completion of the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20).
Many "Christians" do not even know what the spiritual gifts of 1 Cor. 12 are; let alone what their gift may be!
Many "Christians" choose to take the route of least resistance by accepting an alternative (religion, good works, relatively good behavior, etc.) rather than engage and remain in the uphill battle of the true post salvation spiritual life. The human being likes his "comfort zone", and the devil is more than happy to provide one.
God's purpose for sending, allowing, or over-ruling what would have otherwise taken place, is to conform the born again believer into the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29). This "likeness" begins with "repentance", that is, a change of mind. One changes from a self-centered state of mind that is naturally hostile (Rom. 8: 7) towards God and the things of God, to a Christ-centered state of mind. The advancing disciple develops the discernment to see things God's way (1 Cor. 2: 16), and to conform his attitudes and behaviors to correspond to it.
This conformation brings glory to God, fulfilling the divine purpose for which God created Man. We are conformed to the likeness of Christ as we spiritually spiritual mature through the study and application of the Word of God, with the long term goal of being prepared to fulfil our assigned role in the ongoing fulfillment of The Great Commission.
If one does not experience the pressure of God's hand on the potter's wheel from time to time, such a person has either reached the point of perfection (LOL!), or is not engaged in the true post salvation spiritual life. There will NEVER come a time this side of Heaven when God is through conforming us to the likeness of His Son. As God reaches one goal, He then brings us to the next issue, usually ore challenging to address, to the previous one(s).
Note that nowhere in this conforming scenario is the mention of any our plans or desires (outside of the will of God) being fulfilled.
Praying for things "in Jesus' name" does NOT obligate God to respond in the way we desire (John 16: 23).
Praying in the name of Jesus is acknowledging the access to the throne of grace that we, as a child of God, have as a result of the authority granted to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing wrong with making prayer REQUESTS, but ALL prayer requests are subject to consistency with the will of God in any given situation. What the promise of Rom. 3: 28 assures the advancing disciple is that no matter what happens (or fails to materialize), the end result will be that God's purpose will be fulfilled.
By making things a matter of prayer, we have another layer of asuurance that what takes place IS His will, after having placed the matter in His hands in an act of faith, providing we refrain from trying to manipulate an outcome of our own design.
I have benefitted many times from personal prayer requests and from prayers of others made in my behalf. I would NEVER dispute the power of prayer, but what I am saying is that prayer does NOT obligate God to dd anyrhing contrary to His will. My faith has been put to the test MANY times when I received the NO answers from God. Its not hard to be " a person of faith" when things are generally going our way, but remaining faithful when things go against us, especially when the matter had been made a matter of prayer, is another matter altogether.
The Apostle Paul prayed for relief from his "thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12: 7" three times 2 Cor. 12: 8), but the answer was NO. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed if it be the will of the Father (Luke 22: 42) that the cup of suffering be removed, but the answer was No. When God says NO, He has a divine purpose for doing so.
We ( especially in the role of parents) would like to think that it is the good home, positive encouragement, promoting self-esteem, education, financial support/security, social status, etc.) that makes one what he/she turns out to be here in the devil's world. While such things have their input concerning s-e-c-u-l-a-r issues, the greatest advances in the spiritual realm most often take place as a result of such things as humiliation and submission. Humility and submission that are repulsive to the pride and arrogance of our fallen nature.
Many of the "positive" things that well-intending parents provide or that are obtained by self effort, can actually work towards reinforcing the pride, arrogance, and a false sense of self-sufficiency (Rev. 3: 17) that promotes the fallen nature, and a perceived "insignificance" of God and/or the things of God.
As long as the "safety net" is there, there is little concern for errors in judgment. As long as WE get what WE want and when we want it, there is little desire to "fix" what "works" for us. Perceived self-sufficiency and desire for independence from God was what motivated the devil to rebel (Isa. 14: 13, 14) BEFORE the human race was even created. No matter now otherwise successful and prosperous we may otherwise become, in the spiritual realm we can do NOTHING (John 15: 5) apart from God.
What have we or our children accomplished if we/they garner everything that this world has to offer if we/they forfeit (Mark 8: 36) all that God had in mind for us/them here on Earth (3John 1: 2) and in Heaven (1 Cor. 3: 14)? Whatever losses God sends or allows us to experience here on Earth, will contribute to the development of our spiritual maturity here on Earth and a greater reward in Heaven. If God does not want us to receive or retain something, neither should we.
A wild horse, by nature, does NOT want to be corralled, saddled, or led around with bit in its mouth. Until it is "broken", it will resist with all its ability any attempts to restrict and to control it. The hostility (Romans 8: 7) that the fallen nature of Man possesses, responds in like manner to any one or any thing that tries to force him/her to do what he/she doesn't want to do. Fallen Man is equally resistant to give up the sinful and evil desires
that he/she desires to do.
The desires of fallen nature (Romans 7) within us struggles with with desires and mentorship of God the Holy Spirit who comes to indwell us as of the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 3: 16). Some of these desires may not even be (in of themselves) a sin, but do not fit who we are in Christ (1 Cor. 5: 17). Discipleship goes beyond choosing between right and wrong, as it encompasses what is best over what is good.
We make choices every day that either satisfies the desires of self, the fallen nature, other people, the devil, or God. Although most of us will try to keep one foot in the camp of God and the other foot in another that caters to OUR plans, this is not possible. Either one is under complete submission to the leading of God the Holy Spirit at any given time, or is under submission to an alternative. There is no neutrality in the spiritual realm. We are free to choose to what we submit ourselves to, but we are not free from having to make that choice.
God must "break" us BEFORE He can begin the process of conforming us into the likeness of His Son (Romans 8: 29). This process begins at salvation and continues on throughout the course of one's post salvation spiritual life as long as one chooses to engage in true discipleship. All one has to do to get out from under the pressure of spiritual combat is to desert the battlefield in the face of the enemy.
In the spiritual realm, we ARE what we think. Our behavior will follow the will. Repentance, that is the changing the way we think, can be a very painful process. This explains much about the need for the many painful things that God will send or allow, and many of the temporal blessings that He withholds from us. The devil will be glad to accommodate us, but God will NOT give us anything that will promote the rise the sin nature or that will take us away from the plan that He has for our lives. This explains much about WHERE God is and WHAT He is (or is not) doing when things takes place that upset us.
Never assume that Earthly prosperity (yours or others) has necessarily come from God, nor be so foolish to think that even the temporal blessings that did come from God aren't ALL going to go away some day. All the temporal things that ANY of us may ever acquire here on Earth are all going to go away some day when we depart. The day of our departure may not arrive for decades, but could be TODAY. There are many, many souls who got up this morning with death being the last thing on their minds or on the minds of those who knew them, but never the less will no longer be here on Earth by the time the sun goes down.
Not all, but many of the wealthiest people to have ever walked on the face of the Earth are poor in the eyes of God. IF they have been born again, such believers will arrive and spend all of eternity with God as all believers will, but they will do so without reward(s) and accompanying privileges there awaiting them. They will stand "naked- Rev. 3: 17), that is without a uniform of glory (Rev. 3: 18), but that is another subject for another day.
"And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. And he reasoning to himself, saying. "What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?" And he said, "This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry." But God said to him, "You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?" So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God."
Those who are "rich towards God have an eternal bank account awaiting them in Heaven (Matt. 6: 20)." As in the case of banks here on Earth, one must have a deposit slip or have made direct deposit arrangements to make a deposit. In order to make a deposit in the "Bank of Heven", one must participate in the production of "divine" good. Divine good, symbolized as gold. silver, precious stones) must be distinguished from human good (symbolized as wood, hay, straw) in the 1 Cor, 3 passage, as only deeds of divine good can result in a "deposit" that can later be "withdrawn" in Heaven.
"Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, (Rev 3: 17 NASB)."
Obviously the Lord is speaking of spiritual poverty, wretchedness, misery, blindness and nakedness, as one would certainly know it if one was any of these in the temporal realm. Keep in mind that in this passage, the Lord is speaking to Church Age believers.
Of course the devil has a plan that will appear to allow us to avoid the pain and to obtain and retain what we want independently of the plan of God. It is a good chance that if the gain cost no pain, then the gain did not come from God. Very few "worth while" things come without sacrifice.
Satan offered a "crown" without the "cross" to the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4: 6), and to the extent that God allows, the devil will do the same to each one of us. The Lord Jesus Christ saw what the devil was after and rejected the devil's plan. Many of us who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ sell out to the devil every day for a lot less than what he would be willing to pay for the control of a human soul. For the devil, it is not our gain or loss that he is focused on, but the opportunity to deny God the glory He receives when one of His children chooses obedience, especially at the cost of personal sacrifice.
After initially being broken, there will be follow-up discipline (Heb. 12: 6) when we wander from the individual path or the pace on it that God has in mind for us. This path is true post salvation spiritual life. Again, the devil will offer many alternatives with the objective of denying God the glory that He would otherwise receive.
These "alternatives" include, but are not limited to the path(s) of Man-made religion, humanitarian endeavors, and human good in the labor and professional realm. All such alternatives are held in high esteem by Man and in most cases can provide great Earthly benefits to those who pursue them, but contribute NOTHING of value in the spiritual realm. The pursuit of such things can be a great distraction to the true post salvation spiritual life. The devil considers it a win-win scenario when his world reeps the benefits of the human good that God's people produce while God is denied the glory that the side-lined spiritual life would have brought to God.
The many different means of one making a living while producing HUMAN good plays an important part in the individual plan that God has in mind. The part it plays is that THIS is one of the major areas of our individual lives WHERE each one of us are called to be Christ's ambassador (2 Cor. 5: 20). An ambassador is one who fully understands the policies of the kingdom he/she represents, and functions in the capacity of a spokesperson in the post where he/she is assigned.
Ambassadors NEVER voice their OWN opinions when functioning in their official capacity. This underscores the need to know what God has to say in any given scenario. One cannot be used of God to pass along anything until he/she has learned what the, "mind of Christ (1 COr. 2: 16) has to say. The devil will use the ignorance and the arrogance of spiritually immature believers to promote "religion" while deceiving them into believing that they are doing the will of God.
While we will perform the same type of human good as will others in the same work place, domestic setting, recreational activity, or profession, the advancing disciple is called to share the Gospel Message with unbelievers and edifying principles of doctrine with fellow believers. This underscores the need for discipleship that begins with the building of one's OWN edified soul structure with the long term objective of being used of God to evangelize and/or edify others.
To exclude God from the daily time that one devotes to his/her production of human good or any other time-consuming daily activity would neutralize at least one third of the 24hrs. that God gives us each day to glorify Him. When considering the hours spent sleeping during each 24 hr. day, the 8 - 10 hrs. spent in the workplace could represent more that half of one's conscious lifetime.
This does NOT mean that we are called to be the type of co-worker or companion that pushes his/her faith onto others.
IF one is growing in his/her knowledge of the Lord (2 Pet. 3: 18) and applying that knowledge to his/her own life (Matt. 7: 24), his/her thoughts, attitudes, and actions will be so different from others that God will use this difference to draw inquirers to the advancing disciple. This scenario affords the advancing disciple the opportunity to respond to the questions he/she will be asked (1Pet. 3: 15).
Even if the purpose of the public inquiry is for the purpose of persecuting or trying to discredit him/her, the Word is still be promoted and one might be surprised of the ripple effect that this may have on others who silently listen and observe.
Every day is a day for giving a testimony of one's faith. Sometimes the opportunities given to us will allow us to share the Gospel or an edifying principle of doctrine, but EVERY day we are given the opportunity to provide the unspoken, but powerful testimony of a life of one who walks the walk as well as talks the talk. There is hardly a moment when we are not under the observation of other people, angels, or the Eph. 6: 16 forces of evil, waiting to see if we choose to bring glory or deny God the glory a result of the choices we make every day.
Like a single brick in a giant brick wall, one brick does not seem to be all that significant, yet without, the wall will not be complete. There is a place and purpose for EVERY Church Age believer. God knows who among us will respond to the post salvation call to discipleship. Although many are called, few are chosen (Matt. 22: 14). One becomes one of the chosen IF and when we CHOOSE to respond to God's invitation to engage in post salvation discipleship.
The plan of God will forward with or without our individual cooperation and participation. It is s the indifferent believers who will suffer the ultimate loss (1 Cor. 3: 15) as they stand naked (without a uniform of glory) and without reward, but that's another subject for another day.
There is no such thing as a little lie or a little fraud when one considers that the glory of God is on the line. Those who function by the ways of the of the world will almost always get more than they would have if they chose to do the right thing and glorify God in the same scenario but at what total cost when all is said and done.
Note that there is NEVER a time that ANYTHING we think, say, or do that gets by the omniscience and omnipresence of God. Contrary to what we would like to think, NO ONE has gotten away with anything when it comes to dealing with the One to whom we ALL must give an accounting of ourselves (Rom. 14: 12).
There is NOTHING wrong with obtaining or enjoying the benefits of secular success IF one does not compromise his/her walk with the Lord in order to either obtain or retain them. At the same time, secular success without God is a satanic trap. It can deceive those who experience such success as evidence that God is pleased with them when it fact they have never been born again, or have been born again but have no clue as to what the true post salvation spiritual life is all about. Such success is also cannon fodder in the realm of spiritual combat as the devil parades such success in view of God's people to demonstrate what one can have if they did things his (the devil's ) way!
But, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul (Mark 8: 6 NASB)?
Secular success when accompanied with a life that prioritizes God and the things of God is a tremendous blessing and is getting the best of two worlds. Secular success and its benefits, without God, comes to an end when one departs this world. Never-ending eternity is going to last a lot longer that even the longest life here on Earth has ever been. Only a fool would prioritize the here and now above and beyond eternity future, but people do that every day.
God will NOT give or promote ANYTHING that competes for His place in the life of a believer.
"I am the Lord, that is My name. I will not give my glory (honor/credit) to another, Nor my praise to graven images (Isa. 42:8 NASB parenthesis mine)."
An "idol" (and the sin of idolatry) involves any one or any thing that is put ahead of one's relationship with God, or takes the place of God in one's thinking or behavior. Seeking the aid or intervention of departed human beings, and the wearing of medals, jewelry, or religious icons for the purpose of warding off evil and evil spirits are among the things that are held in high esteem by Man, but are detestable in the eyes of God (Luke 16: 15). The perceived need and use of such things for these purposes are an insult to God.
There is no such thing as "luck", good or bad, as this concept opposes the principle of the sovereignty of God.
Graven images (Exodus 20: 4) and "deified furnishings" (statues/altars) have been successfully established and promoted by Man-made religious authorities within the Man-made houses of "worship" within the "Christian Community" of the Church Age.
In past dispensations, God DID authorize the construction of tent and building structures for worship and points of contact between He and His people, but the last physical altar that God acknowledged was the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The temple of God (here on Earth) for the dispensation of the Church Age is the collective physical bodies of Spirit-indwelled believers (1 Cor. 3: 16) at large. Church Age believers do NOT go to Church, but ARE the Church that gathers together for corporate worship (Heb. 10: 25). Unlike in the case of past dispensations, the local, type of structure (if any) where the Church gathers together for worship is of NO spiritual significance here in the Church Age.
The perceived need for physical altars, officiating priests, and other apparatus within the houses of worship during the Church Age was the result of re-introducing such thngs that were ordained by God during and for the Old Testament dispensation (period of time). While held in high esteem with "religious" circles, such things have no part and serve no purpose for the type of worship that God desires for the Church Age.
Once in place, "religion" has added more and more functions for its "priesthood" to perform; many of which were NEVER given to any group of men to perfrom during the dispensation of the Church Age.
The celebration of the Lord's Supper did NOT involve an altar nor a "priest" of that day, nor does it require either one now. Not
being of the tribe of Levi, the Lord Jesus Christ did not qualify for the "priesthood" of His day. The need for the Old Testament priesthood was about to come to its end with the final sacrifice that He would make on the cross. There was NO altar in the upper room that He arranged for the event.
The stated (1 Cor. 11: 24, 25) purpose of the ritual is to "bring into remembrance" not to reproduce either the Humanity or the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He performed on the cross! This celebration of the Lord's Supper as it was intended to be, and the teaching of the Word of God for the purpose of making disciples is the type of worship that God desires here in the Church Age. Pastor teachers, who have both administrative as well as teaching authority, often lead congregations in the celebration of the Lord' Supper, but this function can be delegated to qualified believers under the direction and responsibility of the pastor teacher. The celebration of the Lord's Supper does not call for physical altars or "officiating" priests. The "priesthood" of the Church Age (1 Pet. 2: 9) is made up of each and every born again believer, but that is another subject for another day.
ALL Church Age prayer is to be directed to God the Father (Matt. 6: 9), in the name (authority given ) of/by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14: 14), via the enabling power (John 15: 5) of God the Holy Spirit. Prayer plays a significant role in the life of an advancing disciple, but prayer is NOT to be viewed as a problem solving device. To be classified as a problem solving device, it must have a 100% rate of achieving its intended purpose. Among the problem solving devices of Scripture, there is faith (trusting/believing) in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that ALWAYS results in salvation (John 3: 16), and confession (1 Jon 1: 9) that ALWAYS results in forgiveness. But since prayer requests do NOT always result in what was asked for, prayer does not qualify as a problem solving device. If it did, all one would have to do would be to engage in prayer and God would always grant the request.
See Doctrine of Prayer for further details.
Nowhere in Scripture are Church Age believers taught to pray to ANY other beings than God, but such things have been a long-standing practice by many who claim to be Christians.
Seeking the help of ANY other being than God is an insult to the triune Godhead (Father, Son. and Holy Spirit) who has promised to fulfill ALL our needs, and requires no help or pleading from other sources outside of the Trinity (Rom. 8: 26, 27, 34).
Going to another source when one does not get what he/she wants through prayer requests to God raises serious questions as to if it is the will of God. Exactly what is it that a subordinate being of God can or would do that God Himself cannot or will not do, if it is truly His will?
One may prove to be like some of the ancient Jews by attributing the Work of God to demonic activity when he/she assumes that miraculous activity of God is of the devil (Luke 11: 15). Its not for me to say (outside of what is documented in Scripture) when, through whom, or through what means God may choose to work miracles. I do know that when the apostles were involved, they made it perfectly clear that the miraculous activity was NOT of their own doing, but of God (Luke 14: 15). They would have clearly REJECTED (Acts 14: 14, 15) the later to be implemented concept of erecting a shrine or ANY other activity that would accredit them (or anyone else) for the miraculous activity that God did through them (Jon 15: 5). PRAYER is the means of communication between God and Man, and is NEVER to be directed towards another human being, alive on Earth or departed.
The idea of praying to ANYONE for ANYTHING other than to God would be totally foreign to them, and will be rejected when one has a Biblically edified soul structure. This is not to dispute the part that ANY human being played in the plan of God, but such involvement NEVER entitled ANY of them to be the recipient of prayer or any other activity that belongs to God alone. God will honor those who honors Him, but God will share the category of praise that belongs to Him alone with NO ONE.
The kind of intercessory prayer that the apostles DID promote involved prayers made by believers for believers HERE on Earth. Once the soul departs, there is NO prayer or ANY other activity (including post modem arrangements) that can get a soul of an UNBELIEVER out of the Torments of Hades or save them from the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) to come. There is no need to pray for ANYTHING that God has promised to do for the soul of a departed believer (John 3: 16/1 Cor. 3: 14, etc,). GOd needs not to be reminded or to interceded with concerning ANYTHING that He has already promised to do.
On some rare occasions and for specific reasons, the plan of God called for departed souls (Mark 5: 35-43/John 11: 43-44) to return to their natural bodies, but even when this was the case, there still was an appointed time for their final departure.
One of the reasons I make mention of all these events is to make the point that God is where He has always been, is now, and will forever be, exercising His will over His creation. Sometime we may like and agree with what God does (or does not do), and sometimes we will fail to see the divine purpose for what He does or does not do. Its when we choose to trust in the Lord when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel that our faith grows in leaps and bounds, as painful as the process may be.
It is important in this study for one to know what an "idol" in the times in which we live can consist of, as this explains why in so many cases God's answer to our prayer requests is "No". An idol is anyone (including one self) or any thing that is given a higher place of priority (Luke 14: 26) that is higher that the place of priority that one gives to God and/or the things of God. People make sacrifices every day to serve the interests of the "almighty buck" idol. Adam placed his personal relationship with the woman (Eve) over and above his relationship with God (Gen. 3: 17). One's lifetime (secular) work or career can easily become an idol. The desire to engage in certain forms of sin can easily become an idol.
God (in most cases) will not require one to give up all his/her money and possessions as He did in the case of the rich man (Matt. 19: 21), but He will tolerate the sin of idolatry. God will arrange "tests" from time to time to us to see where each one of us stands when it comes to finances and his/her relationship with God. The bottom line is that one can not serve the interests of God and the interests of money at the same time (Matt. 6: 24). The long term goal of discipleship is about the SERVICE we provide to OTHERS (1 Cor. 12:7), often times at the cost of personal sacrifice.
Wherever or on what/who ever one spends his money is where his/her heart is (Matt. 6: 21). Be honest when conducting your 2 Cor : 13: 5 SELF examinations. Where is your heart when it comes to the investment of your time and treasure? Has an idol taken what should be God's place on your list of priorities?
This is not a plug for financial support of the Biblical Answers To Man's Questions ministry. BATMQ is financially self-sustained (Matt. 10: 8). BATMQ.NET does not solicit or receive ANY financial support, but prayers for its continued success is much appreciated.
I am merely pointing our that this is one of the ways that one can examine and evaluate where he/she really stands in his/her relationship with the Lord. It was the Lord Jesus Christ that made the statement, not Pastor Doug! God does not want money that you don't have to give (Mark 7: 11), but when we spend more money that we do have on our own pleasures than what we give to God on a regular basis, its time for a 2 Cor. 13:5 evaluation.
Coming to the realization of what we are in our pre-salvation status in the eyes of God (Isa. 1: 6) and our inability (apart from God) to do ANYTHING about it can be a very humbling experience. Without such an self-evaluation, one will never come to understand his/her NEED for salvation, nor will he/she ever understand why FAITH (placing one's trust) in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the ONLY means to receive Eternal Life (John 3: 16), the regeneration (Titus 3: 5) and the sealing/baptism (identifying) Work of God the Holy Spirit. It is likewise important to keep in mind that AFTER we are saved, we still can produce NOTHING of value in the spiritual realm apart from God (John 15: 5).
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14: 15 NASB)."
There are more than 300 such commandments found in New Testament alone!
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and mother and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple (Luke 14: 26 NASB)."
The word "hate" in Luke 14: 26 means to "love less" when it comes down to setting priorities.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I an with you always, even to the end of age (Matt. 28: 19, 20 NASB)."
The English word d-i-s-c-i-p-l-e is a translation of the Greek word m-a-t-h-e-t-e-s, meaning a student and applier of the Word of God. The "all" that I have commanded you" refers directly to the TRUE Gospel Message and principles of discipleship that He announced, and indirectly to the teachings of God the Holy Spirit that was to come (John 14: 26). The "end of age" is the end of the Church Age. The Church Age began in the approx. year 33-34 AD (Acts 2) and will come to its end when God unites the entire Church, those members who have departed and those who are on the Earth at the time) together to be with the Lord forever (1Thess. 4: 13-17). Note that is is the end of the Church Age, and not the end of the category of believers referred to in Scripture as the Church.
In the meantime, the primary "purpose" of the Church, and each and every member of it, being here on Earth is clearly outlined in the Great Commission. Before on can teach by word and example, the believer must be conformed in thought and action to the likeness of Christ, once again explaining the need for much of the adversity that God sends or allows to take place in the life of an advancing disciple. Never lose sight of the fact that although there is suffering and adversity coming from God when divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) takes place, there is suffering and adversity coming from the devil when we are making the right choices, as well (Phil. 1: 29).
Correctly identifying the source of one's suffering (God, Satan, self, or other people) can go along way in understanding that God has sent or allowed it. When will it end? It will end when it has accomplished its divine purpose. Until either the divine (spiritual growth) or the diabolical (destruction of the productivity of one's post salvation spiritual life) objective is secured, the form of suffering and/or intensity is destined to continue with ever increasing frequency and intensity. This is what the daily combat (Eph. 6) of the post salvation spiritual life is all about!
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8: 28 NASB)."
"...who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to OUR works, but according to HIS own PURPOSE and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity (2Tim. 1: 9 NASB)."
The devil has an never-ending, daily, alternative agenda for the Church at large and for each and every member of it. If the Church at large or any local assembly, ministry, or individual believer is not directly or indirectly engaged in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (proclaiming the Gospel to unbelievers and making students and appliers of the Word of God out of believers) that it, he, or she has failed to serve the divine purpose for which God created them, here in the Church Age. EVERY day is a day in which all Church Age believers are called to work on the edification and maintaining of his/her own soul structure to foster spiritual growth.
EVERY day is a day in which all Church Age believers are to witness for Christ, either by the non-verbal testimony of the life he/she is living, or by communicating (when God gives the opportunity) the TRUE Gospel to unbelievers that cross our path, and/or principles of doctrine to fellow believers. IF one is advancing in discipleship, the obvious difference between his/her attitudes, choices, and behavior from the attitudes, choices, and behaviors of unbelievers or back-sliding believers will be what God will use to attact the attention of the people within one's personal periphery with whom God desires to minister. If there is NO overt differences between one's life and the lives of unbelievers and back-sliding believers, then its time for a 2Cor. 13: 5 examination and a follow-up plan of correction.
We all go through periods of time when we fall victim to the schemes of the devil, evidenced by the fact that we make decisions that pleases the desires of the self-centered fallen nature within us (Rom. 7), other people (Gen. 3: 17), or the devil himself, even though we know in our hearts we are making a wrong turn. ANY decision to develop an attitude or act contrary to what the Word of God has to say pleases the devil. If for no other reason, it denies God the glory that He would have otherwise received. A born again (John 3: 3), Spirit indwelled (1 Cor. 3: 16), Spirit-led (Gal. 5: 16) believer will NOT sin until he/she first decides to say "No!" to the voice of God speaking inaudibly through one's edified soul structure, or first decides to get out from under His authority in order to pursue his/her own agenda (Isa. 14: 13, 14!
Only a small minority of believers are called to stand behind a traditional pulpit or otherwise communicate and teach doctrine on the larger scale. Those who do so are there to develop post salvation discipleship in the lives of other believers. Discipleship is initially for the development of one's own post salvation spiritual life, with the long term goal of participating in the Great Commission for the benefit of others (1Cor. 12: 7).
All believers are called to participate in the Great Commission by personally learning and applying the knowledge (2 Pet. 3: 18) they (should) receive from the pulpit on a regular basis. If and as they do, their very lives will become an unspoken testimony that will attract the attention of those he/she interacts with on a regular basis. This is the scenario and setting that God the Holy Spirit will use for the sharing of the Gospel with unbelievers and post salvation doctrine with unbelievers.
OK. but what does all this have to do with God sending or allowing tragedy, pain, suffering, conflict and adversity into the lives of His children?
The human race was created to glorify God in the midst of an ongoing conflict between divine and diabolical spiritual forces. Yes, God could have chosen to just wipe out the devil and the fallen angels (not to mention Adam and Eve BEFORE any offspring arrived on the scene), but the grace of God chose all of them to continue on and use the conflicting scenarios that they create to provide an environment in which the individual souls of Man would make their own choices. God does NOT desire robotic worship. It is when one chooses to glorify God that He is honored.
There is a coming day (Rev. 20) when the devil, the demons, the fallen angels, and all the human souls that choose to reject the Gospel Message will be forever incarcerated in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). The lake of fire is NOT a place of extermination, but one of never-ending incarceration, separated from a relationship and fellowship with God.
But in the meantime, to the extent that God allows and in order to provide Man with DAILY choices, there are temporal and eternal consequences to be experienced as a result of the wrong choices that we and others make. At times, these negative choices are the result of choosing to cave in to the pressure that the devil and/or his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil place on our soul structure. At other times, these negative choices are the result of caving it to the pressure that the evil desires of our own fallen nature place on our soul structure. In either case, these temporal consequences are the end result of the wrong choices that we (or others who are in position to impact our lives) make.
There are eternal consequences for unbelieving souls who reject the true Gospel Message (John 3: 18/Rev. 20: 13, 15), and there are consequences for believers who choose not to participate in the production of divine good in post salvation discipleship (1 Cor. 3: 12-15). Just as a loving father here on Earth will discipline his children for a good end result, so will our Father in Heaven so work the details of our life in a way that will direct and give HIs children the opportunity to receive all that He desires to provide them with here on Earth and in Heaven.
God will impose divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) for choosing to engage in post (after) salvation sin. One does not lose his salvation, but divine discipline here on Earth can range in anything from living with a guilty conscience, up to and including physical ailments and physical death (Acts 5). Everyone has an appointed time to experience physical death and the passing of a believer is a precious event () in the eyes of the Lord. Accordinglyy, it should never be assumed that anyone's death was the result of divine discipline, but neither should this concept be ignored. God did not include the Acts 5 event for our entertainment!
Much of the misery we experience during our time here on Earth is self-induced. As far as the misery we encounter for making the right choices, such suffering is a part of the cross-bearing that all disciples will experience. As one spiritually matures, the suffering that is the result of divine discipline will decrease, but the suffering that comes from moving forward in the plan of God will increase!
There are many Earthly blessings (purpose in life, confidence, security, peace of mind, contentment, etc.) that one can experience here on Earth for growing up spiritually, but the cost of TRUE discipleship has NEVER come cheap. The devil will do all that God allows to try to take us off the battlefield of spiritual combat. The more we advance, the more of a target of interest we become.
If a relatively long, materially prosperous, comfortable life that ends in an easy-going departure is what living a godly life entitles one to, then the Lord Jesus Christ got the short end of the stick.
We might be able to imagine the physical torment He endured on the cross, but it is beyond our capacity to comprehend what it must have been like for our Lord to feel the breach of fellowship when the sin debt of the whole human race was placed on His Humanity.
Like the Lord Jesus Christ, Christians are NOT here to have their own"way and to fulfil their own plans, preferences, and desires. Disciples are here to learn of and to fulfill the will of God. Everything they do (or don't do) is subject to the principles of the Word of God in which God and/or the things of God are given first place. Easy to say, but challenging to do.
It has been my experience to note that the one's who exhibit the greatest faith and glorify God to the maximum are the ones that God has "broken", some times more than once, as He conforms us to the likeness of His Son (Rom. 8: 29). Being broken is a very painful experience, but in the long run will never be regretted. Sending (or allowing) painful experiences to take place in our personal lives is the means through which God brings us to the end of our ropes where there is just God and us, with no one else or nothing else to grab onto.
Nothing (good or bad) can happen to any one of us without it impacting the lives of many people around us. Only the omniscience of God has the ability to work ALL things together for good of EVERYONE involved. Willing to be the sacrificial lamb for the benefit of others was the standard set by the Lord Jesus Christ. Being willing to suffer loss or pain for the advancement of the Master Plan of God is what it means to pick up one's cross daily and follow the Lord. For the advancing disciple, it matters not WHERE he/she is or WHAT it is that God sends or allows, as long as he/she is knows that he/she is living in the will of God. Being the recipient of a painfull blow, but continuing on with one's own personal walk with the Lord speaks volumes to those around us.
When one becomes a disciple, he/she acknowledges that he/she has surrendered e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g he/she has to the c-o-n-t-r-o-l of God. God does not need our permission to add or to take things (or people) away (Job 2: 10), but being willing to accept all that takes away as well as what He gives is a good indicator of where we are in our walk with the Lord. A-c-k-n-o-w-l-e-d-g-i-n-g that something has happened is NOT the same thing as willingly a-c-c-e-p-t-i-n-g it. We have little choice, but to acknowledge it, but having the spiritual discernment and maturity to accept it is a totally different matter. The spiritually mature disiciple does not ask, " Why has God sent this or allowed this to happen to me?" The spiritually mature disciples asks, "What is it that God desires to me to do in this situation?"
"...Shall we indeed accept good things from God and not accept adversity... (Job 2: 10 NASB)?."
Other than to leave in denial, we have no choice but to acknowledge that something (good or bad-humanly speaking) has happened. From divine viewpoint, there are no bad events as even all events contribute to the manifestation of the Master Plan of God.
Accepting ALL that God sends or allows, good or bad (humanly speaking) is a matter of desiring HIS will over our own (Lke 22: 42). Easy to say, not so easy to do until we are spiritually mature enough to walk the walk as well as we talk the talk.
God only sends His elite commandos into the most difficult missions within the realm of spiritual combat.
As far as "things" are concerned, we brought NO THING into this world and we can take NO THING with us when we leave. We can however, store up rewards to be later received in Heaven (1 Cor. 3: 12-15). As for the "things" of Earth, enjoy them as long as you can, but don't grip them so hard that you can't let go if God chooses to remove them in order to accomplish His plan. If God does not want something to part of our lives, neither should we.
Sometimes there is nothing "wrong" with the things He removes, but does so to provide us with the time and opportunity to invest our time more wisely.
As far as "people" are concerned, people who do not reach the age or stage of moral accountability (as in the case of David's child - ) go to Heaven, as do those who do reach the age or stage of moral accountability and choose to believe in a presentation of the Gospel Message.. Among BELIEVERS, the separation caused by physical death is temporary, but the reunion (1 Thess. 4: 14-7) is permanent. Despite the reality of (Mark 6: 4), there is perhaps no greater personal motivation to share the Gospel with family and friends than knowing that separation caused by physical death need only be temporary.
Where was God? He was and is where He always has been, and where He is going to be when each one of us gives an account (Rom. 14: 12/2 Cor. 5: 10) of ourselves to Him. While not denying Man the freedom of choice, God does intervene in human activity as He exercise His sovereignty via what He commands to take place though His direct will; what He allows via His permissive will, and what He prevents via His over-ruling will.
Generally speaking, it is what God allows to take place that raises the greatest challenges to our faith.
It's easy to say God's in charge when things are going way, but can be a real test of faith to continue to acknowledge God's sovereignty when we can find no explanation for some of the things that God's permissive will allows to take place here on Earth. An equally trying test of faith is the knowledge that God could have intervened, but chose NOT to do so.
I believe that there have been more times that we can possibly know of that God prevented each one of us from serious injury or premature death during the course of our timer here on Earth. Sometimes, the only way to overcome survivor's guilt is to get on with life and discover what it is that God wants you to accomplish before your own time to depart finally comes.
The divine attribute of sovereignty means that as God, He has the right to rule, and in doing so, the right to do anything He wants to do with the Creation He established for His own glory. The only limitations are self-imposed in that God cannot do anything inconsistent with His own divine nature and expressed will. This does NOT mean that He cannot allow evil to manifest itself order to achieve His own purposes. God the Father allowed His Son to be betrayed, arrested, falsely convicted, beaten, scourged, crucified, and executed in order to atone for the lost human race.
The divine omniscience of God sees the future just as clearly as He sees the past and present. It was via His omniscience that enabled Him to know of EVERY negative decision and sin that EVERY member of the human race had committed, was committing at the time, and would commit in the future. This knowledge was necessary in order for God the Father to place ALL of world's sin debt on the sacrificial, atoning, suffering humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ while ON the cross ( 1 John 2: 2)., and have the atoning Work declared "finished - John 19: 30 (NASB)."
It is via this same omniscience, that God knows every action, good or evil, that every human being will engage in throughout all of human history. Only God with such knowledge can so arrange the interaction and impact of the freedom choice being exercised by millions of souls on the Earth and still have ALL things so work together that the Master Plan of God will unfold just as He planned.
One must ask how God can hold us accountable since He knew before the creation of the world EVERY sin that every human soul would commit throughout the course of human history. The answer is that at the time we sin, it is a choice that we make.
In closing, the answer to this FAQ, "Where was God when ________took place?", is that God was (and remains) in the same place that He always has been, is now, and forever will be, exercising His sovereignty that is manifested through His direct, permissive, or over-ruling will in order for His purposes to be accomplished. Man was created to bring glory to God. Everything that happens serves a divine purpose. Job, being the classic example of undeserved suffering for the glory of God, asked the rhetorical question. "Shall we indeed accept good from God and adversity (Job 2: 10 NASB)?" For the spiritually mature advancing disciple, adversity, trials, and tribulation will not be strangers. All he needs to know is that in whatever circumstances he finds himself, he brings glory to God.
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