What would you call someone who does bad things, wicked things. If a person does things that are evil, does that not mean that he or she is evil?
What if the One who is bringing about these evil things is God? Does that make Him evil?
Isaiah 45:7 says the following:
7 I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
Now, I don't want to build a theology on one verse, so look at other passages.
1 Kings 17:20:
20 And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?”
Surely, Elijah didn't think that God was evil. But why ask if He had brought calamity? The word here means 'to be bad, be evil'.
How about Amos 3:6:
6 Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the Lord has done it?
Well, does it? Is God not sovereign? Is God not in control? Does God not ordain all things? If, then, God causes evil to happen, is He evil?
No.
The evil we think of when we hear the term is a moral evil. By definition, this would be actions that go against the will and commands of God. And what is the first commandment? You shall have no other gods before me.
It seems in most if not all cases that when God brought calamity,or evil, it was for judgment or punishment, most often on His chosen people. What had they done? Turned from Him, done evil in His sight. They had committed moral evil so in turn God brought about physical evil.
So, does this mean it's okay to bomb abortion clinics?
Romans 12:19
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
It's probably best if we not bomb any clinics right now, but accept the fact that God brings about calamity as well as blessing as well as grace.
Monday, December 15, 2008
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4 comments:
May both His grace and His wrath give us a clear understanding of the great God we serve.
Contrary to what you believe, people do not bomb babykilling abortion mills for vengnance, but to save helpless babies that are being murdered in those abortion mills. You seem to imply there is something wrong if a babykilling abortion mill is burned or bomb. Which do you prefer, a pile of bricks or a pile of dead babies? Innocent unborn babies deserve to be protected just as born children deserve to be protected. You would have no problem protecting born children if they were about to be murdered.
SAY THIS PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner and am headed to eternal hell because of my sins. I believe you died on the cross to take away my sins and to take me to heaven. Jesus, I ask you now to come into my heart and take away my sins and give me eternal life. http://www.armyofgod.com
RDS,
I would hope that you would think before you write as it is apparent that your fingers are perhaps out pacing your intentions.
The use of "abortion" clinics in the authors post was a metaphor and not necessarily the authors "beliefs" as you have implied.
"You seem to imply there is something wrong if a babykilling abortion mill is burned or bomb."
Are you serious? Being a serious student of God's inspired and inerrant Word, I have yet to find a passage where Christ and His disciples invoked violence upon pagan societies. As a matter of fact, when Peter drew his sword the Lord command that he put it down.
In NO way do I (nor the author of this post for that matter) support, commend or endorse abortions in anyway. I feel that we both would agree with you that it is a great evil and an abomination before the true God who has given us life.
I think your rant is a bit premature and you might also want to take a serious look at your evangelism method. If all we had to do was get people to say your magic prayer your fight against abortion and any other sin for that matter would be an after thought. How many people that have performed or had abortions have uttered a this prayer formula and to this day continue in their wickedness with an unrepentant heart?
My dear brother, I fear that you have neglected the Spirit's role in salvation and I respectfully consider that you study the writings of our brother in Christ the Apostle John, especially his gospel (John 3 & 6).
Also, before drawing conclusions from your apparent misunderstandings I would highly recommend another book and writer as well. The half brother of our Lord, James.
James 1:26
26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
James 3:5-12
5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Run the race and fight the good fight.
Respectfully,
I'm glad that my 'implication' that there is something wrong if a babykilling abortion mill is burned or bomb was understood. I do not however have a problem protecting any life that God in heaven had created and ordained to have life. This includes the wicked, of which I once was before His life-giving grace touched my dead, dark callous heart.
Unfortunately, my implication that God is sovereign and in control of all things was missed. Why do we let the words of our Savior fall to the wayside to satisfy our vengeful motives?
Matthew 5:43-46
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
What has happened to that? Not just when it comes to abortion clinics, but anytime our rights are compromised. Your passion is admirable, but heed the words of scripture once more:
Ephesians 4:26
26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
May we handle our God-given emotions in a way that honors the One who gives life and who takes away.
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