The phrase, "It's complicated," has become ubiquitous in our current culture. It really took off in Facebook when they answered the "status" question. No, not married, single, divorced, looking ... no ... "it's complicated" ... a useful dodge. They couldn't put "I'm married but sleeping with someone else" or "I'm single and lonely" or "I'm married but miserable." Just ... "it's complicated" ... and it was the truth because ... what isn't complicated. All of life is. Truth can be, also. For instance, we have constitutional guarantees of the freedom of the press ... which is actually limited ... and the freedom of religion ... which is also very limited ... and the freedom of speech ... which is also very limited. We have "the right to bear arms" which is continually being infringed upon. Why? "It's complicated."
Think about the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph was Jacob's favored son (Gen 37:3), so his brothers hated him. One time Jacob sent him out to see his brothers in the field. When they saw him coming, they planned to kill him (Gen 37:18). Reuben talked them out of it (Gen 37:21-22), but they tossed him in a pit (Gen 37:23), then sold him to a caravan of Midianites and Ishmaelites (Gen 37:25-28) and told their father he was dead (Gen 37:31-34). You remember Joseph's adventures ... a slave, falsely accused of attempted rape, imprisoned, forgotten, finally telling Pharaoh his dream and being elevated to the second highest position in Egypt. His position allowed him to rescue his family in a famine and they all moved to Egypt in comfort. When Jacob died, the boys were worried. So they prostrated themselves before Joseph (like he dreamed they would). And he said, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Gen 50:20). Talk about complicated.
Was their action good or bad? Well, Joseph said, "God meant it for good" so it was good ... right? So we have to conclude that the boys were ... innocent ... just in God's will ... doing a good thing. If everything was simple, yes ... but Joseph also said, "You meant evil against me." So ... it was bad, right? "Evil." Sure ... if everything is simple. It's not. Joseph held two opposing truths and put them together. He didn't deny their evil intent or excuse it. It was evil ... truly. But he didn't deny God's purposes either, and recognized it was good. We live this complicated truth all the time. We encounter evil. Is it evil? Yes. Does God use it for good? Yes! As another example, Judas Iscariot famously betrayed his Lord. Jesus said, "The Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Luke 22:22). There is both ... evil and good. The betrayal was "determined" and necessary (Psa 41:9; Zech 11:12-13) — good — and evil — "Woe to that man." We can actually recognize evil as evil and address it and conclude that "God causes all things to work together for good" (Rom 8:28). It doesn't require blinders to the reality of the complicated world in which we live, but we can rightly rest in the sovereignty and steadfast love of the Lord.
This promise is why I personally have no problem with the "problem of evil" question. That and the evil we receive is actually a mercy compared to what we truly deserve.
ReplyDeleteI see this as a helpful distinction between sorting out the relativism or “situational ethics” that the world trusts in (talk about complicated!) and the clear “black and white” nature of God’s Truth--and trusting Him to know right from wrong when I cannot as one possessing a sinful and deceitful heart. I am sure that we humans can justify just about anything, as we call “evil good and good evil” (Isa. 5:20). When considering intention, motives, and desires, we can run the gamut from extremely honest and frank (i.e. “I wanted it, so I took it”), justifying our actions with no remorse whatsoever, to being much less forthright but just as wicked in the process (i.e. “I’m not hurting anybody”). Even though I personally value honesty in people, I am shocked how shamelessly people flaunt their wickedness these days. We humans are truly “pushing” God’s patience (Rom. 2:4)--warranting another judgment like the Lord enacted in Noah’s day! (OK, so God ruled out another global flood in Gen. 9:11, but something is coming!)
ReplyDeleteThere's so much evil in the world. I'm mostly concerned with how much there is in my own country. Clearly it's a lot. Can't wait to see how God uses it for good. I hope I recognize it.
ReplyDelete