Rejecting God's self-revelation in favor of our own ideas about what he would or wouldn’t do is the height of self-righteous pride. —Albert MohlerThe Bible is God's Word, God's "breath" (2 Tim 3:16). It was written by "men moved by the Holy Spirit" who "spoke from God" (2 Peter 1:21). It is, indeed, God's self-revelation. And genuine Christians concur for the most part.
For the most part. Some reject some. Others reject less. But one point that seems to be a real sticking spot for a lot of Christians is this concept of God's self-revelation. What we know about God comes from God. Still, we like to think we know better. The clearest place we see this is in the "bad things." We are pretty sure God does not do "bad things." Now, "bad things" is nebulous. There are bad things that are unpleasant, uncomfortable, painful ... that sort of thing, and there are bad things that are morally evil. We know that "No one is tempted (to sin) by God" (James 1:13). "God Himself does not tempt anyone." We got that. But what about the unpleasant? What about disasters and illnesses? Oh, here's a big one. What about wrath? Is it possible that God has wrath toward sin, so much so that He needs to be appeased? No, no, we know better than that. God doesn't do any of that.
Except that His self-revelation says He does. Paul explains that the gospel is predicated first on the wrath of God (Rom 1:18) and that God wills to show His power and wrath for sin (Rom 9:22). Isaiah warned Judah that God was punishing Israel by sending Assyria to invade (Isa 5:25-26). Not merely allowing, but sending. Scripture says that God predestined the murder of His Son (Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28). God Himself declares, "I am the LORD, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these" (Isa 45:6-7). He has no problem claiming that. Why do we disallow it?
We are believers. Do we believe? When God says, "I cause calamity," do we believe? When Scripture says that God's wrath is manifested against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, do we believe? When God says that He creates some for honor and others for dishonor, do we believe? Or are we so arrogant as to correct Him on that? If we do, the correction we offer is not God.
4 comments:
I do think, and assume that you would agree, that it's reasonable to use what Scripture does say as a basis to draw conclusions about what YHWH would do. As long as those conclusions are present as our conclusions based on scripture, not as us speaking for YHWH.
Yes
Sorry. Didn't mean to be so wordy there.
It was a bit overwhelming in it's verbosity.
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