Results 1 - 3 of 3
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | God is not the author of evil. | Job | Parable | 99049 | ||
If we believe that everything that happens is God's will, then we cannot escape the conclusion that He is the author of evil and that we cannot influence anything through faith or prayer. On the other hand, if we accept that scripture teaches us that God has left some things up to us, and other free agents He created, then we are immediately faced with the responsibility for our thoughts, words and deeds, and that our faith and prayers can make a meaningful difference in the war against the enemy. If Satan, the enemy, is really just God's hired henchman, then God is ultimately responsible for all that Satan does. Scripture is clear that this is not the case. This is why we find so little comfort in the platitudes offered when something bad happens, that is, "it must be part of God's mysterious divine plan for us." That simply doesn't hold up against what scripture teaches about how Jesus responded to demons and Satan. |
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2 | God is not the author of evil. | Job | Hank | 99105 | ||
Parable - Not so long ago from somewhere in the outer reaches of cyber-space flew in a person who, landing on this forum, commenced to teach the comforting doctrine that God hates nearly everybody, all but the elect, the chosen few. When asked to show wherein Scripture taught this, he apparently suddenly remembered that he had promises to keep and miles to go before he lay down to sleep, and so he flew out as quickly as he had flown in, never responding to the request, and has never been heard from since, not on this forum at any rate. For all I know he may be infesting other forums with his odd brand of spiritual sunshine. ...... Today on the forum I came across this statement: "Nothing happens that He (meaning God) does not cause to happen." This comes from one who embraces a system of soteriology with which a number of Christians, including this one, have certain misgivings. But assuming that what this person says is correct, I now realize that when I, a few evenings ago, made a glutton of myself at the dinner table and subsequently sat up half the night suffering the consequences of this indiscretion, God was to blame, not I -- since nothing happens that He does not cause to happen. When I read in the newspaper that some young punk pumped himself full of dope and murdered his parents in cold blood, I now realize that it was all God's fault -- nothing happens that He does not cause to happen. When I look at the statistists and learn that some 40 million babies have been deliberately murdered in their mothers' wombs since Roe vs. Wade, or that millions of Jews were exterminated like rats in Nazi gas chambers, I now realize that God, not the abortion clinics or the Third Reich, caused it -- since nothing happens that He does not cause to happen. ..... Still and all, I get a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach when I allow myself to think the unholy thought that the God I worship would cause all this sin, this evil, this suffering, this chaos. Somehow, Parable, I know in my heart that a god that would cause all this is not the God I worship. Not at all. The statement must be false or, if true, it must refer to a strange god of whom I -- and Scripture -- am ignorant. --Hank | ||||||
3 | God is not the author of evil. | Job | Emmaus | 99136 | ||
Hank, I am often glad that do have to try and figure out all the mysteries of God myself or even think that such a thing is possible. I am thankful for having authoritative teaching in such matters, even when that teacher admits that all mysteries cannot be fully explained or understod in all the details as if we were ourselves God. 600. "To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of 'predestination', he includes in it each person's free response to his grace: 'In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.'[Acts 4:27-28 ; cf. Ps 2:1-2 .] For the sake of accomplishing his plan of salvation, God permitted the acts that flowed from their blindness.[Cf. Mt 26:54 ; Jn 18:36 ; Jn 19:11 ; Acts 3:17-18 .] 'He died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures'" To view the context, please visit http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/creed6.html#REDEMPTIVE 1037. "God predestines no one to go to hell;[Cf. Council of Orange II (529): DS 397; Council of Trent (1547):1567.] for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want 'any to perish, but all to come to repentance':[2 Pet 3:9 .] Father, accept this offering from your whole family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen.[Roman Missal, EP I (Roman Canon) 88.]" To view the context, please visit http://www.christusrex.org/www1/CDHN/art12.html#HELL 412. "But why did God not prevent the first man from sinning? St. Leo the Great responds, 'Christ's inexpressible grace gave us blessings better than those the demon's envy had taken away.'[St. Leo the Great, Sermo 73, 4: PL 54, 396.] And St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, 'There is nothing to prevent human nature's being raised up to something greater, even after sin; God permits evil in order to draw forth some greater good. Thus St. Paul says, 'Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more'; and the Exsultet sings, 'O happy fault,. . . which gained for us so great a Redeemer!''[St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, I, 3, ad 3; cf. Rom 5:20 .]" Emmaus |
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