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NASB | 2 Samuel 12:11 "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Samuel 12:11 "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will stir up evil against you from your own household; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. |
Bible Question:
Does this mean, then, that God is in fact the author of sin? This verse was cited to me in another discussion (Gal 2:17) about this same subject (see the message "Bob: What did you think of my view th... Reformer Joe Fri 08/24/01, 8:57pm"). I have done some preliminary reading from my rather limited library, and have come to no satisfactory answers. What this verse (and verse 12) say litterally, or so it would seem to me, is that God Himself would directly cause sin to take place. Granted, it was in judgement of previous sin. But if two wrongs don't make a right for humans, it certainly wouldn't for a holy God either! How can God do this and still be called holy? |
Bible Answer: Sin is an act of defiance and an insult against God. Satan may tempt us and subject us to evil, but it is man's free will to choose whether to act upon a temptation or evil, thus creating the sin. In 2 Samuel 12:11, God is not creating sin nor is He creating evil. God is permitting evil to exist in David' house. When God said He will give Davids wives to his companions, God is not causing the wives to sin, because the action is neither performed by the free will of the wives nor is it an act of defiance against God. Instead the act is performed by the will of God as an act of punishment against David. God created evil and sin only to the extent that God created Satan and God permits Satan to tempt us and subject us to evil. Which, when chosen by mans free will, creates sin. Job 1: 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. The question here is why does God permit evil and why does God permit Satan to tempt us. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. God had a reason for leading Jesus into the desert and for permitting the temptation of Jesus, by Satan. What was God's reason. Does God use Satans temptations and evil and our free will actions towards those temptations, as a measurement of our devotion and commitment to God. Was this Gods final test of Jesus, the man, to guarantee Jesus' place in heaven and as the third member of the Trinity. In a post on this question, Charis asks why anyone would want to know God is the root cause of evil - what purpose is served. First, I don't feel the term 'God is the root of evil' is an accurate term. But, I feel that this reaffirms that God is greater than evil, which by itself is a very comforting thought. And, God has a reason for allowing temptation to exist, although we don't fully understand why. But, this does reaffirm that God can and will control evil, so as not to allow more than each of us can handle. Mark 15: 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? In this test, Jesus never denied God, He only asked why God has not taken Him, yet. Jesus was obviously at the physical limits which any man could take. At which point, God intervened. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love |