Act of God - 4

Choices and Consequences

Choices and Consequences


The Bible is clear about how, and why we are made. Humans are made in the “Image of God.” That is not to say a physical image, but a spiritual, moral and creative image. Unlike animals - which act mostly on pre-programmed instincts - or Artificial Intelligence – which is limited by the input of human design - humans are unique in their capacity to reason, to plan, to create, to question, to dream, to imagine, and to worship. There is not an aspect of living which is not governed by our choices. We decide what we will do with our lives, who we will love or hate, and what we think is right and wrong. We also choose whether we believe in a God or not, and even if we do believe – whether we want to worship that God, or gods. Mankind has been given the God-given right not to believe in God. The human race is so diverse, gifted, unique, capable, intelligent, creative, and aware – simply because the Designer of life has given us this incomparable capacity. God has dignified humans with the ability to be conscious – not just of our surroundings, but also our purpose in life, our future hopes and dreams, and our own mortality and end. Animals do not consider the future, or death, They have no ambitions or dreams. They do not aspire to be more than they are. They will not invent stories and music, will not split the atom, or traverse the galaxies, and they will never ask - “Why?” Only humans can do such things because they are a endowed with this gift from our creator. Now, some would ask why God can't remove all suffering from our world, or bring justice to the oppressed. But, such objections are ironic because those objections come from minds that are endowed with the ability to question things. In essence – God has given us the capability to question him, and all things. Therefore - in questioning suffering – are we not imitating the one who made us? Is not the human conscience evidence of the goodness of the creator of life? That creator – Jehovah – God, tells us that he “Hates” Violence, broken marriages and families, lying, and injustice. But, in our imperfect – puffed up state, we accuse him of allowing suffering – contrary to our wishes. Yet, our actions contradict our eloquent claims of concern. Most people do not want God to intervene, but would rather control and decide things for themselves. The Bible tells us that God has always intended for the earth to be a paradise – with perfect peace. He has put into action a long term measure which will bring about such a world.

To demonstrate this contradiction between human and divine standards, consider the past actions of men, and God. In ancient Israel, God appointed “Judges” over the nation – in response to a request for help against oppressive nations. Those judges carried out God's will – defending and supporting his people. But that nation of Israel became discontented with God's provision. They demanded that they be allowed to have a king to rule over them – just like the surrounding oppressive nations that they were complaining about. God relented to their demands, and directed his prophet – Samuel to appoint a king from among them. However, this was against God's will, and He knew that such a measure would eventually bring disaster to the nation. He later inspired the prophet Jeremiah to disclose the reason why - “To earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man, who is walking even to direct his own step.” But, still – despite this, God reassured his poor brow-beaten prophet, Samuel - “Listen to the voice of the people as respects all that they say to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected from being king over them. In accord with all their doings that they have done from the day of my bringing them up out of Egypt until this day in that they kept leaving me and serving other gods, that is the way they are doing also to you. And now listen to their voice. Only this, that you should solemnly warn them, and you must tell them the rightful due of the king who will reign over them.”

Since that time, God has allowed the human race to experiment with all forms of government – both religious, and non-religious. The result? - “Man has dominated man to his injury.” The Bible warned that – because of the miserable human experiment of independence from God - “There will be anguish of nations, not knowing the way out.”

Still, there are many religions in the world today that teach that humans are governed by “fate” or “destiny.” Some faiths – such as Buddhism – teach that this is an impersonal, undirected principal in the universe. Other religions teach that God has planned out every single event in history – from the tiniest detail – like a sneeze – to a major catastrophe – like an earthquake. They tell us that God uses “Predestination” (not a word in the Bible), to map out every life on earth. The implication of such a belief is that God wanted all things – including the cancer in children, the terrorist bombs, the stillbirths, and all wars – to happen exactly as they did. Does the Bible teach such a callous action by God? - Absolutely not. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that fate, predestination, destiny, or any other kind of random or planned events are in control. In fact, the Bible condemns people who use divination to see the future, and it warns against “Those setting in order a table for the god of Good Luck and those filling up mixed wine for the god of Destiny” – (Isaiah 65.11). But, some people point to the book of Ecclesiastes – written by Solomon – to claim that everything that happens is destined to happen. They quote the passage which says that - “For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens: a time for birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what was planted; a time to kill and a time to heal.” But these words have been misunderstood by most people. Solomon was not saying that all things are destined, but that many things are beyond human control – disease, death, weather etc. Confirming this, the same Biblical writer goes on to say that there is also - "A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to wail and a time to skip about.” Now, no-one would claim that tears, laughter, and dancing are preordained by God, would they? The Bible tells us that Abraham was asked to offer up his son in a sacrifice to God. However, just before Abraham went to carry out this act – confident in the knowledge that God could bring his son back from the dead, if necessary – God stopped him. Abraham had proven his deep faith to God, and God went on to say - “Now I do know that you are God-fearing.” Only after Abraham went to give his son, did God say that He knew that Abraham was faithful. Indeed – Solomon went on to reveal that - “Tine and unseen accidents happen to us all.” - meaning that God does not plan out every event in life. In fact, the idea that fate, destiny, or even God maps out our lives is in direct contradiction to the main teaching of the Bible – that of choice, free will. God pleads with humans to listen to him, many times. And the Bible reveals that humans have actually caused God “hurt” by their actions, rejecting him. That could not be true, if God had already planned out every moment of our lives. In fact, the death of Jesus – a “ransom in behalf of many” would be meaningless, unless it gave humans an opportunity to show faith, and be obedient to God. Fate and destiny are not in control, and God dignifies humans with choices.

And so we come to the present – with most humans on earth today still rejecting God's sovereignty – his right to decide what is right and wrong. Free will is a divine gift, but – like any gift, it can be misused and abused, and it can be rejected, or even thrown back in it's giver's face. Imagine a loving parent who buys his son an amazing gift – a brand new, top of the range car. He only asks that his son drive carefully, obeying all the laws, and showing consideration for other drivers and pedestrians. But the son thinks he knows better, and drives under the influence of alcohol and drugs, exceeds all the speed limits, and ignores the laws of the road. Eventually he crashes and kills several people. Who is responsible for the outcome? – the Father – the giver of the gift – or the selfish disobedient son? Furthermore, is not blaming God for suffering that humans cause, just like that ungrateful, reckless son blaming his father for giving him the gift of the car, just as Adam blamed God for “The woman you gave me”? We are all children of God, as the Bible tells us. We do not know better than the designer and creator of life. Yet, He has given us more than enough opportunities to demonstrate our capabilities to exercise free will responsibly and considerately, while showing gratitude to him for that gift, and the amazing gift of life. To those who might accuse God of being neglectful, or reckless in trusting human beings with such responsibility, the Bible answers such criticisms resoundingly, by pointing to the the unselfish examples of such people as Moses, Job, Solomon, Jesus, Mary, Peter, and many others, who have stayed loyal to God, and have set examples of unselfishness, and human goodness. Humans can choose the blessing, and reject the malediction. At Deuteronomy 30.19,20 – God states - “I do take the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you today, that I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the malediction; and you must choose life in order that you may keep alive, you and your offspring, by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him; for he is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell upon the ground that Jehovah swore to your forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give to them.”

Freedom of choice is a divine gift – this ability to decide. God wants us to choose life, to choose a wonderful future - to choose him.

However, there are certain events in life which are beyond human control. First let us consider the terrible natural disasters which have caused havoc throughout mankind's history, and have intensified in these recent decades. Is God responsible for natural disasters, and if not, why does he allow them?