Brother Smith,
Thanks for responding to my e-mail a day or two ago. And so soon too! I appreciate it.
I realize what you say in that we must be careful how we use words and phrases...and that where the Bible says nowhere that God "preordained" such sins.
Of course, the Bible does not put it that way, that "God preordains sins". God does NOT sin and God is NOT evil. This we know for sure. But I guess that what I am saying is that when it comes to the sins of mankind, why do we always come short in attributing these also to God, who He Himself has planned, and executed, and is responsible for all the actions of men. "Oh no, He doesn't go that far"! Why not? Certain men raping little girls is not of God? Why not? I know that this sounds horrible to say but again, let me repeat that God does NOT sin and God is NOT evil. His thoughts are not as our thoughts and His ways are not as our ways.
A sparrow doesn't fall to the ground without the Father. The very hairs on the heads of every creature are all numbered by God. Are not "ALL things of God"? Doesn't He "work ALL things after the counsel of His OWN will"? Just how much of "ALL things are of God" are all? Should we begin to say, "all things are of God, EXCEPT when it comes to the sins of His clay pots"? When it comes to this, God had nothing to do with it; God didn't plan it; God didn't execute it; God didn't "pre-ordain" it. Is that what we should say? All things are of God except.................? God planned for a certain man to be born at a certain time; He planned for another man and woman to be born at a certain time; He planned and ordained and arranged for where a certain man would live; He planned and arranged for another man and woman to meet and to get married and where they would live; He planned and ordained t hat this man and woman live in this neighborhood and have a daughter to be born; He planned for this other man to live next door to this man and woman; over the years, He planned for this daughter to grow and mature; one day, the man next door attacks and rapes this little girl, and then we say, "God had nothing to do with it; God does not preordain the sinful actions of his clay pots". I don't understand. Perhaps, we are not meant to understand. Again I say that God does NOT sin and God is NOT evil. But either ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD or they are not!
Lee
Dear Lee:
I understand your frustration, but you are still lacking understanding.
When a parent gives his teenager a little slack as we say, he knows
that to some degree his teenager will abuse that liberty and do some
things that are wrong. When he does, is the parent at fault? Did the
parent actually commit the sin? Is the parent guilty of the sin? Should
the parent go to jail for the sin of his son? It is not as cut and dry as
you would like it to be.
"I [the Lord] create EVIL...." (Isa. 4:7). Therefore, according to your
simplistic approach to this subject, God IS EVIL, right? If God creates
evil, then HE IS EVIL, isn't He? How could it be any other way according to your
reasoning? If God creates a man who will rape a little girl, then GOD
HIMSELF RAPED THAT LITTLE GIRL, right? If God planned it: He did it.
Right? Wrong.
You would prefer that it be that simple and that crude, but it isn't. I am
not denying that God had the foreknowledge of a particular rape, but I am
not about to say that God pre-ordained that rape. You can't conclude that:
[1] God made humanity. [2] Humanity all sins. [3] Therefore GOD IS SIN!
The Scriptures tell us that "God CANNOT lie." Yet we have several Scriptures
that tell us God SENDS A LYING SPIRIT to deceive people. Therefore is God a LIAR
when He tells us that He "CANNOT lie?"
Let me help you with the answer: Why is it wrong for one man to kill another
man, but it is not wrong for God to kill a man? Several reasons: [1] Intent of heart.
God kills out of righteousness. [2] God kills for the welfare of the one He kills.
[3] God has the power to bring back to life and rectify all wrongs and all evils,
and is therefore FULLY JUSTIFIED IN ALL HIS WAYS.
Hope the helps your understanding a little better.
God be with you,
Ray