"Does God Intervene?"
CONTROL?
So let us return to our central discussion. If we have a choice to follow God or not, then to what extent does God truly guide the course of the world? Last week we learned how humankind is the cause of the evil and suffering in the world with the help of a certain deceiver called Satan.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, intentional homicide caused the deaths of almost a half million people (437,000) in the world in 2012. That is about 6.2 homicides per every 100,000 people. Who committed those acts of murder? Obviously “people” were the transgressors. God obviously did not. A better question might be, “Why didn’t God stop them?” After all, we say He is “all knowing” and “all powerful.” “Why didn’t He do something about it?” Due to the fact that He is committed to the parameters that He Himself has established in creation which includes our freedom to choose and proliferate sin and evil.
So does God stand back and do nothing? Absolutely not. God relentlessly endeavors to reveal to the human race the Light of His goodness in countless extraordinarily diverse methods, some of which I mentioned a few weeks ago.
Let us go even deeper. Although we realize God is not to blame directly, many blame Him indirectly. We say “even though that murderer is guilty, God had the capacity and means to stop him. After all, He is God.” Well, yes and no. God possessed enough raw “power” to prevent every murder and every evil act IF, and only IF He superseded mankind’s freedom of choice (sometimes referred to as “free will”) to do good or do evil, to follow God or shun Him entirely, to love Him or choose not to. If God did override our “minds” and “wills,” then the world could no longer be the same world in which we live. THIS is the world we have made through our sin. God would be forced to go against His own established will and principles for the world system He instituted at creation. And God can not violate His own Word or go against His own nature.
DOES GOD EVER INTERVENE?
So then, “Does God ever intervene in our world?” Again, yes He does. Constantly. Continuously. Relentlessly. Even obstinately He pursues redemption and restoration of the world. He is at work through the Holy Spirit at all times in all ways in every moment.
Perhaps our questions are more on the line of “Does God ever intervene ‘directly’ into our circumstances?” In other words, if I pray for something particular, will God move to answer it by His sovereign hand despite refusing to override mankind’s freedom? Now we are getting into some deep and difficult terrain.
CONTROL?
So let us return to our central discussion. If we have a choice to follow God or not, then to what extent does God truly guide the course of the world? Last week we learned how humankind is the cause of the evil and suffering in the world with the help of a certain deceiver called Satan.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, intentional homicide caused the deaths of almost a half million people (437,000) in the world in 2012. That is about 6.2 homicides per every 100,000 people. Who committed those acts of murder? Obviously “people” were the transgressors. God obviously did not. A better question might be, “Why didn’t God stop them?” After all, we say He is “all knowing” and “all powerful.” “Why didn’t He do something about it?” Due to the fact that He is committed to the parameters that He Himself has established in creation which includes our freedom to choose and proliferate sin and evil.
So does God stand back and do nothing? Absolutely not. God relentlessly endeavors to reveal to the human race the Light of His goodness in countless extraordinarily diverse methods, some of which I mentioned a few weeks ago.
Let us go even deeper. Although we realize God is not to blame directly, many blame Him indirectly. We say “even though that murderer is guilty, God had the capacity and means to stop him. After all, He is God.” Well, yes and no. God possessed enough raw “power” to prevent every murder and every evil act IF, and only IF He superseded mankind’s freedom of choice (sometimes referred to as “free will”) to do good or do evil, to follow God or shun Him entirely, to love Him or choose not to. If God did override our “minds” and “wills,” then the world could no longer be the same world in which we live. THIS is the world we have made through our sin. God would be forced to go against His own established will and principles for the world system He instituted at creation. And God can not violate His own Word or go against His own nature.
DOES GOD EVER INTERVENE?
So then, “Does God ever intervene in our world?” Again, yes He does. Constantly. Continuously. Relentlessly. Even obstinately He pursues redemption and restoration of the world. He is at work through the Holy Spirit at all times in all ways in every moment.
Perhaps our questions are more on the line of “Does God ever intervene ‘directly’ into our circumstances?” In other words, if I pray for something particular, will God move to answer it by His sovereign hand despite refusing to override mankind’s freedom? Now we are getting into some deep and difficult terrain.