"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!" Matthew 10:29-30
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:25-7
As we enter a new decade I find it appropriate to offer my Cedar County friends some encouragement and a little admonition for the coming days. While the temptation is to dazzle you with the wisdom drawn from my seemingly endless fount (only rivaling my humility), I will instead enter reality and offer you something much better... God’s Sovereignty. God knows all and is intimately involved in all. While I realize this is Christianity101, not some sort of new revelation, it is clearly a matter we have lost sight of as a church culture. Need proof? Allow me to refresh your memory:
-Millions of dollars are spent annually by experienced laborers to take ladder training classes so as to qualify to bid for federal contracts.
-Cars are being built with four or more airbags, roll cages, steel beams, and genuine “force fields” (OK...I added that, but the day is coming!).
-We are forced to practically disrobe in the airport screening line, a fact sure to increase in scope given the recent attempted bombing. I pity the fool that accidentally brings fingernail clippers onto the plane...the HORROR of it all!
-Hundreds of millions were screened/vaccinated from the latest plague guaranteed to kill us all. (If you are curious, there will be another new crisis next year).
-Because of our SUVs, air conditioners and light bulbs the earth is heating so rapidly that our former VP promised the end of the polar ice caps within a few years. (Editor’s note: It warmed this week so much that the writer of this article, with his wife on the couch under her leopard print Snuggie, actually turned off his space heater...I am nothing if not green).
-Our government debt is projected to be approximately twenty quintillion dollars by July...or was it quadrillion? Sure I have an MBA, but even I can’t count that high.
-Nearly everything will cure or cause cancer depending on what group performed the test.
What is the bottom line of today’s rambling? The world is spinning out of control! We need to run for cover! Repack your Y2K kits; we’re in for the long haul this time! Sigh...
If I could speak for God (and I surely don’t presume to be worthy of such using my own words), I must remind you “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered!”. God is a God of organization and detail. Can you imagine a God so large to speak the world into existence (Gen 1) having your eyebrows catalogued? The same God that owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50) knows when you plunk a pigeon with your Prius. Just look at Creation! Look closely at a simple leaf, if you can find one under the global warming-induced snow. They are made of amazing cells with “veins” that carry the stuff around the skin to the other spots (Another editor note: We will certainly talk with the writer about his use of complex botanical jargon). God has created everything and nothing surprises Him. Bad things happen, but all the effort, stress, and heavy-handed management we can muster will not change this fact. In fact we will all die one of these days. The odds are 100%. We should live responsibly and prudently. We should look both ways before we cross the street...especially RB highway...crazy drivers! We should NOT worry about life. Join me in focusing in 2010 on things that matter: God, family, church and friends. Worrying is futile and, frankly, pointless. Rest on the fact that, if you are a believer, you have the promise of Romans 8:28 to stand on. Our God is good and knows and does what’s best for us. If you are not a believer, we really need to talk. Email me at markapplegate@windstream.net. 2010 will be a great year! Will it be easy? Doubtful. Will it be better that we deserve? Certainly so. Please remember this fact if nothing else: Nothing surprises our amazing and loving God. Happy New Year!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Problem of Pain in Haiti Part 2
“I do not think that we ever pray with such fervor of supplication in our prosperity as we do in our adversity. And then how precious the promises become! As we only see the stars when the shadows gather at night, so the promises shine out like newly kindled stars when we get into the night of affliction. I am sure that there are passages of scripture, which are full of consolation, the depths of which we do not even imagine yet, and we never shall know all that is in them till we get into the depths of soul trouble, which correspond with them.” – Charles H. Spurgeon from Spurgeon Gold by Ray Comfort.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” (Psalm 46:1-5)
Last week I began what I referred to as a two week evaluation of causation of the horrific tragedy in Haiti. As I have looked into the depths of passages and writings about Theodicy (why bad things happen to good people), I felt overwhelmed with the daunting task of binding myself to concluding this topic this week. (I realize the three regular readers of my column may be disappointed, but all I can do is ask for forgiveness for adding some time.) Additionally I encourage you to reread that post often as we spend some time looking over these potential causes.
As an uplifting update, since last Wednesday God’s Name has been glorified in the rescue of some 133 people from certain death under rubble even as recently as hours before the submission of this post. God’s Faithfulness has been clearly evident to many as they struggle to recover. God’s Grace has been displayed in the countless stories of those trapped in rubble with an air pocket and food within reach. God’s Power has offered many reminders as aftershocks have reverberated throughout the cities several times since the knockout punch of last week. God’s Patience/Longsuffering has also been apparent as pundits and talking heads have offered their wisdom as to the cause of the earthquake (Pat Robertson blames it on Haiti’s sin while Hugo Chavez blames it on Obama’s ACME earthquake machine that, perhaps, he purchased from Wil E. Coyote). In short, the tragedy has highlighted some good things despite the horror and immense sadness.
In my last post I posited four potential causes of the earthquake. I have asked many more learned than I to no avail and see these four as exhaustive. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.
In a manner made famous by NASA, I am going to drag this difficult topic kicking and screaming into a four week countdown. It is important for all of us to delve into these and other challenging topics if we are to ever be intellectually honest in our faith in God or lack thereof.
So, could random chance have played a part in this earthquake? Three thoughts:
1. Random chance requires a lack of God’s Omnipotence and Omniscience. A truly unacceptable presupposition, but, in the interest of debate, one that I will exclude since it reveals my personal presuppositions.
2. A naturalistic person might point to fault lines (apparently not normally an issue in Haiti since the last earthquake was in 1770) and say that an evolved, Big Bang created Earth with its geological “issues” can and does produce such events in a somewhat predictable way. This somewhat hollow answer is tied to the fact that many scientists think that some day we will know with absolute accuracy every natural disaster’s time and date. The problems here are many. First are the presuppositions involved in predicting events such as this. The primary presupposition problem points plainly to origins. Where did the material to “bang” come from and what caused it to bang in the first place? And once it banged, why did everything fall into order into the amazing reality that we live in now. My 2nd grader knows when you blow something up violently, it doesn’t form something bigger and more ordered...it ends up worse. Random chance arguments for this type of event require an unordered random creation that simply doesn’t make rational sense. This requires too much faith for me to accept.
3. Lastly, even in an area such as Southern California with relative frequency in quantity of earthquakes, scientists have yet to scratch the surface of being able to predict an earthquake within a few minutes it happening. Trends and probabilities have been employed to guess likely time frames, but to no useful success. To say that there is a “good chance” of an earthquake is not particularly helpful unless you can point as to when. It seems the events are random and often flow against our best guesses. If we presuppose that disasters are predictable and, once we achieve some higher learning or have invented a specific technology we will understand them, we need a clearly defined path. For scientific method to theoretically save the day, creating a working set of hypotheses to begin with is essential. Basing hypotheses on immensely flawed assumptions does not provide the foundation needed for the scientific method to “work”. We have immense trouble predicting tomorrow’s weather with any real accuracy. Based on your experience, does it appear we are moving toward a naturalistic understanding or just spinning our scientific wheels? Global Warming...uhh ...err. .. Climate Change anyone? (Or is it Global cooling now? I lose track!). This process reminds me of medicine. Every time we come up with a wonder cure, another disastrous ailment appears. It is as though some supernatural force is hindering our ability to achieve a healthy, wealthy, and wise society.
In conclusion, due to the challenged/biased presuppositions being used and the lack of reasonable expectation to ever have the ability to accurately predict natural causes and random chance, this option leaves me cold. By definition, random chance could be the cause, but, due to lack of evidence, it seems extremely unlikely. Since I am not a keeper of all knowledge (surprise), call me an agnostic in the random chance realm in the same way I am with the tooth fairy. There simply must be better options! I will be continuing to offer you these options as we begin to circle the truth next week. Direct any questions (and verbal gunfire) to my email at markapplegate@windstream.net. Until then, may God Bless and Keep you.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.” (Psalm 46:1-5)
Last week I began what I referred to as a two week evaluation of causation of the horrific tragedy in Haiti. As I have looked into the depths of passages and writings about Theodicy (why bad things happen to good people), I felt overwhelmed with the daunting task of binding myself to concluding this topic this week. (I realize the three regular readers of my column may be disappointed, but all I can do is ask for forgiveness for adding some time.) Additionally I encourage you to reread that post often as we spend some time looking over these potential causes.
As an uplifting update, since last Wednesday God’s Name has been glorified in the rescue of some 133 people from certain death under rubble even as recently as hours before the submission of this post. God’s Faithfulness has been clearly evident to many as they struggle to recover. God’s Grace has been displayed in the countless stories of those trapped in rubble with an air pocket and food within reach. God’s Power has offered many reminders as aftershocks have reverberated throughout the cities several times since the knockout punch of last week. God’s Patience/Longsuffering has also been apparent as pundits and talking heads have offered their wisdom as to the cause of the earthquake (Pat Robertson blames it on Haiti’s sin while Hugo Chavez blames it on Obama’s ACME earthquake machine that, perhaps, he purchased from Wil E. Coyote). In short, the tragedy has highlighted some good things despite the horror and immense sadness.
In my last post I posited four potential causes of the earthquake. I have asked many more learned than I to no avail and see these four as exhaustive. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.
In a manner made famous by NASA, I am going to drag this difficult topic kicking and screaming into a four week countdown. It is important for all of us to delve into these and other challenging topics if we are to ever be intellectually honest in our faith in God or lack thereof.
So, could random chance have played a part in this earthquake? Three thoughts:
1. Random chance requires a lack of God’s Omnipotence and Omniscience. A truly unacceptable presupposition, but, in the interest of debate, one that I will exclude since it reveals my personal presuppositions.
2. A naturalistic person might point to fault lines (apparently not normally an issue in Haiti since the last earthquake was in 1770) and say that an evolved, Big Bang created Earth with its geological “issues” can and does produce such events in a somewhat predictable way. This somewhat hollow answer is tied to the fact that many scientists think that some day we will know with absolute accuracy every natural disaster’s time and date. The problems here are many. First are the presuppositions involved in predicting events such as this. The primary presupposition problem points plainly to origins. Where did the material to “bang” come from and what caused it to bang in the first place? And once it banged, why did everything fall into order into the amazing reality that we live in now. My 2nd grader knows when you blow something up violently, it doesn’t form something bigger and more ordered...it ends up worse. Random chance arguments for this type of event require an unordered random creation that simply doesn’t make rational sense. This requires too much faith for me to accept.
3. Lastly, even in an area such as Southern California with relative frequency in quantity of earthquakes, scientists have yet to scratch the surface of being able to predict an earthquake within a few minutes it happening. Trends and probabilities have been employed to guess likely time frames, but to no useful success. To say that there is a “good chance” of an earthquake is not particularly helpful unless you can point as to when. It seems the events are random and often flow against our best guesses. If we presuppose that disasters are predictable and, once we achieve some higher learning or have invented a specific technology we will understand them, we need a clearly defined path. For scientific method to theoretically save the day, creating a working set of hypotheses to begin with is essential. Basing hypotheses on immensely flawed assumptions does not provide the foundation needed for the scientific method to “work”. We have immense trouble predicting tomorrow’s weather with any real accuracy. Based on your experience, does it appear we are moving toward a naturalistic understanding or just spinning our scientific wheels? Global Warming...uhh ...err. .. Climate Change anyone? (Or is it Global cooling now? I lose track!). This process reminds me of medicine. Every time we come up with a wonder cure, another disastrous ailment appears. It is as though some supernatural force is hindering our ability to achieve a healthy, wealthy, and wise society.
In conclusion, due to the challenged/biased presuppositions being used and the lack of reasonable expectation to ever have the ability to accurately predict natural causes and random chance, this option leaves me cold. By definition, random chance could be the cause, but, due to lack of evidence, it seems extremely unlikely. Since I am not a keeper of all knowledge (surprise), call me an agnostic in the random chance realm in the same way I am with the tooth fairy. There simply must be better options! I will be continuing to offer you these options as we begin to circle the truth next week. Direct any questions (and verbal gunfire) to my email at markapplegate@windstream.net. Until then, may God Bless and Keep you.
Problem of Pain in Haiti Part 1
“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?”I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. "Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:1-5 NASB)
For those of you with no TV, radio, internet, daily newspaper, neighbors, or contact with the free world, on January 12th a multitude 7.0 earthquake struck the nation of Haiti killing thousands of men, women, and children from all walks of life. Horrendous carnage, complete property loss, and weeping mark an already destitute population. Hospitals full of the sick, a palace for the ruler, and shanty towns full of desperately poor all suffered similar fates. Flash back to the day after Christmas 2004 and an underwater earthquake projects a tsunami that kills thousands in 13 countries (we have no real idea how many were washed to sea).
Today, with fear and trepidation, I would like to begin a two week series of my thoughts as to why these things happened. Theories abound as to causation for seemingly senseless events. Allow me to start by eliminating a few. Global warming/cooling, acid rain, H1N1, Barack Obama, The New York Yankees, grassy knoll shooters, aliens, terrorists, Republicans/Democrats, illegal immigrants, Big Oil, AIG, Dick Cheney, and ACORN played no part in this tragedy.
Pat Robertson, as is often the case and in typical Shock Jock fashion, offered that God smote Haiti for making a “pact with the Devil”. He pointed at the Hurricane Katrina tragedy as New Orleans’ fault for rampant sin. While I am sorry to fans of Robertson, I must apologize for Pat’s thoughts on behalf of Christendom. Cold, publicity-generating comments such as these do nothing in advancing the Kingdom of God and, if the thousands of venomous comments posted to the news articles outlining Robertson’s comments are any indication, seem to bring tremendous dishonor to the name of Christ.
I, like most throughout time, have considered this question of Theodicy (why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?) often. I confess it is a hard question. Atheists have hammered me “If God is so big, why do children die of cancer?” or “I thought your God was all-loving! I could never love a God that would let these things happen!”. So why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
Before addressing the answer, I need to fix the question. Psalm 14:3 plainly states “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:23 adds “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Worse yet, regardless of the appearance of the target of sin, all sin is directed at God Himself (See Psalm 51:4, many others). The bad things we will address don’t happen to good people. Bad things happen to ungood people...all of us. Summary: We all sin and through our sin, in effect, we are shaking our fist at God. I guess we all kind of “make a pact with the devil” when we sin! This point matters and is the basis for my answer to Theodicy because God is Good.
The Holiness of God demands that all sin be punished. The millions that “get away” with crimes in this world will ultimately, at death, be judged. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death”. Proverbs 17:15 points us to what Paul Washer says should be called “The Great Dilemma” when it says “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”. How can a Loving, Holy, and Just God NOT punish sin? He can’t let lawbreakers just get away with it or He wouldn’t be just. Please understand, I am not making character judgments about any victim of any event in any way. We are all equally in the same boat here...we are stained with a sin that is, intentionally or not, pointed at God. We all deserve death and judgment. Angels, when they rebelled against God, didn’t get a Savior. They were summarily judged and condemned. Amazingly, God, through His amazing Love, gives us opportunity after opportunity to repent (turn from sin) and believe in order to be saved.
These important things being said, there are only 4 possible reasons for these bad things happening. I will address them each in detail next week. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.
Before I conclude, please don’t think I am being flippant about the tragic loss of life. My heart aches with those who lost loved ones. I am left with so many conflicting emotions ranging from wanting to take away pain from people to wanting to fly to Haiti to dig. Please see that, like John 9 or the Luke 13 passage from earlier said, being more sinful than others isn’t the “cause” of these events. Marilyn Manson sings freely. Las Vegas still glows like the sun. The answer isn’t in the magnitude of the sin; it is in the One who the sin is committed against. Pray this week fervently (James 5:16) for Haiti and meet me back here next week to unpack some causes. God is a Loving and Merciful God who answers prayer. He sent His Son to die on a cross as a substitute for all who would repent and believe. Seek Him today while there is time.
For those of you with no TV, radio, internet, daily newspaper, neighbors, or contact with the free world, on January 12th a multitude 7.0 earthquake struck the nation of Haiti killing thousands of men, women, and children from all walks of life. Horrendous carnage, complete property loss, and weeping mark an already destitute population. Hospitals full of the sick, a palace for the ruler, and shanty towns full of desperately poor all suffered similar fates. Flash back to the day after Christmas 2004 and an underwater earthquake projects a tsunami that kills thousands in 13 countries (we have no real idea how many were washed to sea).
Today, with fear and trepidation, I would like to begin a two week series of my thoughts as to why these things happened. Theories abound as to causation for seemingly senseless events. Allow me to start by eliminating a few. Global warming/cooling, acid rain, H1N1, Barack Obama, The New York Yankees, grassy knoll shooters, aliens, terrorists, Republicans/Democrats, illegal immigrants, Big Oil, AIG, Dick Cheney, and ACORN played no part in this tragedy.
Pat Robertson, as is often the case and in typical Shock Jock fashion, offered that God smote Haiti for making a “pact with the Devil”. He pointed at the Hurricane Katrina tragedy as New Orleans’ fault for rampant sin. While I am sorry to fans of Robertson, I must apologize for Pat’s thoughts on behalf of Christendom. Cold, publicity-generating comments such as these do nothing in advancing the Kingdom of God and, if the thousands of venomous comments posted to the news articles outlining Robertson’s comments are any indication, seem to bring tremendous dishonor to the name of Christ.
I, like most throughout time, have considered this question of Theodicy (why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?) often. I confess it is a hard question. Atheists have hammered me “If God is so big, why do children die of cancer?” or “I thought your God was all-loving! I could never love a God that would let these things happen!”. So why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
Before addressing the answer, I need to fix the question. Psalm 14:3 plainly states “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.” Romans 3:23 adds “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Worse yet, regardless of the appearance of the target of sin, all sin is directed at God Himself (See Psalm 51:4, many others). The bad things we will address don’t happen to good people. Bad things happen to ungood people...all of us. Summary: We all sin and through our sin, in effect, we are shaking our fist at God. I guess we all kind of “make a pact with the devil” when we sin! This point matters and is the basis for my answer to Theodicy because God is Good.
The Holiness of God demands that all sin be punished. The millions that “get away” with crimes in this world will ultimately, at death, be judged. Romans 6:23 says “The wages of sin is death”. Proverbs 17:15 points us to what Paul Washer says should be called “The Great Dilemma” when it says “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.”. How can a Loving, Holy, and Just God NOT punish sin? He can’t let lawbreakers just get away with it or He wouldn’t be just. Please understand, I am not making character judgments about any victim of any event in any way. We are all equally in the same boat here...we are stained with a sin that is, intentionally or not, pointed at God. We all deserve death and judgment. Angels, when they rebelled against God, didn’t get a Savior. They were summarily judged and condemned. Amazingly, God, through His amazing Love, gives us opportunity after opportunity to repent (turn from sin) and believe in order to be saved.
These important things being said, there are only 4 possible reasons for these bad things happening. I will address them each in detail next week. They are:
1. God caused/somehow ordained it.
2. God let the event happen.
3. God was surprised/not in control.
4. Random chance.
Before I conclude, please don’t think I am being flippant about the tragic loss of life. My heart aches with those who lost loved ones. I am left with so many conflicting emotions ranging from wanting to take away pain from people to wanting to fly to Haiti to dig. Please see that, like John 9 or the Luke 13 passage from earlier said, being more sinful than others isn’t the “cause” of these events. Marilyn Manson sings freely. Las Vegas still glows like the sun. The answer isn’t in the magnitude of the sin; it is in the One who the sin is committed against. Pray this week fervently (James 5:16) for Haiti and meet me back here next week to unpack some causes. God is a Loving and Merciful God who answers prayer. He sent His Son to die on a cross as a substitute for all who would repent and believe. Seek Him today while there is time.
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