Christian overcomers Community Group
This is a Christian Group for people that are seeking healing or overcoming challenges through Biblical advice. Our key verse is 3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
What does God allow?
After some kind of tragedy or natural disaster, we often hear Christians remarking that God allowed this to happen for some greater purpose. Such a concept suggests that God is in fact responsible for the tragedy. If He allowed it, He must have been in agreement with it. Can this be true?
When a parent has a teenager and the teenager decides to take the family car, rob a bank, run over pedestrians and lead the police on a dangerous chase, did the parent allow this to happen? Was it the parent’s will, believing that some greater good would be accomplished through the deaths of others? Would it be right for the police to tell the parent that the child’s actions were the parent’s fault? Were those actions the parent’s will? What if the parent had expressly prohibited the use of the family car by the teenager? Is the parent responsible for the consequence of the child’s rebellion in spite of the fact that the parent forbade such activity?
Perhaps this will help us understand a little better the nature and heart of God. He created man in His own image and gave man the earth (Ps. 115:16). However, He expressly prohibited eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He did NOT allow it. He forbade it. Man’s decision to disobey cannot be laid at God’s feet, nor the consequences of that disobedience. Satan also rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven. God gave the capacity to choose to His angels and to man who He created in His own image. Choice allows men to demonstrate their faithfulness and love for God, or to demonstrate their independence. Without choice, there can be no true fellowship with God.
So, did God allow rebellion, sin, corruption, darkness and disaster? No. But the nature of man includes the ability to choose. It was not God’s will then, and it is not God’s will now. He is not allowing suffering and tragedy in the earth. He is allowing man to be man. The blame falls on Adam, not God. Destructive weather, corruption, sickness, death, war, hatred, strife, immorality, crime and lawlessness are what man has allowed. God does not allow it. But He must honor man’s decisions.
In order to redeem mankind and grant an opportunity for new life, God had to become a man. This alone demonstrates that the earth belongs to man. Only a man can legally redeem what man’s sin unleashed. Jesus is that Man. Only those who choose to believe in that Man can be reunited with God’s desire to bring life and light to humanity. God is not the author of suffering, but He is the author of redemption, new life, healing, deliverance, peace, joy and abundance. The capacity to choose still lies within us. He is allowing you to return to Him in peace.
I have wondered about that phrase for some time now. God allowed it. God did not "allow" it. We chose it...and, these are the consequences of those choices.
Remeber in the creation story in Genesis, God said time and time again,
"And God saw that it was good." But, in the story of the flood, God said, "Genesis 6:6 New Life Version (NLV)
6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth. He had sorrow in His heart."
I honestly think this is the only time...well, when he saw Jesus on the cross maybe. But, he was sorry he had made man.
So, as in the days of Noah...sorta like the present is!!