When Your Philosophy Gets a Kick in the Butt
If you're reading this, you must know that I'm a follower of Jesus Christ. In knowing that, you must know that I whole heartedly believe that there is no way to know God except through Jesus, who is the exact representation of God, sent by God to the world for our salvation. Now, having said that, I've had a question on my heart for a while now that probably doesn't sound very "Christian." Here it is:
If God is love, why would He create mankind in the first place, knowing that so many of them would - out of the product of their own sins and unrepentance - die and go to hell?
This has been on my heart and/or mind for such a long time that I cannot remember when I first birthed it. However, today was the first day that I officially presented it to my Pastor and classmates. To be honest, their responses were not what I was looking for. Now, to be fair, I'm pretty sure there would have been no welcome response to my question, seeing as: 1. I am questioning the God of all the Universe and 2. My little human mind is completely incapable of comprehending Him as a triune God, never mind His plans and sovereignty and perfection (and on and on the list goes...)
So what IS the answer to this? Here are some Scriptures that were mentioned:
"Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'?
Isaiah 45:9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9
Another thing that you might have already noticed is that my question seems to come from a view that says, "God is selfish for creating mankind only to have so many suffer eternally." However, the whole substance and point and meat of Christianity is the fact that "God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17) A selfish God NEVER would have sacrificed everything to have such a pathetic reward of... us. Never.
Conclusion: Sometimes your philosophy needs a flying elbow smash to the head. Sometimes the answers people have for your questions go against what you've previously believed. Sometimes it's hard to swallow Truth. And yet, in all of these difficulties, God is faithful and sovereign and - most importantly - love.
Be blessed and amazed as you examine your own philosophy with the Truth, and have your life completely changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
If God is love, why would He create mankind in the first place, knowing that so many of them would - out of the product of their own sins and unrepentance - die and go to hell?
This has been on my heart and/or mind for such a long time that I cannot remember when I first birthed it. However, today was the first day that I officially presented it to my Pastor and classmates. To be honest, their responses were not what I was looking for. Now, to be fair, I'm pretty sure there would have been no welcome response to my question, seeing as: 1. I am questioning the God of all the Universe and 2. My little human mind is completely incapable of comprehending Him as a triune God, never mind His plans and sovereignty and perfection (and on and on the list goes...)
So what IS the answer to this? Here are some Scriptures that were mentioned:
"Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'The potter has no hands'?
Isaiah 45:9
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9
Another thing that you might have already noticed is that my question seems to come from a view that says, "God is selfish for creating mankind only to have so many suffer eternally." However, the whole substance and point and meat of Christianity is the fact that "God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17) A selfish God NEVER would have sacrificed everything to have such a pathetic reward of... us. Never.
Conclusion: Sometimes your philosophy needs a flying elbow smash to the head. Sometimes the answers people have for your questions go against what you've previously believed. Sometimes it's hard to swallow Truth. And yet, in all of these difficulties, God is faithful and sovereign and - most importantly - love.
Be blessed and amazed as you examine your own philosophy with the Truth, and have your life completely changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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