Today the Christian church blames God for everything. We believe that He either causes or allows these tragedies to teach us something or to get glory out of them. He’s a masochist and a sadist. He gets glory and joy out of people suffering. Of course all of this is false and erroneous
There are basically 4 sources of tragedy.
1. God.
This may seem contrary to what we have been saying but it is not. In the Old Testament God was a major source of tragedy. He judged people for their sin and their wickedness. He released His wrath upon people when they were behaving very ungodly and walking away from him and living in sin. We see the flood of Noah and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah among others.
However, there is a radical difference between the way God treated people in the Old Covenant before Jesus came and died on the Cross and the way He treats us now that Jesus has died for us on the Cross and taken away our sins and consumed the wrath and judgment of God on our behalf.
Jesus has taken away the wrath and judgment of God from us forever. God is no longer angry and He is no longer judging the earth or bringing us tragedy because of our sins.
Luke 13
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Jesus was saying that it is not God who had destroyed these people because of their great sin. It was their sin that had got them in this situation where they ended up losing their lives. And this is the same even now. Your own sin will kill you. Not God.
Now He uses a parable to explain His point.
God is like this owner of this vineyard and Jesus is the vinedresser. God would be just if He destroyed us and judged every nation on the earth because we are wicked and evil. And yet He will not do it because of the work of Jesus on the Cross. We are all under God’s mercy. It is God’s mercy that we are not consumed. Jesus has interceded for us and completely stopped the wrath of God. It is not God that is causing tragedy and problems because of our sins. He is giving us mercy.
We are under a New Covenant of mercy where God is not treating us according to our sins and what we deserve but He’s giving us mercy and grace.
Hebrews 8
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
2. You
As we discussed in our previous lesson, God gave control of this earth to man. Religion says that nothing can happen without God allowing it but this is not accurate or true. A more correct statement is that nothing can happen without man allowing it. We are the ones in control.
God gave us control and He will not violate His Word and control this earth. Instead of us waiting on Him to do something, He is waiting on us to do something. He gave us the power. He will not do what He told us to do. What is happening in our lives and in this earth is our fault. The only person to blame is you.
James 4
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
The sin of man is literally destroying this world. It is not God destroying the earth. It is our selfishness that is ruining the world and causing wars and migrations and refugees etc. it is not God. It is us and our rebellion and disobedience that is setting on fire the course of nature.
James3
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
James explains that the entire course of our lives and our present world has been set by us and what we have been saying for ages about us and our nations. We cannot now turn around and blame God for what is happening. What you are saying is going to happen to you.
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