Hope.

This is going to be a difficult blog to write. But there is a question that I have been dwelling on for quite a while now. And it is this – “Why does God allow suffering?” It is a question that a lot of people ask but not everyone can answer fully. How do you tell people that “God has everything in control” when those very same people don’t actually believe in Him?

I have personally found that although no one can fully answer that question in a totally satisfactory way, the question is also a loaded and totally unfair one.

For instance, how does the evolutionist answer the question? What answer have they got about war, sickness and suffering? Would they say that humanity is just the next stage of the evolutionary process and that same process has always been built on the stronger/smarter overcoming the weak?

How does the humanist, or the athiest answer the same question? They believe that you are nothing, then you’re conceived and born, you live your life, you die, and then you’re nothing again.

Or consider some of the “eastern philosophies”. My limited understanding of their reincarnation beliefs and teachings suggests that they believe that some people are suffering in this life because of something negative or harmful they may have caused in a previous life. But how can you be sure of this? How can you be sure you have really lived before, or can even live a good life the next time around?

The truth is that no one knows for sure why suffering is permitted to happen except to say that God uses our difficulties to build His kingdom through us.

Consider the story of Joseph. He was beaten up by his own brothers, sold off as a slave and transported into Egypt, falsly accused of rape and imprisoned. Then he bettered himself again to rise up to become one of the chief advisors of Pharaoh. This put him into a position were he could help his family and nation during a famine. Consider his response to his brothers…

Genesis ch50 ⁽²⁰⁾But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it has happened today, to save many people's lives.

Or consider the story of Ruth. The whole point of Naomi’s suffering was to make sure that Ruth made it into the population of Israel. For it was from her that King David was to be born....

Ruth ch1 ⁽¹⁶⁾But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.

But where Christianity differs from the evolutionist, the humanist and other philosophies is that it offers Hope. And not just Hope by itself. It offers a sure and certain Hope in the Ressurection.

1^st Peter ch1 ⁽³⁾Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

I met a guy once. He was unsaved but he did a lot of work for his local church because of his daughter. She is a christian, an invalid and he takes her to church each week so she can be with her friends, and her brothers and sisters in Christ. He does a lot of fundraising for the church in various ways. But he does not profess Christ as his Saviour.

Now, she has Hope in Christ. And come the ressurection she knows that she, and countless others, will not suffer these afflictions anymore. She will be rejoicing in the Kingdom of Heaven. However. Her dad, if he remains in his unsaved condition, will not see it. He will not have any part in it. His daughter has Hope. He has not.

1^st Thessalonians ch4⁽¹³⁾But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you feel no sorrow, even as others which have no HOPE.

Titus ch1⁽²⁾In HOPE of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

Titus ch2⁽¹³⁾Looking for that blessed HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

In his first letter to the church at a place called Corinth in Turkey, Paul writes…

1^st Coronthians 13⁽¹³⁾And now abideth Faith, HOPE and Love - these three; But the greatest of these is Love.

And Paul is correct when he said that the greatest of these is Love.

You see, Faith is temporal. So is Hope. On the Day of the Ressurection we won’t need Faith in the Ressurection anymore for we shall be with Christ. And we won’t need Hope for we will already have taken part in that “sure and certain Hope of the ressurection”.

However, Love is eternal. It carries on into eternity. Wherever God is – There is Love.

And the unsaved people will have no part in any of this. For unless they have professed Christ as their Lord and claim His saving Grace as their own, they will never know of the “joy unspeakable and full of glory”.

1^st Peter ch1 (3)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4)to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in Heaven for you…..

(8)Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9)receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

God bless you until next time.

 

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last, I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it someday for a crown.

Internet - www.theselivelyoracles.co.uk
Facebook - These Lively Oracles
Twitter(X) - @livelyoracles58
Email - TheseLivelyOracles@hotmail.com