Christians, like everyone else suffer pain and sorrow in this world. Many blame such suffering on the devil, from a praiseworthy desire not to blame God. Other Christians do blame God and doubt his provision and love for them. How could God let this happen to me? She was such a good person, it just doesn’t seem fair!
Worldly-wise secularists take a more intelligent position, they think. God isn’t there; or if He is, He isn’t concerned enough or able to interact in such a way to help prevent us from suffering. They grin and bear suffering, and encourage those friends and family who are suffering. And really, most Christians do this as well. But they won’t say God can’t intervene, rather they will credit God for helping them through the suffering.
With the recent tragedy of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, my pastor John Piper gave an explanation of the Reformed view of suffering. God controls all things and has a purpose in everything that happens. He wasn’t surprised by the bridge collapse, and He is at work helping the grieving and suffering, as well as working out many other hidden designs in and through this single tragic event. Most Christians generally agree, although they might hesitate to affirm that God plans and causes such tragedies to happen.
On the opposite spectrum, Greg Boyd, also a Minneapolis area pastor, spoke out against Piper’s view. Boyd, representing the open theist position, claimed that God was surprised by the event as well, and in no way planned or caused it to happen. As I said above, in some respects Boyd’s position is noble. He doesn’t want anyone to blame God for the evil suffering caused by the bridge collapse. But as Denny Burk has shown, in his response to Boyd’s post, Boyd’s position doesn’t stack up with Scripture. Most of evangelicalism would also agree that God certainly knew of the event before it happened (the traditional view of God’s omniscience). [For several Reformed responses to open theism click here.]
But even for those of us who affirm God’s exhaustive foreknowledge and omniscience, we still struggle with how God can let evil happen to Christians. Isn’t the devil to blame too?
I bring up all of this as background to an excellent new article by John Piper which is available online. He discussed the roles of Jesus and the Devil in suffering with his daughter, and shared his conversation with us. The verse in question is Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
I encourage you to check out the article and ponder this issue now, before suffering comes your way. “When Satan Hurts Christ’s People: Reflections on Why Christians Suffer Losses” by John Piper.
And if you would like, you can subscribe to these weekly devotional articles [feed here] by John Piper or sign up for a free email subscription.
Just found your blog through the facebook group. I am a member of that group as well. I would like to say about Boyd’s position that thanks for being noble but God does not need him to protect Him from anything.
I was up at your church last month for some Logos Libronix training and would like to get back there for worship sometime. Nice to meet you.
In Christ
Alan
Bob.
The open theist position is a very scary one in my view.
I find that Isaiah 41 would directly speak out against them.
“Present your case,†the Lord says.
“Bring forward your strong arguments,â€
The King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were,
That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming;
Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods;
Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.
Isaiah 41:21-24
Notice that this is in the middle of God showing his attributes and then he comes to show how you will know that he is God and the pagan’s god(s) are not. It is by them being able to tell the future, the past and the present.
This statement comes, then notice that God says:
He who chooses you is an abomination
Those who choose a god who cannot know the past, present and future, are an abomination. That is a scary propisition.
Bob…by the way…we have missed you at the atonement debate
Thanks Alan.
I agree Seth, that this is a very serious problem. While some may be well-intentioned, others truly have a desire to be more relevant. Either way, the resulting doctrine is offensive to Christ.
Sorry for my absence at the debate. I keep meaning to peek in again, but I’ve been so busy, with the newborn and all.
Blessings,
Bob