04/29/26 GOD IS IN CONTROL, HE IS NOT ALWAYS THE CAUSE
Yes. God is the sovereign ruler of everything.
No. God is not the author or creator of evil.
Yes. God gave man the ability to make personal, moral choices.
No. No one can create their own reality.
Yes. Everyone will give an account for their thoughts, words, and deeds and will face the Divine consequences.
Now, with that being said...
Some people mistakenly think that since God is omniscient and omnipotent, everything that happens is God's preferred will, no matter how terrible it may be.
Yes, the Bible teaches that God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called to do His purpose.
This does not mean that everything is good or God's preferred will.
No sin, in any form, is good. Satan is not good. God has provided a plan that reconciles the repentant sinner to Himself. The person saved from his sins turns from sinning. God holds everyone accountable for their deeds, good or bad. Those who have Christ as Lord and Savior no longer live in sin. If they sin, they must confess and repent of their sin
When bad things happen, some people say, "God is in control." This is true, but it does not mean that God preferred evil to happen. God does have a plan for dealing with bad events and the people who are involved in them. Even when God deals with sin, He is loving and merciful. He provides forgiveness, cleansing, and newness of life to the repentant sinner. If the offender refuses to trust Christ, confess his sins, and repent, then God will judge, either immediately or eternally.
Some folks mistakenly think that since God is in charge, Christians should not be concerned with the lost condition of the world and the coming disasters that accompany the end times.
People say, "Jesus is still here," as if the presence and power of sin is automatically rescinded or nullified. God hates sin, God judges sin, but God does not deliver everyone from sin and its ravages. We in the USA have had such a good, free, enriched life that we take these blessings from God for granted. But sin has a cost, and rejecting God opens the door to horrific suffering.
It can be said that Jesus is still in China, in North Korea, in Iran, in Sudan, but that does not mean that there is not any evil, suffering, rebellion, sickness, or oppression. Yes, God can change the conditions of any place, people, or political setting, but there are Divine conditions that must be met. Just as unrepentant societies and governments in other places have fallen into great loss, so too will the USA suffer.
Remember, God draws people to Himself through great blessings, but He will use great suffering to drive the unrepentant to faith and submission.
Yes, Jesus is here. That is not the question. The question is, "Are we where Jesus wants us to be?"
