tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post8682955567011010839..comments2022-04-08T09:09:48.338-04:00Comments on julie coleman: He's at the HelmJulie Zine Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16929069403684878757noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-1633924689093452222009-03-18T13:23:00.000-04:002009-03-18T13:23:00.000-04:00Anonymous:There are two questions being discussed ...Anonymous:<BR/><BR/>There are two questions being discussed here. One is whether God creates (or authors) evil, and the second is why God would allow it.<BR/><BR/>The first question is answered firmly in scripture, as I wrote above, and logic supports it. God does not create or author sin. The word for sin is hamartia, which means "missing the mark." Every sin is an action by which a creature falls short of what it ought to do. You cited Satan, who is a great example of this: God created Satan to be the greatest of angels, but by his pride Satan fell short of what God desired for him. Evil is not an entity like a person or a car; you can't point to a pile of evil. Evil is a privation; it is the absence of a good that ought to be there.<BR/><BR/>So why is God not the author of sin, if he is in control of the creatures he creates? Because God gives to some of his creatures the capacity to choose, which is often called a "free will." The responsibility for sinning, for choosing something less than the fulfillment of one's nature, lies entirely with the creature. God can't simultaneously give creatures a free will and stop any of the bad consequences that follow from it.<BR/><BR/>You may now be wondering why, if God is not the author of sin, he nevertheless allows for his creatures to sin. I have more fully answered this question in my previous response. It is answered by the character of God. We know that God is all good and all powerful: he is in control. Those who sin now are opposed to God and ultimately will not prevail. What evil God allows, he allows only for a short time and uses even this for the good of those he loves.<BR/><BR/>Hope this is helpful.Julie Zine Colemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16929069403684878757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-14717623481757143762009-03-14T06:50:00.000-04:002009-03-14T06:50:00.000-04:00Using logic, and not the Bible, how could anything...Using logic, and not the Bible, how could anything NOT be created by God if God is the original cause and the source of all that exists?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-34380376906177075682009-03-13T00:44:00.000-04:002009-03-13T00:44:00.000-04:00Anonymous:You have touched on a classic and diffic...Anonymous:<BR/>You have touched on a classic and difficult theological question: how can a God who is all-powerful and all-good be reconciled with the presence of evil in the world?<BR/><BR/>I can only answer your questions with what the Bible tells us is true. <BR/><BR/>1. God is not the author of sin. He did not create it nor does He tempt His creation to sin. See James 1:13<BR/><BR/>2. Sin is the direct result of conscious moral volition-- Genesis 3:1-6, James 1:14-15.<BR/><BR/>3. God sovereignly chooses to allow sin and its consequences-- Romans 9:18-23<BR/><BR/>4. God limits and controls evil. See Job 1 and 2, where Satan must have permission to do anything to Job. Also, Christ tells Peter that Satan has asked permission to sift Peter like wheat.<BR/><BR/>5. God will one day fully separate sin from us and from His new creation. Revelation 19:11-20:5 gives details on this.<BR/><BR/>6. Ultimately, some of our "why" questions are not fully answered by Scripture. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us that the 'secret things belong to the Lord.' Romans 11:33 tells us that God's ways are "unsearchable." <BR/><BR/>"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9 <BR/><BR/>Finding a pat answer to the questions you express is impossible, as God has not chosen to reveal the whys of His ways in many cases. But He is totally good, and totally in control. He is a hands-on kind of God, who does not sit back and let the world do its own thing. He is intimately involved with His creation. Any answer we might come up with to answer your questions must be within the perameters of these truths.<BR/><BR/>I, personally, can appreciate worshipping a God who does not answer to me, His creation. Evelyn Underhill once wrote: "If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshipped."Julie Zine Colemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16929069403684878757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-5861625173854349852009-03-13T00:16:00.000-04:002009-03-13T00:16:00.000-04:00If God controls the destiny of the world and every...If God controls the destiny of the world and everything is going according to his plan, why is there evil in the world? Don't worry, I know the answer: God wants humans to excersize free will. OK fine...<BR/><BR/>But God created everything; he created Satan. Being all powerful, if he wanted to create a world without evil, he could have. Thus, God either directly or implicitly created evil (by creating Satan). That means the holocaust, Columbine, nuclear war and all sorts of horrible things came from God's brain. When you think about it, it's hard to be comforted knowing a creature who could conjure up such horrid attrocities is "at the helm."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-45008192616458043482009-02-26T23:33:00.000-05:002009-02-26T23:33:00.000-05:00Hi, Julie!I'm so glad you stopped by to see me at ...Hi, Julie!<BR/><BR/>I'm so glad you stopped by to see me at the Wellblog, because I have been so blessed in exploring your site. <BR/><BR/>Amen, God is in control. I'm so glad that's not me at the helm!<BR/><BR/>Enjoyed the reading...I'll be back to say hi!<BR/><BR/>:)LauraLaurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08263995875732832349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-11898229708733007582009-02-23T15:16:00.000-05:002009-02-23T15:16:00.000-05:00Thanks for the message of peace. I know your are p...Thanks for the message of peace. I know your are preparing for your weekend retreat - with the topic of waiting?? Is that coming up? I am praying for you - and a not so bumpy ride this time!Vanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03609122386376968883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-912520200461855346.post-79584534802987740672009-02-19T17:20:00.000-05:002009-02-19T17:20:00.000-05:00Hey Julie,We made it to Baltimore and you aren't k...Hey Julie,<BR/>We made it to Baltimore and you aren't kidding about the windy weather!!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your prayers we are meeting Kelsey's parents for the very first time in 1 hour.<BR/>Hope we shine for Jesus!!Zoe Elmorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11115003296579374760noreply@blogger.com