February 2, 2011

Job 1
“How many of you still believe that there is an all-powerful and all-loving God?” Such was the question at the end of the first third of the semester in my agnostic professor’s “Philosophical Problems class.” I and maybe two other guys in the class raised our hands. The prof latched on to me and said, “I want to know why.” Unable to answer some of the other questions, which he had raised, I simply responded with, “Because I believe in the undeniable evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” His response was that that was an appeal to authority and that was not acceptable in a philosophy class. I tried to rebut, but he cut me off and moved the class on.
I believe there are three instinctive tests that God has given to all humans in order to determine truth. The first is, “Is the truth claim consistent with reality?” The second is, “Is the truth claim consistent with itself?” The third is, “Does the truth claim satisfy the desires of my heart?” Right or wrong, deceived or not deceived, we all depend upon how we answer those tests in order to determine the validity of truth claims. In my opinion, the truth claim that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, is the most consistent claim with the evidence of the empty tomb. It certainly is consistent with itself and clearly satisfies the desire of my heart.
I clearly could not deal well with some of the problems that I ran into in reconciling the clear evils in the world with the truth claim that God is both all-loving and all-powerful. If He is both, why does he allow evil to exist at all? Somewhere in the infinite mind of God the answer is more brilliant than the sun. However, I am finite and sinful. I have a problem grasping this whole concept of infinity, much less an infinite God. This much I understand. I am sinful; therefore, if I want all evil to be annihilated or to have never happened, then if that happens, I will disappear. It would be as though I never was, am or would be. That certainly is not consistent with reality or the desire of my heart. I like my existence. Along with Descartes, I claim, “I think; therefore, I am.”
One of the things that I learned in the “Problems of Philosophy” class is that the problem of why a loving God allows evil is never really answered frontally by God in the book of Job. Through this first chapter, we simply see that evil exists. It exists in Job. It exists in his children. Indeed, he sees the need to act as a family priest for his children in sacrificing for them on a regular basis. We see the evil in other people who attack Job. We see evil in nature as fire falls from heaven destroying much of his goods, and as a tornado collapses his children’s house killing them. These evils come with the permission of God from Satan. Now that scenario is very consistent with reality. Evil does exist, and it exists in me! Should I then charge God with wrong because the world and I are the way we are? I don’t think so. God is busy restoring His kingdom. He calls me to obedience while I watch His restoration in me and in others. Now that is consistent with itself. It is consistent with reality. Is it consistent with the desires of my heart? That one is up to me. If it is not, then I need a new heart. How do I get it? I get it by repentance and faith in Him. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john