Good

THIS WEEK I have some encouraging words about the difference between good and evil.

Think for a moment about all the horrible things you heard about on the news this week. Then again, don't think about it. It's too awful. They really throw some sad stuff at us, don't they? The world is not in a good condition. It's not uncommon for us to ask ourselves why it is that the world is so evil, since God is so good. It's a common objection among atheists to say that a good God wouldn't have created a world like this.

In a sense, they're right. God is good, but He didn't make the world like this. He made it all good. If you read the first chapter of Genesis you can see Him look at everything He makes one at a time and call it good, and the finished product "very good." And if you look at the things that we haven't managed to mess up, for example, the complex functions of the human body and the regular spinning of the twinkling universe, you can see that the way He made it, it's all very good indeed.

So what went wrong?

I read the answer in Bible Study recently. In Romans 1 the apostle Paul talks about people rejecting God, and the consequences.

v. 20 "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His external power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." This means that because we see the way He made things (good) we can clearly see what He is like (good). But people in the world have rejected Him by sinning: worshiping other gods that cannot save, choosing all the things He tells us to avoid for our own good.

v. 24-25 "[24] Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, [25] who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

So what is the result?

v. 28 "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting."

That's really scary, isn't it? People rejected God. In return, He did not reject people but He let them run off and do what they wanted because He they did not want to be with Him. But being our heavenly Father, you can imagine that made God very sad. So what did He do? He didn't go far away. He sent His Son Jesus to make a way for us to come back to Him, and He is calling us individually, ceaselessly, to come back home, and love Him, and be loved forever. His own creation walked away, and yet He still loves us. That's why we worship God.

I saw Psalm 73 this week, which offers another aspect of the discussion of good and evil. This psalm is about a man who becomes envious of evil people because they seem to have a pretty sweet deal despite their ways. He sees them getting what they want and having enough of everything because of their corruption, and he is confused because he doesn't understand why they have it so good.

v. 5-6 "[5] They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. [6] Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment." Isn't that just like the things we see on the news? Don't we all sometimes wonder why evil people live long lives and always get what they think they deserve? Why do they get to trample on the weak?

That's the question the psalmist asked, and he got a very good answer.

v. 16-17 "[16]When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me - [17] until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end." I've experienced the way this works: if we come to church or look into the Bible just seeking God for the answers to our concerns, He does answer us. Look at the answer the psalmist received:

v. 18-19 "[18] Surely You set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction. [19] Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors."

The psalmist learned that we shouldn't envy the wicked, because even if it looks like they are having a great time, they are on very thin ice. Their lives aren't founded on the unshakeable righteousness of God, so they are actually very destructible and vulnerable.

This reminds me of Romans 6:23. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." This means that sinners, that is, all of us, deserve to die. But the point of God's grace, His gift to us, in that we get to live forever with Him instead because His sinless Son Jesus paid the cost for us. This means that all the people whom He "gave over to a debased mind" are nevertheless eligible for salvation. It means that God is willing to save anybody who believes and repents and just comes back to Him.

My favorite part of Psalm 73 is the part about the psalmist's repentance. He was a man who obviously loved God, but even he did wrong. His wrong was that he foolishly envied the wicked, whose end, he learned, is destruction. But God stayed with him.

v. 22-24 "[22] I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. [23] Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. [24] You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."

I think one of the thinks I love most about God is His faithfulness. Do you see how much He loves us? Because He is our heavenly Father, He loves when we see our mistakes, say were sorry, and make a change. And He is completely unwilling to let us go, even by an inch. God loves goodness, and He loves us. But He hates sin because it keeps us from Him. Wouldn't any good father hate something that keeps his children from him? All He wants from us is for us to love Him and trust Him, and this means that we will come back to His arms.

When we do this, we find that things go back to the way He intended them to be: good.

Isaiah 60:2 "For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you."