____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ March 16, 2003 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Human Suffering -- And Many Reasons Why (Part 1 of 3) (Tom Edwards) 2) "Are You Merciful?" (Bob Craig) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Human Suffering -- And Many Reasons Why (Part 1 of 3) by Tom Edwards There is much physical pain, as well as emotional pain, in the world today. Why do so many people suffer? This question seems to be a stumbling block toward faith for numerous individuals in our time. They have wrongly assumed that if there is a God then the world would not be in the sad state in which it is with countless people afflicted and ailing in various ways. Many individuals are extremely sick, mal-nourished and starving to death, and agonizing from physical and/or emotional pain. To the non-believers, these woes of humanity are often cited as their "reason" for why they "know" there is no God. Still another misconception about suffering is made by some who do believe in God, but they think that adversity in one's life is ALWAYS due to the Lord's punishment of that individual because of sin. Though I've read many books and articles that have caused me to heartily laugh outloud, seldom have any of them made me cry with audible groans and tears streaming down my face. But one such book did both. It became quite an emotional experience. I would sometimes find myself crying on one page and then giving out a hearty, compassionate laugh on the next, with tears still rolling down my face, because of this little girl's courageous struggle, her joyful humor, and her undying optimism. The book is entitled, "Alex, The Life of a Child," written by her father Frank Deford. Alexandria was born October 30, 1971, but never made it to her 9th birthday. She died January 19, 1980. For most of her short life, she had suffered with Cystic Fibrosis, which robbed her of her very life; but while suffering, she was still able to usually maintain an extraordinary zest for life, a good humor, and a positive disposition. She was a remarkable, little girl whom everyone seemed to love and thought of highly. Her cheerful, heroic, and upbeat behavior was almost uncanny for a girl her age with her infirmity, but perhaps it was due to the way she was able to bear up under her trials that caused her to be so mature and advanced for her age. She was a wonderful, optimistic, and encouraging example to all -- and especially to the others who were also afflicted with serious illnesses. Why did Alex have to suffer? Why have so many people also done so in our time and down through the years? If an atheist cites Alex's illness, suffering, and death to "prove" that there is no God, what has this non-believer seemed to have overlooked? How about the health and life of Alex's parents? In other words, if Alex's illness and death indicates that there is no God then why can't it be said that her parents' health and life proves that He does exist? Also, what about those who believe there is a God, but think that all suffering or adversity in one's life stems from personal sin? How could we say this would be so for Alex, and children like her, who are afflicted while still in an innocent state? They are not guilty of sin. And many of these children suffer and die before they ever become transgressors, so they will be in heaven forever. All suffering due to sin was the same misconception of Job's three friends: Eliphaz (Job 4:7-9), Bildad (Job 8:5,6), and Zophar (Job 11:13-15). They each accused Job of incurring all his afflictions and misfortunes due to transgression in his life. They believed that he was being punished by God. Yet, we learn in the very first chapter of this book that the Lord not only viewed Job as being a righteous man, but also said that "...there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil" (1:8). Job lost his oxen, his donkeys, his servants, his sheep, his camels, his sons, and his daughters (vv. 14-19) -- but he never lost his integrity (2:3), nor did he sin or blame the Lord unjustly (1:22). Job didn't initially understand why all these terrible things were happening, but he did not foolishly charge God with having done wrong. Though it does appear that Job viewed these terrible events as something that the Lord -- and not Satan -- had brought about, this great patriarch had enough faith in God to know that whatever the Lord does, it would never be something wrong or evil. It was Job who made that classic, trusting, and loyal response that "...The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (v. 21). Even after Job's body was afflicted terribly "...with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head," and he was in such a deplorable state that his wife urged him to let go of his integrity, curse God and die (2:9), Job responded by saying, "...'You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?' In all this Job did not sin with his lips" (v. 10). God had allowed Satan to afflict and tempt Job through various means. As a result, he has become the great exemplar of one who has demonstrated much endurance in suffering (James 5:11). Often today, the phrase "the patience of Job" rings out as a reminder and an encouragement that we, too, need to bear our infirmities with firmness of faith and entrust our souls to our Creator, even if we don't fully -- or even partially -- realize the reason for our suffering. Maybe this is another reason why God allowed Job to undergo what he did: that, throughout time, we can continue to draw strength, hope, and comfort through his example. So from what we learn of Job, not all suffering is due to God punishing people for their sin. But should we assume, however, when anyone suffers today that it is a result of God allowing Satan to test such a one, as in the case of Job? Or should we believe that the Lord is responsible for all adversities that befall an individual -- regardless of sin? How should we view human suffering -- and who or what is responsible for it? People need to first of all realize that suffering -- which can be at different levels of intensity -- can be the result of various reasons (or sources) and not just one, and maybe some of these are even combined. This is a point I want to stress so that people do not limit all suffering to merely one source -- and that being God -- as if He is the only One responsible for all human woes. For instance, consider the following numerous examples -- which are of various intensities -- for why people suffer: 1) ACTS OF NATURE: earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, raging fires, etc. Though insurance policies call most of these "Acts of God," is that always the case? Obviously, the great flood of Noah's day was an act of God; but does that mean that all floods also are? Are we to assume that all weather conditions are the predetermined result of what God had willed? For example, in considering the billions of raindrops that fall during a rainstorm, does the Lord make sure that an exact amount falls, according to His will -- and not one drop over, or one drop less? Was that ice on one person's back porch, but not his neighbor's, or that tornado-damage on one side of the street, but not the other, because the Lord specifically willed it so? Though we attribute rain, ice, and snow to the Lord, since they are a part of His creation, does this mean He is always directing and regulating these to their exact locations and precise yields? Or does not nature just generally run its own course -- as if it has a "will" of its own -- just as man does? Is it the Lord's will for a match to burn 5,389 acres of woodland instead of 2,852, for instance -- or does that fire also have a "will" of its own? I would not think anytime people are drowned in a flood, crushed to death in an earthquake, or killed in a tornado that it was what God had specifically planned to happen -- with every detail and every casualty. People sometimes suffer -- and even die -- because of acts of nature. In addition, if the Lord were using nature to destroy the wicked people today, how come many who die seem to be fairly "good" people, while individuals like Hitler and Stalin (who were responsible for the death of literal millions) were never struck by lightening, killed in a tornado, or perished in a flood before they had the opportunity to unleash their inhumane havoc on so many? This is not to say that the Lord could never use weather in His providence to bring about His will; and, therefore, it would do us well to pray about it. For since we are commanded to pray for all men (1 Tim. 2:1-4) -- who have a will of their own, and most aren't even Christians -- why can't we pray for the weather, too? 2) ONE'S OWN SINS: drug abuse, alcoholism, sexual immorality, law-breaking, etc. These are just some of the ways in which people can incur suffering due to their own sins. You can probably think of many other things that can be added to this list as well. Surely God is not responsible for these sufferings that people have brought upon themselves -- for He does not make people sin, tempt people to sin (Jms. 1:13), nor even want them to do so (Jn. 8:11). Rather, the Lord wants people to turn from their iniquity and be set free from the "wage" of it -- which is death, eternal separation from God (Rom. 6:23). 3) OTHER PEOPLE'S SINS: murder, theft, rape, wrongful injuries received by others, etc. How many innocent victims have suffered because of the sins of others? Think for a moment of the grieving widow whose husband was murdered; the innocent customer whose life was maimed and forever changed during the holdup; the newborn who, while entering this world, is already addicted to drugs and afflicted with AIDS because of the sins of her mother; and the family that lives in continual fear and destitution due to the alcoholic and abusive father/husband. We can go on and on with examples of suffering due to other people's sins affecting the innocent. 4) ONE'S OWN CARELESSNESS: not watching where we're walking, running, or driving; not taking better precaution on the ice; driving too fast; tailgating; etc. Tailgaters don't leave themselves much leeway. It is not only a careless way to drive, but also a dangerous one. The driver's handbook points out that we should be at least 2 seconds behind the car in front of us -- and if we are on a motorcycle, then at least 3 seconds. How many times have people injured themselves due to simply not being careful enough? And how often has this kind of carelessness led to lifelong injuries and chronic pain? Is God to be held responsible when the tailgater, at just 10 feet behind the car in front and both traveling about 65 MPH, is not able to stop in time when the car in front suddenly breaks for an animal on the road? God is never careless, but we sometimes are -- and suffer as a result. 5) OTHER PEOPLE'S CARELESSNESS: Because the other driver was careless behind the wheel, for example, that can very easily lead to the injury and suffering of others -- whether in the same car, in other vehicles, or pedestrians. 6) ACCIDENTS: We might be very cautious, but still be involved in an accident of some sort. The first funeral I remember attending was for Cliff Cramer, a fellow on my baseball team, when I was probably 10 or 11 years old. While riding home on his bike, Cliff was struck by a large rock that had fallen out of a truck in front of him; and it killed him. Is the Lord responsible for that? Had He flung the rock? Isn't it more likely that it was just a bump in the road or the vibration of the truck? As careful as Cliff might have been, sometimes accidents just seem to pop out of nowhere -- being unforeseen. -- Continued next week ____________________________________________________ -2- "Are You Merciful?" by Bob Craig The Bible says in Matthew 5:7, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." The words "merciful" and "mercy' come from the same root word from which we get eleemosynary. That word defined means "of, relating to, or dependent on charity, or benevolence." So, one who is merciful or full of mercy, is one who does charitable works or is benevolent. He is concerned about the welfare of others. He is the blessed one we read about in Matthew 25: "I was hungry, you fed me; I was thirsty, you gave me drink; naked, you clothed me; sick, you visited me." He is the one whom Paul exhorts to be concerned about the needy in Ephesians 4:28: "... let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." This is what is being discussed in James 1:27: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Bear in mind that, first of all, these verses pertain to individual action. Personal responsibility such as we find stated in I Timothy 5:16: "If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed." These verses are not talking about making a donation; they are talking about personal contact with misery. However, there are times when we hear of a situation about which we can do nothing more than make a donation such as the recent flood and hurricane disasters. In such cases, be merciful. You may need mercy someday. -- Via Toward a Greater Faith, 9/15/2002 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes The Morris Road church of Christ at 14161 Morris Road in Gulfport, Mississippi, will be having a gospel meeting March 16-21 that will be at 7:15 through the weeknights. The speaker will be Phillip Chumbley. For additional information, call 228-832-5529. The South College Road church of Christ in Lafayette, Louisiana, will be having a gospel meeting next week, March 23-28, at 7:30 through the weeknights. Paul Earnhardt will be doing the preaching. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________