Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Response to Hitchens' Complaint about Human Suffering
In the video above, Dr. James White addresses atheist Christopher Hitchens' complaint that man was suffering for a long time, while God was just watching.
What is the answer?
Hitchens has not addressed Christianity. Christianity asserts that God has had a plan from the very beginning and that nothing comes to pass that is not part of God's plan, and that is not for the best.
Of course, many things come to pass that are not the "best" for that particular person, but the appropriate worldview is God's perspective, not that of the individual man.
Christianity is not a form of theofic humanism, in which God plays the role of Santa Claus to a deserving mass of humanity. Instead, Christianity is a God-centred religion in which all that is, is directed to His glory.
May our Creator and Provider be praised!
-Turretinfan
2 comments:
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Have you noticed that much of what passes for atheist argumentation like Hitchens' work might work against the Village Arminian but it doesn't work at all against those of us in the Reformed faith at all? I have a theory about that. I may post it sometime.
ReplyDeleteYes and amen to that TF!
ReplyDeleteI am asking this question:
Why would anyone love a God who subjects them to futility?
Rom 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
They wouldn't!
I didn't!
Without God giving me His Love I wouldn't and not until He did, I didn't!!
God has a Righteous Scheme.
I don't. It's a fact that only after His Grace and Faith was given to me would I know that.
I do not "save" anyone. I cannot save myself.
God saves those He sent His Son to die for, revealing Him to them, to me, to you.
It was only "after" the Law of Righteousness came alive in me too that I died "even though I was dead" and had and still have a need for His Savior and His Salvation.
Now that it is clear to me, it puts awe and wonder inside of my being. Oh the wonderful Grace and Mercy of God!
Like Paul, by God's Grace and Mercy I also exclaim:
Rom 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Rom 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Now, like Paul, I say:
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
Rom 8:4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
michael