Foothills Bible Church

Sad to say, but we still live in a “If it feels good do it” world or said another way “do whatever makes you happy” world. The problem with that philosophy is that doing what feels good or whatever makes you happy is short lived and then it’s on to something else one hopes will make them happy or feel good. Eventually this philosophy only makes the person that much more miserable because living to satisfy one’s own selfish desires can’t and will never lead to lasting happiness. The self serving, self-centered, self seeking person can never find joy in living life for themselves. God created us to serve and enjoy Him and one another and the only way to real and lasting happiness is to live your life to please Him, not self. So what is it that most pleases God other than His own Son….well it’s when we enjoy and delight ourselves in Him and who He is in and of Himself and doing what pleases Him the most, not what pleases us the most. As John Piper once said…God is the most glorified when we are the most satisfied in Him. Does Jesus satisfy the deepest longing of your heart or are you filling it with the things this fallen world has to offer?

Myanmar (Burma) Missions Report
Foothills Bible Church Team
2010

Our team, Marshall Smithson, John McCarty, Victor Connell and Michael Friesen departed Little Rock on the 15^th of January 2010 at 12:40 PM on a Continental Flight to Houston, TX where we boarded a 22 hour flight, via Moscow, to Singapore aboard Singapore Air.  After spending a short period of time in Singapore we boarded a Silk Air flight to Myanmar (Burma) and arrived at 9:40 am, Burma time, where we were met by Henry Lyann and his wife Ni Ni.  Henry had our reservations at the Mi Casa where we spent the night before boarding a government flight to Kalaymyo early the next morning.

Upon arrival in Kalaymyo we were welcomed by the Kalaymyo and Kamawi Bible church members, along with Stephen from the Myanmar for Christ Bible School of Kalaymyo, Sui Sui of the children’s day school and others.  The evening of our arrival, which was Monday, we attended a welcome service at the Emmanuel Theological Seminary and enjoyed the entertainment and all the festivities they provide whenever we come to Kalaymyo.

On Tuesday we went to Steven’s Myanmar for Christ Bible School where we spent the morning getting to know the students and having them share their testimonies and prayer request for their future ministries.  In the afternoon Marshall introduced them to Spurgeon’s catechism and John McCarty taught them about making their calling and election sure.  Vic Connell went to Emmanuel Theological Seminary where he taught on the book of John.  Michael spent part of the day with Steven’s Son Tong Tong and taught some songs to the students at the Bible School.  Wednesday, the following day we switched places.  At Emmanuel Theological Seminary we spend the morning getting to know the students and in the afternoon Marshall introduced the students to Spurgeon’s catechism and John McCarty taught on the Attributes of God.  Of course Vic Connell taught at Steven’s Bible school on the book of John.  That evening we attended the midweek service they had in a church member’s home.  We didn’t preach or teach because we wanted to experience their worship time and community group meeting.  Henry preached, Michael sang and it was a wonderful time of worship and fellowship.

Marshall and John both had the same vision for our ministry and time in Kalaymyo.  We both felt the need to get to know the members of the Bible Churches by spending time fellowshipping with them in their homes and in their churches.  After telling Henry what we wanted, he quickly began to catch the vision we shared.  We visited 47 homes which represented the entire membership of both Bible Churches.  Without a doubt this was the most profitable, enjoyable and meaningful time that we’ve had since we first began ministering in Kalaymyo.  We visited their churches, their homes, ate at their tables, prayed for their sick, and toured their villages, their fishponds, and their farm land.  Most of these families could hardly believe that we wanted to come into their homes.  Several of them said that there had never been white missionaries who wanted to visit with them in their homes.  Others stated that the white missionaries didn’t want to touch them because they thought they were dirty.  Still others said that if the white missionaries touched them they would immediately take out their hand sanitizer which made them feel dirty.  It is difficult to put into words how we felt after being told such things.  One man said that their homes were nothing more than shacks and that we lived in really nice homes so why would we even want to visit theirs.  Our only response was that we didn’t care about their homes but that we did care about and love them.  At the end of our day of visiting we made one more important stop at the Kalaymyo Bible Church orphanage.  The children sang; quoted verses and we ate more fruit.  Needless to say, that at the end of the day, after eating fruit in 45 homes and one orphanage we were about to explode.

The news that we had actually gone into their homes and ate at their tables spread like wildfire throughout the surrounding areas and everyone began asking the Bible Church members what was going on, all of which opened doors, not only for us, but for them to share the gospel that did not exist before.  God had really paved the way for us to forge some real and lasting relationships with the Saints in Kalaymyo.  I’ve never seen the people loosen up or become so affectionate in the past, but it was the following day that really set a precedent for future trips.

Early Friday morning we boarded a rented bus, which had to make two trips to pick up all the church members, including us.  We have seen and observed buses loaded to the max, inside and out several times but never, ever thought we’d be on one, in the middle of and surrounded by so many people.  The bus, although it was top heavy, headed for the Chin River some ten miles up into the Chin Mountains.  After arriving at our destination we spent the entire day on what we here would call a church wide picnic. The river water cascading down out of the Chin Mountains was cold and crystal clear. We had live chickens which were to be our noon meal, along with rice, freshwater crab, and fish which we caught basket fishing.  Since it would take a long time to explain basket fishing just let me say it was our first experience and it was a lot of fun.  We ate, swam, prayed, sang, threw one another in the river….several times….and just had a wonderful time of fellowship together.  We were able to see these lovely and wonderful people as they live and played and were honored to have been a part of their lives, even if it was for such a short time.

We had Saturday morning free, but went to Sui Sui’s children’s home and visited with her, her husband and family.   That afternoon we spent some time enjoying the people, touring the town and visiting friends we had met in past years. That evening Michael and Henry preached at Kalaymyo Bible Church.

Sunday morning Vic Connell when to Pastor Kai’s church and preached on the resurrection out of the book of John.  John and Marshall preached at Kalaymyo Bible Church, while Michael sang a special number with Sarah.   Sunday afternoon after lunch at Meng Meng Nu’s home, we met with the pastor’s of Kalaymyo Bible Church and shared with them that we wished to help purchase the material they needed to build a shed to secure their generator.  We also let them know that we wanted to purchase a keyboard for their worship services.  In addition we said we’d be leaving each pastor a personal gift of $100.00 to help with their families needs.

Sunday evening we went to Kamawi Bible Church where Victor preached on the resurrection out of the book of John and Team Burma sang a special for the congregation.  We belted out “Come Thou Fount” then Michael sang a duet with Sarah.  Following the service we met with the two Pastors’s of Kamawi Bible Church and let them know that we wished to give them $500.00 to help finish the addition they had started on their building.   In addition we gave the pastor’s a personal gift of $100.00 each to help with their personal needs.

For the Kalaymyo Bible Church we provided a thousand dollars so they could purchase rice for the church members during the year and $500.00 was given to the Kamawi Bible church for the same purpose.  $1000.00 was also given to provide rice for the children in the Kalaymyo Bible Church orphanage and a $100.00 personal gift to Ester Nu for all the hard work she does in taking care of so many children.

Monday morning was a sad, but joyful time in that we were making our departure but almost every member of the two bible churches were there to see us off.  We had a great hour or two of fellowship, taking pictures, sharing thoughts about the importance of relationships within the body of Christ.  The Chin people are very affectionate and love to touch and feel the skin and hair of the big white guys.  They told us we were the only white missionaries that didn’t pull away when they touched us.  Until now they were actually afraid to make any personal contact with whites.   Finally it was time to board the plane for our trip back to Yangon and our departure wasn’t without tears.

As we left Kalaymyo, we sensed our mission had been accomplished, although we didn’t know what God had in store for us in Yangon.  Once arriving back at the Mi Casa we rested the remainder of the evening.  Tuesday thru Friday John and Marshall taught at B.E.S.T. and Victor taught at Moses and Michaels.  Michael Friesen alternated between B.E.S.T. and the other schools and orphanages.  Michael was stripped of his man badge when he told us he wanted to call his mother to ask her what to do about head lice.  We were able to procure the meds he needed to deal with the situation and needless to say he was razed by Victor for a number of days, but Michael did manage to earn his man badge back after playing the piano, a Yamaha no less, at the exclusive Traders Restaurant in downtown Yangon.  We believe our time at B.E.S.T. was well spent in that both John and Marshall’s topics meshed very well.  We believe the students profited from what they were taught regarding the character and nature of God.  Betty Thomas’s book on the attributes of God will be a real asset to the school as well as the other books we were able to take them.

Saturday morning we visited Neih Chum and Ruth’s Victory Bible Institute and visited with the students.  Later we toured the future site of B.E.S.T. Seminary, prayed over the land and about the future ministry there.  That evening Henry and Ni Ni took us to an open air restaurant by a beautiful lake which we really enjoyed although rice was beginning to be less than desirable.

Sunday Morning we all went different directions and preached in different churches.  Marshall went to Joseph’s, John went to Henry Mang’s, Victor went to Michael’s and Michael Friesen went to B.E.S.T.  Without a doubt, Michael was a real asset to our team.  He is multi talented and has a wonderful way with people.  We would be proud to have him on any of our teams.

Sunday evening we saw a few sights, ate in a really nice restaurant, which was Henry and Ni Ni’s treat and toured a Pagoda in downtown Yangon.

Monday morning Marshall paid our final bill at the Mi Casa before leaving for the Airport.  We left Henry and Ni Ni a gift of $1000.00 and gave them the rest of the money to be dispersed as already noted in this report.  That afternoon we said our good byes to Henry and Ni Ni and got on the plane for our long, sleepless 48 hour trip back home.

Before beginning this trip our team spent many weeks in prayer about every detail we could think of and asked God to direct our steps.  We truly feel that our God not only blessed beyond anything we could ever ask or think but added to it good measure, pressed down and running over.

This is our report and this is the way it was in Burma, January 2010.

Marshall Smithson, Burma Missions Director for Foothills Bible Church
John McCarty, Pastor and Team Member:  Foothills Bible Church
Victor Connell, Pastor and Team Member:  Enola Baptist Church
Michael Friesen, Musician and Team Member:  Redeemer Community Church

Who Did What to Whom?
Hello all, I apologize for the delay in replying to the numerous responses given as evidence of the truth
of the statement that you’ll find below. Thanks to everyone who did contribute. I decided to spend
some time doing more studying in certain aspects of this issue and it was productive, thought-
provoking and certainly rich. Digging for “archaeological evidence” of the truth is always
an exciting adventure. So thanks again for your responses which motivated me to get into
some more research.

Because this is a long post, I’ll send it in two parts. I do hope you’ll have the time
to read the comments. Some areas I covered a bit more, namely, the Holocaust,
Crusades,and Bosnia/Serbia.

Here is the initial statement: (I think this was from Neal S on/about 8 September)
“Christianity was once embroiled with as much violence as Islam. It took many centuries and
many, many great people to lead it to where it is today. Lets all pray that Islam hurries on its
course to become a religion of tolerance and peace. The world will be a better place when all
are free to express their faith and ideas without the fear of persecution. ”

Does anyone have any primary source citations proving that past violence of Christians equals
that of Muslims? Further, to hold out hope that the Muslims will have great leaders bringing
this religion to peace flies in the face of every authoritative writing in Islam. The writings of
Islam show it cannot head toward a religion of peace. Why? It would no longer be Islam.
“Death to infidels!” means you unless you are a Muslim and the right kind at that. Beginning
with Muhammad himself, it has been conversion through any means. (America is the “great
satan” because we are perceived as Christian.)

Sidebar: There are some peaceful Muslims such as the Suffis. They, too, have been and will
be targets of the adherents to the teachings of the Qu’ran.

The New Testament from Matthew through Revelation promotes peace even at the expense
of one’s life. In the past 250-300 years the church around the world has condemned
violence. Notice I did not say no violence has been done in the name of Christianity in the
past 300 years.

I want to begin by saying, quite clearly, that I do not deny in any manner, that, around the
world, atrocities have been committed while using the name Christian. Absolutely that has
happened and to the shame and sorrow of the Church universal.

If one is not a Jew and not a Muslim, one is not automatically a Christian. One is not a
Christian because he is born in a purportedly Christian nation. Wouldn’t the USA be a glaring
example of that? One is not a Christian by birth because one or both parents are Christian.
They may be but this is never the reason the offspring may be a Christian. Being a gentile is
not synonymous with Christian. Because I’ve run into this assumption so frequently I thought
it important to clarify this. I’ve often met people who identify themselves as Christians who,
when asked, have no clue what it even means biblically to be a Christian. This is an
important issue in understanding how a national, civil or ethnic, racial/cleansing war can at
some point be morphed into a “Christian aggression.” A nation can be seen as “Christian”
when that is often not the case at all.

Holocaust:

I’m surprised that there are any gentiles or nominal Christians who actually may believe that
Christians were responsible for the Holocaust. Yes, some were complicit with the Nazis. As
there were some Jews who were complicit. Yet I don’t recall anyone accusing the Jews of
causing the Holocaust (though Nazi types would say they brought it on themselves).

We know about the 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust. Unfortunately, history only
carries a small footnote that 3 million plus Christians were killed, too. Being a gypsy, gay,
retarded, against Hitler in any way or a Christian spelled doom. Here I would like to add that
we need to be aware that there were many churches “nationalized,” taken over by the Nazis,
which some people overlook when they try to assert Christians were the pivotal factor in the
Holocaust.

If anyone believes that Hitler himself was a Christian, I would point you to his disavowment
of Christianity, his embracing of satanism and the occult, etc. There is massive documentation
that proves this out but still some folks hold to this falsehood.

Consider this please:

“It is through the peasantry that we shall really be able to destroy Christianity because there
is in them a true religion rooted in nature and blood. One is either a Christian or a German.
One can’t be both.” (Christianity on Trial: Arguments Against Anti-Religious Bigotry.
Carroll and Shiflett. 2002. Encounter Books. Page 115)

Did you recognize the accent? That was Hitler in 1933.

Makes it hard to believe that the Christians were the power behind the throne or the drive and
motivation for the Holocaust considering Hitler’s determination to wipe out the Christians in
Germany. However, I want to pointedly say that there were those involved who identified
themselves as Christians of some stripe.

The long history of anti-Semitism within the church had to have added to the atmosphere in
which the Third Reich could grow. The “anti-Semitism” in some and even many early
Christians has historically been religious and not racial. The anti-Semitism of the Nazis
was race-based. To be clear, I am not excusing any Christian anti-Semitism no matter what
drove it but this fact is nearly always not known or overlooked. When the issue of Christian involvement in any aggressions comes up there is nearly
always wide-ranging ambiguity historically and nebulous numbers abound. Also, it would
be unique to hear a view that includes the expansive good that has been done worldwide by Christians, more than all other religions combined.

The Christian Crusades: The majority of histories of the crusades start with “The First
Crusade.” It then follows that it is seen as the first of many Christian aggressions against
Islam. But historical facts strongly show that the crusades began with Islam which, from its
very inception, pursued conversion through aggressive conquest.

Muslims invaded Christian lands and began slaughtering Christians — men, women,
children. That was the beginning. From Muhammad’s first razzia, the prevailing Christian
view was that the wars were to be in defense of Christendom or to liberate and reconquer
lands that were rightfully theirs.

The outcome was that both sides suffered tremendous losses. To toss out an assertion as if
the Crusades were nothing but Christians performing atrocities is not only without substance
but, to say the least, ill-informed.

Am I condoning the Crusades? Not on the whole. What? That’s right. If your family were
being run out of their home, their land, tortured and slaughtered would you want soldiers to
go in to try to rescue them? I sure would. I’d be riding the first horse.

Histories on the sack of Jerusalem in 1099 had the Muslim death figure upwards of 70,000.
In the past decade, a document has been uncovered and verified that puts that figure at 3,000
not 70,000. By the way, this is a Muslim document. (Jonathan Riley-Smith in First Things,
March 2000, 20-23. Cited in Christianity on Trial: Arguments Against Anti-Religious
Bigotry. Carroll & Shiflett. Encounter Books. 2002. p.92)

The Salem Witch Trials: depending upon which document one reads, anywhere from
16-21 people were killed. Murdered, actually. Yes, those calling themselves Christians were
responsible for that. Rarely do we read the death figures though and even more rarely do
we read that it was balanced Christians who stopped these murderers. It’s always curious
to me when I ask “How many ‘witches’ were hanged?” The answers range from a red-faced
“I don’t know” to “Hundreds” or “Thousands.” One death is one too many and egregious
but I’m all for getting the facts as straight as possible.

Serbia/Bosnia: Please study the long history of these lands and peoples. This was
nationalism and racism. The Serbs are terrible for it. These were racially motivated ethnic
cleansings. The Serbs are basically Greek orthodox who wanted to lay claim to sections of
Bosnia. The Bosnians are a mix of Muslims and Catholics.

The Greek Orthodox were attacking the Christians as much as they were attacking the
Muslims. Thousands of lives were lost as Clinton delayed and delayed acting on the
European request for help. He delayed about 6 years and finally sent in some Cruise
missiles, bombed Belgrade and peace negotiations began with the UN peace keeper
stepping in. Note: this request for help was against Serbia and not against the
Christians, as claimed in one of the responses.

The Wars of the Roses: Civil war between two houses. This was not a religious war. This
was about power and the throne of England with the houses of Lancaster and York duking it
out for over 30 years. The Lancastrian victory gave the House of Tudor rule over England
and Wales for 116 years.

Inquisition: To this day the name Torquemada chills the blood. A travesty against humanity.
Henry Kamen, who has spent a lifetime studying the Golden Age of Spain, wrote in 1998 in
The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision (Yale University Press,1998), pp.59-60.
that it is likely that over three-quarters of those who perished during the three hundred years of the Inquisition did so in the first half-century. I found this interesting,too: It is unlikely that more than
2,000 people were executed for heresy by the Inquisition.

Here’s something of interest: The Spanish crown introduced the Inquisition. The Catholic
church was not even robustly behind it. Kamen (cited earlier) says there is much to be
said for the argument that Ferdinand wished to use it to consolidate his power. (Kamen, 45)
Pope Sixtus IV was quickly alarmed by events in Spain and issued a papal bull against the
Inquisition but Ferdinand reacted so strongly that the Pope backed down. So much for
courage. It was after that that Torquemada was appointed. Evidence shows that for the
next half-century, the Catholic church made several attempts to interfere in jurisdiction
and to reform abuses. (Kamen, 50) This is no doubt the reason that 75% of the deaths
happened in the first half-century.

American Indians: Yes, certainly this was heart-wrenching (and the exposure to small pox
was devastating to Indians) There were many Christians who gave their lives aiding the
Indians. Such things are usually, and more likely often, overlooked when detracting
assertions are made.

While I’ve barely touched on the assertions, I hope this will provide some food for thought
and perhaps encourage us to seek out primary sources such as Vincent Carroll and
David Shiflett who authored Christianity on Trial: Arguments Against Anti-Christian
Bigotry (2002). This is a superb work, heavily documented and nearly all sources are secular
historians.

Many scholars consider Jaroslav Pelikan a quintessential source though his work on
church history, while extensive, covers doctrine, etc. There are many excellent primary
sources on the Holocaust and Hitler. David A Rausch, PhD and Irwin Lutzer both have
excellent material. I would also like to mention my hero, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran
pastor, who was executed immediately after the declaration that the war had ended. He was
heavily involved with other Christians with plans to stop Hitler. Does anyone know of Pastor
Martin Niemoller? Corrie ten Boom, her father and sister? My heroes. Protestant pastor,
Andre Trocme and his village Le Chambon-sur-Lignon in France. The village saved 5,000 Jews.
Some more of my heroes.

The Problem of Evil
By Cary Cox

Why does evil exist? If God is all-powerful and infinitely good, why doesn’t he get rid of the devil? If God is all-knowing, why did he create Lucifer, knowing that he would fall into sin and become the devil? Why doesn’t God do away with suffering? These are questions that have perplexed people in all generations.

The Purpose of God

The key to understanding the solution to the problem of evil is by understanding the purpose of God. God is not caught in a problem. He has never been surprised. God “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11b), which means that all things happen because God willed it; ordained it to happen. God does or allows all things that happen, for an infinitely good and wise purpose. And the Bible informs us what this grand purpose is.

God’s purpose is God’s glory. This is the revelation that makes the whole Bible make sense. God is all about showing off the wonders of his glory, the beauty of his excellencies, to all the universe. God is absolutely and totally devoted to the honor of his glorious name. This is not arrogant. It is true, and it is good and right. If God were devoted to anything else he would be an idolater (by setting his affection on something other than the one true God) and he would be a liar (by saying that there is something else worthy of all glory, when there is not). Since God IS the summation of all good qualities, it is righteous for God to show himself off to all. And it is also loving for him to reveal his awesomeness, because all who see him and delight in his attributes are blessed and happy and satisfied.

Everything exists for God’s ultimate glory. Colossians 1 teaches us that all things were made by Jesus, for Jesus (v. 16): “all things…in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” Colossians 2:15 and Ephesians 6:12 inform us that these “thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities” refer to demonic powers; agents of evil led by Satan! So the Bible is teaching that these evil monsters were actually created by Jesus, FOR Jesus; to show God’s glory to the universe. (This is brought out wonderfully in John Piper’s Spectacular Sins and their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ. www.desiringgod.org)

We must point out that God did not create them evil. Everything he created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). God did not create anything evil, but he created what he knew would become evil by its own choice. Therefore the creation is responsible for its evil; God is not.

So we see that evil exists ultimately for God’s glory. “The LORD made all for himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom” (Proverbs 16:4 NKJV). God made what would choose to be evil, and God knew what this choice would be before he made it. He was not surprised. He allowed it to happen: evil, with all its horrors and pains and sufferings and terrors in the earth. And all of this somehow ultimately glorifies God. So our question is now, “HOW does evil ultimately glorify God?”

#1. Evil a Reference Point

The first way evil ultimately glorifies God is by providing a reference point , or point of comparison, to highlight God’s excellencies. Evil exists to show what God is not. This way we appreciate more fully what God IS. When we see evil, we can know what God is not like. God’s gloriousness is more fully known because we have something to compare him to.

For example, a tree is big. Until you compare it with Texas. Texas is big until you compare it with the Earth. And the earth becomes small when compared to the Milky Way Galaxy. If evil did not exist, God would still be good (He was good before evil existed!). But because evil exists, the universe understands that God is not like evil. His greatness seems greater by those who see evil!

#2. The Existence of Evil Justifies God’s Judgment

God has allowed evil to continue to show to the universe the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This, in a manner of speaking, vindicates (or justifies) God. He has declared to the universe that evil is horrible and completely unlike himself. God has claimed that evil is worthy to be hated (“O you who love the LORD, hate evil!” Psalm 97:10; “Abhor what is evil.” Romans 12:9). To remove any possible doubt, and justify his judgment against evil, God has allowed evil both to exist and to increase, thereby showing himself right and good in declaring it most abominable. Let me explain.

God created Lucifer, knowing that he would choose sin. God could have judged Lucifer immediately when he rebelled. But he had previously purposed to allow evil to continue and increase, for a time, to expose it for what it truly is. Lucifer’s evil spread when he convinced 1/3 of the angels to join him in his rebellion. Next, evil infected mankind when he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden and they, too, joined his sin. All along God was proving that he was completely true when calling sin hideous. Lucifer, all along, was questioning God’s declaration and raising a seed of doubt in the universe (“Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”…”You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:1b, 4-5).

God allowed man to fall into evil (as he had purposed). Then he allowed evil to continue in man and show itself to be putrid and vile. Because of sin in mankind the universe looked on as every hideous thing imaginable was done. Through evil came suffering, sickness, violence, oppression, and every abominable thing under the sun. It continues to this day; Evil is shown as putrid, deserving of God’s judgment; and God has shown what he is not. God has justified his claim of glorious goodness and righteousness by allowing evil to exist (“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment” Psalm 51:4).

#3. God’s Attributes More Clearly Seen Because Evil Exists

The third way evil ultimately glorifies God, which is really another way of looking at the first reason, is that the existence of evil becomes a way for God to show his attributes to the universe.

For example, many concede that Michael Jordan in his prime was the greatest basketball player of all time. But if no less-talented basketball players existed to play against Jordan, his talents would not be appreciated. What if everyone could play basketball like Mike? Then he would not be thought of as good.

· The existence of sin serves to show God as the Savior of sinners.

· The existence of addictions and bondages serves to show God as the Deliverer who sets people free.

· The existence of sickness and pain serves to show God as the Healer.

· The existence of suffering serves to show God as the Comforter for the downcast.

· The existence of evil serves to show God as the final and ultimate GOOD.

Even hell glorifies God! The existence of hell (and the sinners who will be punished there forever with the devil and his angels) will eternally show the attribute of God’s wrath; his extreme and just hatred of sin. God’s justice and wrath will be glorified at his judgment of the wicked: “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Romans 9:22). Every atheist who denied God’s existence will one day glorify him forever by showing to the universe that God is just. Every sinner who delighted in his lusts and lived for his own glory instead of God’s, will one day be a picture to the universe that God hates wickedness. Hell exists because God wills it. It exists for a good purpose – to glorify God for his wrath against evil and his mighty power!

God’s glory and grace was most magnified at the darkest and most evil moment in human history: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In this event man was unleashing his evil by murdering the innocent Son of God. God had ordained this before the creation of the world, and he used it (just as he planned) to show the greatness of his glorious grace! Because Jesus died on the cross, sinful man can now be forgiven, restored, reconciled to God. Evil was used by God to destroy evil and show forth God’s glorious love and grace! (For more on this see Piper’s Spectacular Sins…)

Responsibility

The final question remains: If evil serves God’s purpose and even ultimately glorifies God, how can God judge people for being and doing evil? The fact that God USES evil for his own glorious purposes does not nullify the fact that those who do evil did it for THEIR OWN purposes. They were certainly not sinning to give God glory. There is no love of God or respect for his honor in the sin of man. In fact, sinners are going AGAINST God’s clear commands. So they are completely responsible for their sin. The evil committed by angels and man is completely unrighteous, and they are worthy of God’s wrath, justice and condemnation. God will judge them. But he will use the evil they committed to fit into his glorious purpose!

A Day is Coming…

One day God WILL cast Satan into the lake of fire, along with all of the angels and mankind who joined in his rebellion against God. Justice will come. Evil will be punished forever and ever in those who delighted in sin and did not honor God. The punishment will be eternal because every individual sin was against an infinitely holy and eternal God. But the day IS coming when evil will no more be allowed to exist outside of God’s holy judgment. For those who bow the knee to Christ, there will be no more suffering, no more pain, no more consequences of evil! But until that day God is allowing these things to exist for a good and wise purpose. We must trust God, whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9).

All will praise him forever and ever! Our God will be seen and known, and his glory savored, praised, appreciated and worshiped forever! What an awesome God, who has made all things for the glory of his name!

By Todd Mason
www.jtoddmason.wordpress.com (Exodus 33:12-23 ESV)Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen. (Ephesians 1:1-14 ESV)“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” At the core of God’s glory is His absolute freedom to be who he is. Fuel for Worship First a quick note on the worship.When I use the term worship what I don’t mean is a particular style of music, position or placement of the human body. Are you Charismatic? Or are you in a church building? When I use the word worship I mean Adoration, Trust, Resting in, Satisfied in, Delighting in, placing you hope in Christ. Worship to me can be summed up with phrase. “Jesus is more than enough” or “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 ESV) “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 ESV)Worship is an inner, Godward experience of the heart manifest in everyday life. – John PiperIn Exodus when Moses asked God to show him his ways and to show him His glory part of his response was “And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy”. In Ephesians Paul says we are predestined to the praise of His glory. The more clearly we see God’s sovereignty the more clearly we see of His glory, and this in turn results in higher praise for His glorious grace. When we understand God’s absolute freedom in choosing a people for his namesake we are freed to worship Him for all that he is. We bring nothing to his majesty; it is untainted by our efforts or contributions. When worshiping God we don’t have to keep one eye on ourselves to see why He chose us. We can keep both eyes focused on His glory. We can dive into self-forgetting worship more fully because we are not trying to pay Him back for choosing us. He chose us because of His glory. A View of the Cross:Seeing the Cross of Christ in its full glory and power is at the center of God-Centered worship. Jesus didn’t die just to make it possible that I would be saved, He secured it decisively and completely. The Cross of Jesus is not only an offer of salvation, but actually secured our salvation. The Cross of Christ did something for us and to us. When you see the death of Jesus for you in this manner you will never be the same and your worship will be transformed. Jesus accomplished everything he set out to do by His death and resurrection. Jesus is absolutely sovereign in the rescue of His people! What he did on the cross he did completely and eternally. To see this is to have our heart set aflame for our champion redeemer! The higher our view of the Cross, the more God is glorified, and the more God is glorified, the more our hearts are satisfied. (to paraphrase John Piper) God created us to praise His absolutely sovereign glory. (Eph 1:6,12,14) The more glory we see in what Jesus accomplished the more we worship Jesus.(Luke 7:36-50 ESV)“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair (Worship). You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. (Worship) You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. (Worship) Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven. ”Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”When we begin to see the magnitude of God’s grace shown toward us we worship Him more intensely. A fuller understanding of God’s grace in rescuing us from our sin and His righteous wrath result in more fuel for worship. Power for Holiness(Jude vs 24-25 ESV) “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”One of the great practical benefits of understanding God in all His sovereignty is in the power for personal holiness. Knowing how much authority Christ has over our desires and will is very important for our piety. Sermons that read like Christian Self-help manuals (An oxymoron if there ever there was one!) have no power to transform the human heart. The attitude that Jesus has done His part and now you must do your part, just don’t work! Any system of theology that believes that man just needs help will leave people struggling with sin all their days. We need completely new hearts and a transformed will. For years I struggled with this thought. If I have a free-will how could I possibly ask God to change it? How could I pray that God would change my desires and will? After all, wouldn’t that be a violation of my free will? God might assist me, but in the final analysis isn’t it really up to me? This is where Arminian Theology can actually be harmful. It leaves people as the decisive factor in the fight for personal holiness. The old Nike tag line “Just Do It!” has no biblical merit and leaves people where it found them. Only a Calvinist can pray with Saint Augustine “Grant what thou commandest and then command what thou wilt.” Only a Calvinist can honestly pray the following.“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”(Psalm 51:10) “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!” (Psalm 119:36) “Incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.”(Psalm 119:112) “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:133)If you pray these types of prayers and really mean them you are asking God to perform a sovereign action on your will. You are asking God to do whatever is required to transform your desires so that you will follow after Him in holiness and purity of heart. Again, as in the last subject I must concentrate on the Cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus died to give us the right and power to offer up these types of prayers. (Jeremiah 31:31-33 ESV)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Zechariah 9:11 ESV) “As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.” (Luke 22:14-21 ESV) “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Hebrews 9:15 ESV) “Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” The blood of the Jesus brings us forgiveness of sins and power for a new life. Jesus died so that we would have new hearts given us through the Holy Spirit. A new heart with new desires. A new heart has a different set of things it “wills” to do. God doesn’t cause us to do things we don’t want to do, he changes our hearts so that we want to do what we ought to do. We must be given new hearts so that we will have new desires flowing into new actions. Only when we get the order of regeneration correct can we teach people how they can live lives of holiness. There is massive power for holiness in knowing that it is God working in us to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Phil 2:13) (1Peter 1:3 ESV)“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”(John 10:28 ESV) “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”This promise is only as good as power, goodness and strength of the One making the promise. (Hebrews 1:2-3 ESV) “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” An analogy:Suppose you are climbing a great mountain and during your journey you come to the point of exhaustion. You know that if you don’t keep moving upwards that you will die. At the moment of lost hope a strong and good climber approaches you. He tells you that he has paid the price for you to make it to the top of the mountain and further more he will be with you each step of the way, giving you the strength and the will to finish the climb, and because of this you can be absolutely assured that you will arrive safely to the top. Will you stop climbing and stay where you are because of his promise or will you have faith and trust the promises of your new strong friend? Real faith results in perseverance. A proper understanding of God’s sovereign power in causing us to be born again to a living Hope, Jesus Christ, causes us to persevere in our faith. The knowledge that I will never perish and that I will not fall away is of the greatest power in not falling away! It might cause laziness in some that might not be born again but that is a terrible reason not to preach and believe what is biblical, God-glorifying, Christ-exalting and a chief weapon in the fight for holiness. A Side Bar on False Assurance:The doctrine of eternal security certainly has and will continue to be abused in the church. Especially when it is separated from a proper understanding for God’s sovereign role in the regeneration of our hearts. When we teach people that they can “sign a card” “join a roll” and be saved eternally without a transformed life we have a system ripe for abuse. But the God that has caused us to be born again to a living hope also has much to say about what being born again looks like. (1 John 3:9 ESV) “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.”(1John 5:4 ESV) “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”(1John 5:18 ESV) “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”(1John 1:6 ESV) “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”God most assuredly keeps and protects our faith in Christ. But it is also very clear from the previous versus that we are fooling ourselves when say we have saving faith and take a light few of sin. To be born again is to see Jesus as more desirable than sin. Please don’t misunderstand me and think I believe we don’t sin after becoming Christians. Indeed we all do. The following scriptures make that abundantly clear.(1John 1:8, 10 ESV) “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”(Romans 3:23 ESV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”Paul was a Christian when he wrote Romans 7! Conclusion:(Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV) “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”The love that God has for us through His son is sovereign love. I bring nothing to Him but my need for Him, and He being completely self-sufficient brings only Himself. This causes the heart to sing in worship.(2Corinthians 4:6 ESV) “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”God in his great mercy creates light and life in our dark dead hearts and that light and life is the glory of God in the person and work and Jesus Christ. God the father sovereignty lights the flame of faith and worship in us and he will most assuredly keep it burning forever.