Is God Cruel?

With so much racial tension, religious division, political polarization, cancer, COVID-19, the increase in violence, human trafficking, so much disease, wickedness and cruelty; how can people really believe that God is good?  In fact, with all of the chaos and suffering in the world, it could cause some to wonder if God even exists; and if He does exist, how can we ever believe He is a God of love? How can a loving God destroy the earth with a Flood?... allow a global pandemic?... refuse to stop the suffering?

To answer these questions, we must return to the very beginning. Genesis 1-2 tell us that everything God made was good and ultimately very good.  Plants, animals and humans were created with maturity and set in the most perfect garden home. There were no predators and prey, there was no disease and death, there were no weeds and toiling, there was no fussing and feuding – only the most perfect of perfect settings in this world that God created.

Sadly, Adam & Eve CHOSE to rebel against God and believe the lie that God was holding things back from them. Being instructed by God not to eat of the “Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil” and being forewarned of the consequences, should they do so; they chose to rebel against God. This act resulted in what is known as the Fall of Man and the curse on the once perfect world (Gen. 3).

God did not cause the violence, division, evil, suffering, sickness, disease and death.  These things came into our world because of the choice made by Adam and Eve to commit high-treason against their Creator – the Holy One Who created them, loved them and set them in a perfect world. They lied, they tried to hide their sin, pride crept in, they tried to cover themselves with leaves, they lied and the downward spiral has continued from that day until now.

While God made a way to redeem them through the blood of the Lamb, that redemption was for their soul; not for the sake of erasing the consequences of their actions. In came sweat, pain in childbirth, murder, sadness, sickness, disease, evil, and all that our world endures today. The suffering and violence that we see today is the result of humans thinking they knew better than God and revolting against Him.

So before you blame God for the condition of our world, realize this is far from the world He created and the plan that He intended. The fallen condition of our world was ushered in by the first Adam; but salvation and redemption is the work of the second Adam – Jesus Christ!  For those who know Christ as Savior, we can claim the promise of Rev. 21:4 - And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

So to summarize, God is patiently waiting and delaying His final judgment on this sin-sick and fallen world. He is giving people time to repent and turn from their sin and turn to Him for salvation. God wants each of us to spend eternity with Him in Heaven -- that place where there will be no more suffering, sorrow, sickness, disease or death.  For whosoever will may come -- have you invited Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord?  If not, what are you waiting for?

Take time to read:  2 Peter 3:9; 1 Cor. 15:26 and Rev. 21:3-4.  Also take some time to read back through Genesis 1-2 to see the perfect state of God’s creation and then Genesis 3 to see how the world has deteriorated into the fallen state that we observe today.

Abortion is a Biblical (Not Political) Issue

On January 22, 1973, the United States Supreme Court issued a 7-2 decision in the case known as "Roe vs. Wade." Their decision was in favor of Norma McCorvey (alias "Jane Roe") and held that women in the United States have a constitutional right to choose whether or not to have abortions without excessive government restriction. Their decision struck down an abortion ban in the state of Texas. Interestingly, in 1998, Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe) revealed that she had experienced a religious conversion, which resulted in a change of heart and her ultimate opposition to abortion.

Abortion continues to be a "hot" topic among politicians and political groups today, but abortion is NOT a political topic... it is a biblical one!  Only God is the Giver of life and no man has the right to end a life whether by abortion, infanticide, genocide, senicide, suicide or any other means. Former President, Ronald Reagan understood the balance of religion and politics. He stated with great wisdom, "We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life - the unborn - without diminishing the value of all human life."  We must see the sacred value in ALL human life.

Each year, around the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, churches across America take time to remember those people who never experienced life outside the womb, due to abortion.  It is estimated that 6 million Jews were exterminated in the Holocaust by Nazi Germany and 30 million people died under Stalin's tyranny in the Soviet Union; but America surpasses their combined total with over 60 million lives having been lost to abortion since 1973. 

Many women claim they have the right to decide what happens to their body, but Mother Teresa said, "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." Ronald Reagan noted that, "Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born."  The former US Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, stated that not once in his entire medical career, did he ever see one instance in which an abortion was necessary to save a mother's life. The truth is that abortion is not a medical issue, it is a biblical issue. It is not a medical decision -- it is a selfish one. 

The following bumper sticker slogans give cause for contemplation. "Aren't you glad your mother was pro-life?" "Abortion doesn't make you unpregnant, it makes you the mother of a dead child." "If it's not a baby, then you're not pregnant." "Abortion stops a beating heart." And one of my favorites, "As a former fetus, I oppose abortion." 

The topics of abortion & adoption have prompted several projects by pro-life / anti-abortion film makers:

• Bella (2006)
• Meet the Robinson's (2007) - Theme based around adoption
• Horton Hears a Who (2008) - Theme is "A person's a person, no matter how small"
• October Baby (2011) - Powerful story of an abortion survivor
• Crescendo (2011) - Powerful short film - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CafJJNETvqM&feature=youtu.be
• Gosnell (2018) - Based on true story of abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell
• Unplanned (2019) - Based on the true story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee
• AKA Jane Roe (2020) - Interview with Norma McCorvey about her journey from pro-choice to pro-life
• Final on my list is The Silent Scream (1984) in which a former abortionist teaches about the specifics of the suction abortion.

Realizing that the Bible has been proven to be supernatural by archeology, history, science and prophecy; take time to see what it says on the matter. The absolute truth of Scripture trumps any argument based on moral or cultural relativism. I've included a few pro-life Bible verses below and a link to many more:

• Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." 
• Ps 139:13-16 - "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made...15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place... 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." 
• Ex 20:13 - "Thou shalt not kill (murder)"

Click the following link to see more Scriptures - https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/scriptures-advocating-for-the-pre-born/

It is our prayer that Christ-followers would put their politics and political correctness aside to consider what God's Holy Word says on this matter of abortion. We pray that your view regarding the "sanctity of life" will be shaped by the truth of God's Word, rather than politics and culture.

On this anniversary of "Roe vs. Wade," let's take some time to pray for those women who are still struggling with grief and guilt following their decision to abort; for those women who are currently deciding between life, death and/or adoption; for children & families who have experienced adoption; for those medical personnel that care for these women; for Christians to have the courage to follow the teaching of Scriptures; and for our nation to truly understand that ALL LIVES MATTER.