Why Did God Allow THE BLACK DEATH and So Many to Die?
There are several examples of the Almighty bringing pestilence on certain peoples at certain times as a judgment against sin/rebellion (e.g. 2 Samuel 24:15 wherein 70,000 died). When God’s judgment falls upon the Earth during the future 7-year Tribulation there will be plagues (e.g. Revelation 6:8 & 18:8). But this doesn’t mean every outbreak in history is due to divine judgment.
The black plague — aka the bubonic plague — swept across Europe and northern Africa from 1346-1353, killing between 75-200 million people, which makes it the deadliest pandemic in human history. Was the black death a judgment from God or merely the consequence of life in a fallen world and unsanitary living practices/conditions? Or both? It’s one of those mysteries of life we can ask the LORD about when we come face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).
One thing I know is that Europe was in the midst of the Dark Ages at the time, 164 years before the Protestant Reformation would begin. In other words, the true Church was small and completely underground at the time and a spirit of powerless religiosity with the superstitions thereof reigned across Europe. I point this out because the true gospel teaches healing by faith (e.g. Mark 5:34 & Mark 10:52) and people couldn’t very well be healed by faith during a deadly pandemic if such truths are not known or preached.
It didn’t help that the Catholic Church conveyed the Word of God in Latin at services and so the common person couldn’t even comprehend it, which you can read about here. (The absurdity of having masses in Latin wasn’t corrected until 1969). The Bible offers sound advice on sanitation, quarantining and diet, as observed in Leviticus 11-13, which was well over 3000 years before germs were discovered in recent centuries, but what good is such knowledge if people are unaware of it? As it is written, “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
As far as the specific threat of plague goes, the Bible promises believers:
5You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday…
9If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
Psalm 91:5-6,9-11
Unfortunately, believers can’t very well appropriate such an awesome promise by faith during a pandemic if they don’t know about it or don’t know how to appropriate it in their lives on a daily basis thru simple spiritual warfare. In short, ignorance can kill you. Just as bad, the social spread of fear in such a dire situation naturally kills faith but, thankfully, faith counteracts fear for those who boldly challenge it.
Also, consider this: How is the common person dying of the black death in the 14th century much different from innocent people inadvertently being harassed by a psycho mass shooter today? It could understandably be argued that neither deserved such a fate. In his book Disappointment With God, Phillip Yancey described such things as God’s “megaphone of pain,” quoting C.S. Lewis:
We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
In other words, the Sovereign LORD uses the various sufferings in this fallen world to get people’s attention and draw us to our Creator in humility/repentance and the salvation thereof — physical salvation as well as eternal salvation. David understood this, as observed in Psalm 119:71.
Christ addressed the topic when he ministered on Earth:
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Luke 13:1-5
- The Galileans spoken of in verse 2 were evidently worshippers offering a sacrifice at the Temple and unjustly murdered by Roman authorities on Pilate’s orders.
- The Tower of Siloam in verse 4 is evidently a reference to one of the towers guarding the aqueduct in lower Jerusalem (John 9:7), which accidently collapsed, killing several people.
Bottom line, the pain and calamities encountered in this fallen world should spur the fear of the LORD, which over-and-over is said to be the beginning of knowledge/understanding/wisdom in the Bible (e.g. Proverbs 9:10). Of course, such negative things can also spur the opposite in some people, resulting in bitterness and hatred toward life or the Creator and the corresponding rebellion/hedonism.
Keep in mind that, if this current world wasn’t totally messed up beyond fixing, there would be no need for a “new heavens and new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13 & Revelation 21:1-4). Believers are encouraged to “look forward” to this coming eternal age wherein everything that’s glaringly wrong now will be made right. Read that again.
While it’s healthy to look forward to this new heavens and new earth, we can stay active in the meantime by doing our part to help the suffering in this fallen world one way or another, including teaching/preaching truths that will “set the captives free” and “heal the sick and brokenhearted.” Even something as small as giving someone an encouraging word or a hug is helpful. Or how about saving an animal, like a cat or dog?
Focusing on the countless great tragedies that have taken place throughout history is a dead-end street and one-way ticket to bitterness and mental illness. Instead of asking why God allowed this or that tragedy to happen, consider focusing on questions that might offer better answers, like: Why is this world so messed up? Is there a malevolent being or beings who have control to some degree and are working “behind the scenes”? What’s hindering the Almighty from legally saving people in tragic situations? How are some people effectively tapping into the power of God and miraculously being saved in deathly situations, like Paul when he was bit by a deadly viper (Acts 28:1-5)? I think we can learn something from the answers we discover.
The question “Why does a good God allow evil and suffering?” is a popular one. When talking to our neighbor a few years ago, this was the first question he asked when the conversation turned to deeper stuff beyond the weather and yardwork.
Consider this: Over and over in the Bible are statements that “the LORD is good” (e.g. Psalm 34:8). We see this verified in the opening pages of Genesis in which God creates the Earth and living things wherein Adam & Eve exist in a veritable paradise — no evil, no pain, no death, no grieving. This is likewise observed when the Creator’s plan of redemption is completed in the “new heavens and new earth” where “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4). These bookend scenarios show the way God wants it to be on Earth — a condition in which immorality, corruption, suffering and death are nowhere to be found. Chew on that.
For more insights, see this article.
Related Topics:
How to “FEAR NOT” in Perilous Times
REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation
Satan (the Devil) — Liar, Slanderer, Thief, Murderer
The Fall of Man (Humanity) and Slavery to Satan
The Five Earths of the Bible (and the Eight Ages)
Pointers on Finding THE RIGHT ASSEMBLY
You’re a believer and understandably want to connect with other genuine believers, not to mention learn from the Word of God and grow spiritually, as well as find opportunities to serve according to your gifting. Where do you go?
First, keep in mind the three basic essentials of what the believer needs in hooking up with an assembly:
- A place for productive fellowship with other believers and the encouraging relationships that develop (Romans 1:12).
- To learn from the Holy Scriptures, which the Bible calls the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1-4).
- To participate in praise & worship with others.
Secondly, here are ten points to consider in your search:
- In light of the three essentials, try not to focus on the type of building/place where the gathering occurs. Over and over in the New Testament we observe evidence that the early church met in people’s mundane houses (e.g. Colossians 4:15 & Romans 16:5). Speaking of which…
- You might find a worthwhile fellowship that meets in a house, coffee shop or what have you. In other words, don’t limit your search to conventional churches.
- Look for a fellowship that honestly tries to teach truths from the Bible, which naturally enables the believer to grow spiritually and purges erroneous ideas about God and spirituality (2 Timothy 3:16). If an assembly doesn’t do this, keep looking.
- Colossians 3:15 gives a good word of advice: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.” As you are looking for an assembly, let the peace of the LORD be the deciding factor. Do you feel at “home,” like you belong there? Look for “golden connections,” such as profound favor with key people. Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated or disdained. Stay away from any ministry that shows red flags of abuse, e.g. manipulation. Abuse is the misuse of power.
- Some sects/groups should be removed from your list of possibilities out of hand due to false doctrine, cultish-ness, libertinism (e.g. being pro-“gay“) or legalism in one form or another, like being weighed down by unbiblical traditions. Some obvious examples include Jehovah’s False Witnesses, the Mormans, The United Church of Christ and Catholics.
- What options are available within reasonable driving distance from your home? If the fellowship is too far away it will get old fast. I speak from experience.
- If there’s a Christian individual you come into contact with and you have a good vibe about him or her (their “fruit”), consider visiting their assembly. In other words, look for “golden connections” to the fellowship God wants you to attend at this time.
- The reason assemblies try to appeal to the average citizen with modern accouterments is due to Paul’s statement “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). It’s not a bad thing as long as the core truths & practices of Christendom are present.
- Keep a spirit of faith in your search by speaking in faith rather than doubt or unbelief. I say this because Christ instructed, “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours” (Mark 11:22-24). You see, words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21) and, as such, speaking negative words can cancel out your faith and you won’t receive what you’re praying for because faith is what God responds to (Hebrews 11:1, 11:6 & James 1:6-8).
- I wouldn’t limit your options to just those groups who officially adhere to a pet doctrine since that would drastically limit your choices, not to mention you could end up in an assembly that technically supports this perspective, but they’re woefully lacking in more important areas, like faith, spiritual growth, love, gifts of the Spirit and so forth.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, just because the Spirit leads you to a certain assembly, it’s possibly going to be a seasonal thing, even if it’s as long as ten years. In other words, it’s not necessarily a lifelong thing, although it could be. When you understand this, it sets you free. Usually, it’s just older believers who know their calling who will say things like “This is where I’m going to go & serve for the rest of my life, unless the Spirit leads me differently.”
The best fellowship I went to for ten years in my 20s officially embraced a doctrine or two that I now know are unbiblical, but they were otherwise exceptional in regards to outstanding teachings from the scriptures on walking free from sin, spiritual growth and faith, as well as gifts of the Spirit and cell groups i.e. a small group of members meeting at a house or what have you, which helps to really get to know the people thereof, as opposed to a large group meeting in the pews where you say “Hi” and “Bye,” but this is pretty much the extent of the (shallow) relationship. In short, look for an assembly that is spiritually healthy and will benefit your all-around spiritual growth and service.
While the LORD’s Way is perfect and God’s Word is flawless (Psalm 18:30), there’s no such thing as a perfect assembly or sect. People are imperfect and local churches are made up of people, so every assembly will be imperfect, one way or another. When you or I start attending, it’ll be even more imperfect. In short, remove from you mind that you’re going to find the perfect fellowship. It might be the perfectly fitting assembly that the LORD wants you to attend at this time, but it probably won’t be perfect in doctrine or practice.
Remember, no one agrees with anyone on everything. However, all believers regardless of their preferred ‘tag’ can meet at God’s Word since it’s the blueprint of authentic Christianity as long as it’s rightly-divided (1 Corinthians 4:6). If you cannot prove a pet belief through multiple clear passages, it’s likely not very biblical. For instance, someone I know cited Isaiah 19:19-20 to support his belief in so-called Christian pyramidology, curiously saying it was a non-negotiable item. It’s never a good idea to base a doctrine on a single, obscure verse in the Bible — milked for details that aren’t there — with zero additional support from the rest of the God-breathed Scriptures.
When Carol & I were attending and serving at a ministry in the 2000s I also attended a home-styled church group for a couple years on off-nights, and also taught there occasionally. So, even if you join a particular ministry, it’s not like you can’t visit other ministries and serve accordingly. Beware of groups that try to stifle your freedom and look down on, say, attending another group in your free time. That kind of controlling spirit is unhealthy.
Finding an assembly can be challenging and even frustrating. In 2003, Carol & I were led to check out a local church one Sunday. I went out back behind the garage that morning and actually argued with the LORD over the matter because I was weary of attending an assembly for like 2 years and eventually having to leave for one reason or another. But it worked out in this case because we stayed at this fellowship — which had two local facilities — for seven years and it’s where I had the opportunity to do more sermons than anywhere else, by far. Plus, we developed close relationships with several people.
Related Topics:
SECTARIANISM — What Is It? What’s Wrong With It?
Church of Christ — What Is It?
What Makes a Believer a “LEGITIMATE CHRISTIAN”?
Defining PSALMS, HYMNS and SPIRITUAL SONGS
When the apostle Paul was under house imprisonment in Rome, he mentioned “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” in two separate passages that he wrote between the years 60-62 A.D.
Here’s the passage from Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus:
17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:17-20
Observe how singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is linked to being filled with the spirit and thus being spirit-controlled rather than flesh-ruled and the benefits thereof (Galatians 5:16-23). The New Testament describes this in different ways. When believers are spirit-controlled:
- We “walk by the spirit” (Galatians 5:16),
- We “clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14),
- We “participate in the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4),
- We “put on the new self” (Colossians 3:10).
(For details on walking in the spirit go here).
How does singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs apply to being spirit-controlled rather than flesh-ruled? Simple: Praise is celebration and includes thanksgiving, raving and boasting; whereas worship is adoration. Praise naturally attracts God’s presence and is in accordance with the law of respect: What you respect moves toward you while what you don’t respect moves away from you. Worship, on the other hand, is adoration or awe, and is the response to being in God’s presence. See Psalm 95:1-7 and Psalm 100 for verification.
(For more insights on praise & worship go here).
The passage from Ephesians somewhat parallels Paul’s instructions to the believers in Colossae:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
Observe how this verse reveals two essentials for when believers meet together:
- Sharing/teaching the Word of God.
- Participating in Scripture-based praise & worship.
While psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are arguably interchangeable, what did Paul mean by each term in this particular context?
- ‘Psalms’ in both of these passages is psalmos in the Greek, which refers to the psalms contained in the book of Psalms, many of which involve praise & worship;
- ‘Hymns’ is humnos in the Greek and refers to established “sacred songs or songs of praise to God” in one’s culture;
- ‘Spiritual songs’ or ‘songs from the Spirit’ is pneumatikos ódé in the Greek, referring to songs given to believers present by the Spirit, whether at the time of the assembly or prior.
In one fellowship I was involved in for a decade the bulk of the songs we sang were written by the praise & worship leader. These would be spiritual songs, which would likely become hymns over time.
Related Topics:
Praise & Worship—What’s the Difference? Why are they Important?
Support for PRAISE & WORSHIP in the Bible
Can Christians Listen to Music other than Praise & Worship?
Is Christianity a “RELATIONSHIP With God”?
Support for PRAISE & WORSHIP in the Bible
You hear a lot about praise & worship in Christian circles, but what support does the Bible actually provide for praise & worship being a regular part of the believer’s life?
Let’s start with the New Testament since we’re under the New Covenant. The New Testament consists of four categories of literature:
- The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- The Book of Church History: Acts.
- The Epistles (Letters): Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Jude.
- The Book of Prophetic Vision: Revelation
Fittingly, each of these genres address praise & worship one way or another, as follows…
Praise & Worship in the Gospels
The following parallel verses reveal that Christ & his disciples sang praise & worship songs together.
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
In addition, Christ explained the nature of worship in the New Covenant era:
23“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 4:23-24
Also, notice what the disciples/apostles did when Christ ascended to Heaven:
52Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Luke 24:52-53
Praise & Worship in the Book of Acts
Despite heavy persecution due to exorcizing a demon from a slave girl, Paul and Silas practiced praise & worship even in the dungeon of a prison:
22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods. 23And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely. 24On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
Acts 16:23-26
Truly, praise attracts God’s presence and the life-giving power thereof! This is in accordance with the law of respect: What you respect moves toward you while what you don’t respect moves away from you. Worship, on the other hand, is adoration or awe, and is the response to being in God’s presence. See Psalm 95:1-7 and Psalm 100 for verification.
Praise & Worship in the Epistles
The apostle Paul encouraged singing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” in two separate passages that he wrote when he was under house imprisonment in Rome between the years 60-62 A.D.
Here’s the passage from his letter to the believers in Ephesus:
17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:17-20
Observe how singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is linked to being filled with the spirit and thus being spirit-controlled rather than flesh-ruled and the benefits thereof (Galatians 5:16-23). You can read details about how to walk in the spirit here.
The passage from Ephesians somewhat parallels Paul’s instructions to the believers in Colossae:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
Observe how this verse reveals two essentials for when believers meet together:
- Sharing/teaching the truths of the Word of God.
- Participating in Scripture-based praise & worship.
This explains why these are the two prominent practices at Christian services.
While psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are arguably interchangeable, what did Paul mean by each term in this particular context?
- ‘Psalms’ in both of these passages is psalmos in the Greek, which refers to the psalms contained in the book of Psalms, many of which involve praise & worship;
- ‘Hymns’ is humnos in the Greek and refers to established “sacred songs or songs of praise to God” in one’s culture;
- ‘Spiritual songs’ or ‘songs from the Spirit’ is pneumatikos ódé in the Greek, referring to songs given to believers present by the Spirit, whether at the time of the assembly or prior.
In one assembly I was involved in for a decade the bulk of the songs we sang were written by the praise & worship leader. These would be spiritual songs, which would likely become hymns over time.
Praise & Worship in the Book of Revelation
The prophetic epistle, Revelation, contains several passages relevant to praise & worship. For instance, the following three reveal how angelic beings in Heaven regularly practice praise & worship:
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Revelation 4:10-11
12In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 5:12-14
There are similar passages later in Revelation, like 11:15-18 and 19:1-8.
Believers can also be observed participating in praise & worship in Heaven:
9After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7:9-14
2And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:
“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations.
4Who will not fear you, Lord,
and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Revelation 15:2-4
As you can see, praise & worship is repeatedly addressed in every genre of literature in the New Testament.
Old Testament Passages on Praise & Worship
All of the above passages from the New Testament are laid on the foundation of what is written in the Old Testament about praise & worship, which includes the book of Psalms. This book just so happens to be the largest book in the Bible by far. It contains no less than 150 songs (the lyrics anyway), most of which feature praise & worship, at least partially. Psalm 100 is a well-known example.
Other relevant verses in the Old Testament include Exodus 15:1-2, Deuteronomy 32, Judges 5, Isaiah 5:1, 26 & 42:10 and the book Song of Songs, which is an epic love song, figuratively referring to the love of God and the saints (believers).
I’d say that’s more than enough support for praise & worship being a part of the believer’s life, how about you?
Related Topics:
Praise & Worship—What’s the Difference? Why are they Important?
Defining PSALMS, HYMNS and SPIRITUAL SONGS
Can Christians Listen to Music other than Praise & Worship?
Is Christianity a “RELATIONSHIP With God”?
God’s PERFECT Will vs. God’s PERMISSIVE Will
God’s general will is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. For instance, does the LORD want you to live a life of fornication or adultery? Obviously not. Theologians call this God’s preceptive will, based on the word ‘precept,’ which means rule, mandate, guideline or principle.
God’s more specific will is revealed to the individual believer by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26 & John 16:13), which would also technically be the LORD’s preceptive will.
Both of these would fall under the category of “God’s perfect will” for the individual.
Since our Creator reigns supreme, God is sovereign, but within that sovereignty he allows humans freewill, which opens the door to the LORD’s permissive will. In other words, God permits humans to make decisions or conduct themselves in a way that isn’t in accord with God’s perfect will.
In addition, the LORD permits humans to make decisions about things that are of little concern to the Almighty. For instance, the color of the socks/shoes you are wearing today are up to you, depending on your resources.
To complicate matters, Yahweh’s permissive will can involve:
- Decisions/behaviors that are not sinful.
- Decisions/behaviors that are sinful.
An example of the former would be the Israelite’s wanting a king in order to be “like all the other nations,” which was against God’s perfect will, yet the LORD permitted it (1 Samuel 8:4-22). An example of the latter would be God permitting David to commit adultery with Bathsheba and indirectly murder her husband, which of course had negative repercussions (2 Samuel 11-12).
An attack by the enemy or human enemies would fall under God’s permissive will. For instance, it was Satan’s idea to attack Job, God just allowed it (Job 1-2). Also, it was Joseph’s wicked siblings who captured & sold their young brother into slavery, the LORD merely permitted it and ultimately brought about good from it (Genesis 37 & 50:20).
Consider some examples from the New Testament. Mark 3:35 and 1 John 2:17 would (presumably) refer to God’s preceptive will whereas 1 Peter 4:19 refers to God’s permissive will.
A small book could be written on this topic, but these are the basics. Chew on the ideas and you’ll gain further insight in your studies.
Related Topics:
Human FREEWILL and God’s SOVEREIGNTY
Should You “PUT OUT A FLEECE” to Determine God’s Will?
How to Keep BALANCED in Every Area of Life
What Is FAULTFINDING? What’s Wrong With It?
Jude warned believers in the 1st Century about false teachers; notice how he describes them:
These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
The one description we want to focus on is ‘faultfinder.’ A faultfinder is someone who tends to find fault in others — usually a rival — and then murmurs & complains about it to others, which naturally poisons the minds of listeners against the victim and thus creates division. This is something the LORD “hates,” as observed in Proverbs 6:16-19. Such criticisms are usually of a vague, petty nature voiced in a mocking manner; that is, with a vibe of scorn, condescension, insult and chortling.
James commented on faultfinding in his epistle:
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
Wow, impenitent faultfinding draws divine judgment! Beware.
Of course, when a brother or sister sins, they should be confronted & corrected as led of the Spirit, which you can read about here, but that’s not what we’re discussing in this article. We’re talking about the tendency to pick out the faults in others — typically a person the critic is envious/jealous of — and then regularly murmur about it in a mocking manner to other people, which spurs division and strife.
Observe how negatively the biblical book of wisdom speaks of this kind of behavior:
…whoever spreads slander is a fool.
With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor…
A person who lacks judgment derides his neighbor…
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
According to these verses, a murmuring faultfinder is:
- A fool
- Godless
- A person who lacks judgment
- Perverse
I’m sure you don’t want to be any of these things, neither do I. So let’s not be mocking faultfinders. Amen?
Everyday Examples of Faultfinding
People can easily slip into a faultfinding spirit, usually influenced by a carnal ringleader. For instance, Carol & I were camping out with some friends/relatives several years ago and one person started mocking a certain man not present who happened to be involved in ministry. We all ended up joining-in with mocking comments, except for my wife Carol, who later said she didn’t feel right about it. It was easy for me to get in on the act since I was at odds with this particular man at the moment (a former best friend). The next Sunday I was scheduled to give a sermon and had no anointing; it was a struggle from beginning to end. Convicted by the Spirit, I knew what the issue was and humbly repented.
A more recent example took place on Twitter yesterday. A man posted a video of a well-known minister and ridiculed him as a con man. I’m not a big fan of this particular minister, but I’ve read a couple of his books and have heard a handful of his sermons. While I believe he’s biblically off in a couple of key areas, he’s a formidable man of God and I respect him. Dozens of others on the thread joined in with disparaging comments regarding the preacher, all trite criticisms.
So I watched the video to see what the issue was and all it depicted was the minister illustrating how to put on the armor of God and, specifically, use the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God implemented as an offensive weapon, spiritually speaking. I pointed this out to the man who posted the video and he responded, “Did you see the look in his eyes? He’s obviously demon possessed. The Bible says the ‘The eye is the lamp of the body’ (Luke 11:34).”
I replied, “He was simply illustrating how to conduct spiritual warfare, which you shouldn’t approach like Howdy Doody. You have to mean business.” I then asked him: How did Christ look when he astonishingly cleared the temple of fools (Mark 11:15-18)? How did Paul look when he radically confronted a meddling magician on Cyprus (Acts 13:8-12)? These were mere physical confrontations; consider Jesus and Paul’s demeanor in serious spiritual confrontations.
A couple of others chimed in, but I pointed out how all the criticisms on the thread were vague accusations regarding the minister’s eyes or what have you. There was no meat to their carping. So I asked, “Since he overtly preaches against sin and hasn’t been involved in a scandal, the issue must be doctrine. What doctrine do you think he’s teaching falsely? Be specific.” One person — only one — said that he preached giving and receiving back. I pointed out how the Bible actually supports the principle of giving & receiving (Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:6; Philippians 4:17), not to mention God’s provision (Philippians 4:19; Proverbs 10:22).
I asked again, what specific doctrine does this minister embrace that unquestionably makes him a “false” believer? The only thing the critic could come up with was to say that there are videos about the man that prove he’s a false teacher. In other words, backed against a wall she couldn’t even voice the particular doctrine that proved he was a false believer, such as denying Christ as LORD.
An additional criticism of the minister was that he supposedly preached that believers will experience nothing but peaches and cream on Earth. I countered by pointing out how I’ve never heard him say that; on the contrary, he plainly taught that believers will face persecutions and trials — and all the more as you mature — but, thankfully, he also instructed how to overcome by fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).
All I got back was crickets, which is good. The believers on the thread were hopefully ashamed of their faultfinding and penitent.
This article is available in book form as part of chapter 14 of…
- The print book is available here for only $12.50 (303 pages)
- The Kindle eBook is available here for just 99¢!
Both links allow you to “look inside” the book.
Related Topics:
Why GOSSIP & SLANDER Are So Evil
Why Wasn’t God Pleased With CAIN’S OFFERING?
How to CONFRONT & CORRECT (and How NOT to)
What Is the ELIPHAZ SYNDROME?
The “Eliphaz Syndrome” is the tendency to formulate vital doctrine based on visions/experiences rather than the rightly-divided Word of God. If you’re not familiar with Eliphaz, he was one of Job’s three “friends” whom the LORD accused of folly in what they said to their suffering friend (Job 42:7-8). Eliphaz was the one who made claims based on mysterious visions/experiences, as observed here:
12“A word was secretly brought to me,
my ears caught a whisper of it.
13Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
when deep sleep falls on people,
14fear and trembling seized me
and made all my bones shake.
15A spirit glided past my face,
and the hair on my body stood on end.
16It stopped,
but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
and I heard a hushed voice:
17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?
18If God places no trust in his servants,
if he charges his angels with error,
19how much more those who live in houses of clay,
whose foundations are in the dust,
who are crushed more readily than a moth!
20Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
unnoticed, they perish forever.
21Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,
so that they die without wisdom?’
Job 4:12-21
Observe Eliphaz’ glaring sensationalism to make his point. We can extend mercy to Eliphaz since there wasn’t much, if any, Scripture for him to rely on back then. But modern-day believers have ready access to the entire canon of God’s Word for the purpose of determining proper doctrine and correcting false doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16-17). So we have no excuse.
This is in line with the apostle Paul’s doctrinal rule: “Do not go beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6), which means that we are to stick to the Word of God to support doctrine, especially core doctrine. Those who must go outside the Judeo-Christian Scriptures to “prove” their pet doctrine must be viewed with serious skepticism. After all, if what they teach is truly biblical, they wouldn’t have to go beyond the Bible to prove it.
A Modern Example
Are there examples of the “Eliphaz Syndrome” today? Yes. Take, for example these people who claim to have gone to Sheol/Hades in a vision or literally in the spirit, like Bill Wiese and Mary Baxter. Please note that they don’t claim to have gone to the lake of fire — the real hell — since no one has been cast there yet, but rather Sheol/Hades, which concerns the intermediate state of the unsaved dead between physical decease and resurrection on the Day of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).
While evangelizing and genuine repentance are always good, these people who have supernatural experiences about Sheol/Hades beg the question: Why did the LORD wait almost 2000 years after the biblical canon was completed to reveal these horrifying details about the nature of Sheol? If their visions (or experiences) are to be believed, why aren’t there similar such descriptions of Sheol in the Bible, the Word of God?
Everything God wants us to know about Sheol — the intermediate state of the unsaved between death and resurrection — has already been clearly revealed in the Holy Scriptures, as detailed at length here. This, again, is in line with biblical rule concerning doctrine: “Do not go beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
To prove any doctrine we must rely on what God’s Word says on the subject from Genesis to Revelation and not on the dubious testimonies of people who claim to have sensationalist visions or experiences that just so happen to disagree with what the Word of God plainly teaches. It doesn’t matter if they go by the respectable label of “Evangelical” or not, nor does it matter if their intentions appear good, if their visions/dreams don’t line up with the Holy Scriptures, they must be rejected as error. It’s the Eliphaz Syndrome.
Let me leave you with a couple of relevant passages that come to mind:
Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.”
How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?
Related Topics:
What Does “Do Not Go Beyond What is Written” Mean in 1 Corinthians 4:6?
What Can We Learn From JOB’S “FRIENDS”?
Hermeneutics — Proper Bible Interpretation
The “Berean Spirit” — What is It? How Do You Cultivate it?
RICH MAN & LAZARUS: Fantastical Parable or Literal Account?
What Does It Mean to Be “BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD”?
Let’s read the verse in question:
Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
The topic is the resurrection of the dead, which some believers in Corinth doubted due to the spread of false teaching.
While there are a few theories on what being “baptized for the dead” means in this verse, the most obvious one is that some in Corinth were concerned about the salvation of believers who had passed away without being water baptized; as such, these Corinthians were baptized in their place.
This was a religious belief that some believers in Corinth embraced yet Paul never endorsed it because it’s not biblical. So why does he recognize the practice in this passage? Because he was revealing an inconsistency in their logic: If they didn’t believe in the future resurrection, there was no point in their proxy baptisms.
Again, Paul didn’t sanction this belief — which isn’t mentioned anywhere else in Scripture — he simply used the religious practices of his opponents to make a persuasive point concerning the scriptural doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.
Related Topics:
RESURRECTIONS: Firstfruits, Harvest & Gleanings
What is the “Better Resurrection” Noted in Hebrews 11:35?
What Will the Believer’s GLORIFIED BODY Be Like?
Is CHRIST’S BODY After Resurrection PHYSICAL or SPIRITUAL (or Both)?
Q&A on SHEOL / HADES, the Intermediate State of the Unsaved
The Believer’s INTERMEDIATE STATE (Between Physical Death and Bodily Resurrection)
The Six Basic Doctrines of Christianity
What Is the Significance of 153 FISH in John 21:11?
Let’s read the full passage in question:
1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. a It happened this way: 2Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
John 21:1-14
Verse 14 reveals that this was Jesus’ third appearance to the disciples after his resurrection. Five of the disciples were fishing in the Sea of Galilee, but caught nothing all night. This changed the next morning, however, when the resurrected Christ saw them from the shore and instructed them to throw their net on the right side of the boat whereupon they miraculously caught the huge load of fish. The technical number they netted—153 fish—is merely a historical accounting of their take.
Yet consider the last two verses of the previous chapter:
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31
This reveals the reason why the book of John documented the many miraculous signs of Christ, including the large catch on this occasion—that people might believe Jesus is the Messiah and, by believing, have life in his name (John 3:16). So you could view the fish caught in this chronicling as 153 reasons to believe that Jesus is the Christ.
Related Topics:
Seven Proofs That JESUS CHRIST IS GOD
Miracle or Divine Providence — What’s the Difference?
When You Should ASK and When You Should SPEAK IN FAITH, aka DEMAND