I'm "blog leasing" for a while, just to see if I like it.

As much as I love my adorable background and everything this blog offers me, I thought I would try out a new home for my thoughts. I may like it. I may hate it. All I know is that I'm curious about "Tumblr", so I set up shop over there. A few things are already up.

http://krisschro.tumblr.com

New look.
New features.
Old Kristin...with different perspectives, maybe?

Feel free to let me know which site you folks prefer. (And by folks I mean Mom, my faithful and quite possibly only reader.)

Blogger--thanks for all the great times. This isn't goodbye. I might be running back to you soon.

Christ is the Treasure.

Is Christ your Treasure? If not, then ask yourself what is and why.



May I take after Paul. May this video be true of me.

A few pictures from the lake house.

Apologies

Can you tell that summer school started? I haven't been posting like I said I would. But, I will finish this this topic eventually. Cross my heart and hope to die. (Where did that phrase come from?)

I also would like to apologize if my previous posts have been a bit confusing. You see, I'm still learning how to be a better writer, how to be concise and easily understood. If you have any tips, I would appreciate them. Honestly, there aren't many people who read this thing anyways, so although my writing has been confusing and a bit up and down, these posts have been more for my benefit.

Through this process I have come to understand much about God's control over evil, and to the best of my ability I am trying to share what I've learned with you. Give me some slack where I need it, but advice is welcome here. If you ever find something I say that does not align with Scripture, you have full reign to point it out. PLEASE don't hesitate to do so. The last thing I want to do is present false teaching.

This weekend I will be joining Turner and Grace at the lake again. I'm stoked because these two are incredibly fun, and I learn much from them. We will be doing some slacklining, riding on the boat, fishing possibly, and taking LOTS of pictures. I'll post some of them when I get back.

Hope you are having a great start to the summer! May your heart be grateful to our gracious God who gives us these moments to enjoy, and in return may we enjoy Him more!

Evidence that God Controls Moral Evil

I hope that the last post written challenged your world view of God. Most of the time we say He is in control of all things, but do we really believe it? And of course it is always easier to say those words—“God is in control” (remember the Twila Paris song?)—to others when they suffer hard times, but it’s much harder to say to ourselves when we go through our own suffering.

As I continue to look at God’s control in the context of Uganda, I write today on God’s control over moral evil. First off, what is “moral evil”? Wikipedia says it is “the result of any morally negative event caused by the intentional action or inaction of an agent, such as a person.” This is in contrast to natural evil, which occurs without the action or inaction of an agent. The moral evil that comes to mind automatically is the actions committed by Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel army known as the LRA. He has done horrendous things that I couldn’t even begin to imagine. Yet, I must ask myself at this point, “Is God in control over Kony’s moral evil?”

Once again, we go to the Word to answer this question. In the sermon by Piper (click HERE to view it again), he points out two key examples in Scripture where God is in control over moral evil, the first example being Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, which is only the beginning of a very long and hard journey for him. Yet, we see that although his brothers were acting in sin, they were also unknowingly fulfilling God’s purpose. An often quoted phrase first stated by Joseph after being reunited with his family clearly points out that God was indeed in control over their moral evil—“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:20. (emphasis mine) Wow. Piper even states that God meant for good to come out of sin BEFORE Joseph's brothers threw him in the empty well, not after or in response to what they had done.

The greatest example of God’s control over moral evil is found in the beating, torture, and death of His Son, Jesus. Jonathan Edwards says, “The crucifying of Christ was a great sin; and as man committed it, it was exceedingly hateful and highly provoking to God. Yet upon many great considerations it was the will of God that it should be done.” Now, this is an interesting thought and a bit harder to swallow. You might be thinking to yourself, “Are you saying that God purposed that His Son be mocked, hated, beaten and killed?” That is exactly what I am saying and agreeing on with Piper. Look at the verses below to see why:

Acts 4:27-28—“Truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur”. (“Your” being God in this context)

Isaiah 53:10—“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

Acts 2:23--“This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.”

Acts 3:18—“But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.”

Hebrews 2:10—“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”

Luke 22:22—“For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!"

Colossians 1:19-20—“For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” (emphasis mine)

There are many more parts of Scripture that prove it was the predetermined plan of God for Christ to suffer. Now, you must remember that what God purposes He purposes for good, just like Joseph said in Genesis. The sin of man which led to the crucifixion of Jesus was meant for good—an immeasurable good—which was that while we were still sinners, Christ would taste death for us (Hebrews 2:9) and that he would reconcile us to Himself (Ephesians 2:4-7). I can honestly say that I am glad God purposed for Christ to die in our place. Aren’t you? He is the Only One who could be the perfect sacrifice for me (Hebrews 2:14-18).

Piper goes on to show many other examples in Scripture where it is made very clear that our steps, both good and evil, are not ordained by us but by God. Here are a few: Romans 9:16, Proverbs 20:24, Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 21:1, Jeremiah 10:23, Ephesians 1:11. After taking on a “God-entranced world view”, and after seeing that God is in control over moral evil, I can now say that God is fully in control over the moral evil of Joseph Kony and the LRA. Yet, I tell you and myself once again that we must trust that God’s purpose in their sin is for good. It may be a “good” that we do not understand yet or may never understand. But only by the Spirit opening our eyes and ears to hear the truth of Scripture will it be possible for us to believe that God means for good and he fulfills that good. Those who are not believers, who look upon this situation in Uganda and any other moral evil in the world, will not understand this view of God unless the Holy Spirit unveils their face to behold these things.

Next post: Answering the question, “Is God the author of Sin?”
Warning: This continues to get weightier. Brace yourself.

Evidence of God's Control: A "God-Entranced World View"

Well, I’m finally sitting down to right this. A few moments ago I got off the phone with a dear friend of mine who has been “interning” with Invisible Children for the past 4 months or so. It was great to hear about all she has experienced and seen. More than ever before, the plight of child soldiers in Uganda and Eastern Africa continues to gain awareness and responsive action in the world around us.

The question I've asked myself continually is where does God stand in this? How does He enter into the picture with Uganda and with child soldiers? After seeing the hurt and pain and affliction that many have experienced in Africa, it can be easy to tell yourself that He isn't in Africa and that He doesn't care about suffering. Yet, with all my heart, I believe that my God IS in the center of it all. To put it differently as typed before, my view is that God is not the one entering into the picture. Rather, the child soldiers and hurting families in Uganda enter into HIS grand and glorious picture and plan.

If we want to truthfully understand this and answer questions, we must go to the Word which is the source of all Truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible talks much about justice and serving the poor, the hurting, the broken. Some of my favorite verses that talk about this are below:

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

...Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."
Isaiah 58:6-7, 12

Even in Isaiah we see that God calls us to be a voice and a helping hand for the oppressed, the poor, the hurting. But, before we go too far into biblically understanding the heart of a loving, caring, and just God, we must first consider our world view of God.

Do we believe He is in control?

Do we believe He is in control of the evil that happens in this world?

Do we believe that He even has purpose in that evil?

In my time of searching and study, I found a great sermon that has helped me process all of those questions in my heart and mind. It can be found here--http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/1998/1476_Is_God_Less_Glorious_Because_He_Ordained_that_Evil_Be. (***I will be referring to this sermon A LOT as I write out my thoughts and beliefs in the coming days, so if you want to dive in fully with me then you need to open it up and check it out. Piper explains it better anyways!)

In this sermon by John Piper, he talks about a world-view in which Jonathan Edwards also heavily preached about. (Pause: If you do not know about these two men, I encourage you to go look them up.) The world view they talk about is a “God-entranced world view”. Piper refers to the Heidelberg Catechism which says that "The almighty and everywhere present power of God . . . upholds heaven and earth, with all creatures, and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, all things, come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand". Piper says, “…when a person believes and cherishes that truth, they have the key to a God-entranced world view.”

Deuteronomy 32:39 says, "There is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, and there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”

Job 1:21 says, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."

There are many more places in Scripture that point to God being in control of all things. Do you have a “God entranced-world view”? If not, then it will be difficult to reconcile why there is evil and suffering in the world, and you will be stuck in a place just as I was, wondering why this situation is happening in Uganda. Please look at the John Piper sermon as he discusses this world view in more depth. I have barely touched on it here, yet I can’t stress enough how having this world view is very important and very biblical.

Instead of continuing on, I am going to break up this discussion into the outline below. I didn’t really hit specifically on God’s control in calamity (1a), but I urge you to go to the sermon and read what Piper has to say and above all what the Word has to say. I hope to talk about and tackle the second part of Section 1 tomorrow.

1.Evidence of God’s Control
a. Evidence that God controls calamity
b. Evidence that God controls moral evil

2.Two questions
a. Is God the author of sin?
b. Why does God ordain that there be evil?

3.The God of Justice
a. Is He a just God?
b. The Heart of God vs. the Will of God

4.The End of Suffering
a. Will there be an end to it?
b. How do we be a part of redemption here on earth?

(My outline didn't copy over as nicely as I hoped...)

Another video.

I feel like I am in "intermission" with my blog right now, so that is why I'm posting "commercials" (a.k.a. you tube videos). I promise that once finals are done I will actually write more than three sentences. BUT, I have seen this video a few times and believe this guy has a point. We complain WAY too much.



"Give it a minute to get back from space." Hilarious.