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"Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you?" ... as Paul writes in Galatians 3:1. There are a rising numbers of self-propagated teachers and those not understanding in the discernment of essential hermeneutics (scriptural interpretation), promoting that God is behind the disasters we see ravaging the earth today. That somehow, the judgment has begun against the wicked, not understanding the full context of Scripture under the New Covenant. Is our God executing judgment, or is he reserving his judgment against sin for that awful day? God has reasons in His providential will to allow these untold calamities we see today. God’s providential will includes acts of men that are evil and events in nature that are destructive.
These natural disasters have raised a question in the minds of many Christians— “Is this God’s judgment?” This is a simple question; the answer is complex. In order to understand the relationship of calamities in history to God’s wrath against sin, we need to first establish some important categories by searching the Scriptures. Specifically we need to distinguish between general revelation and specific revelation and between God’s moral will and His providential will. Furthermore we need to understand the difference between exemplary judgment and the direct outpouring of God’s wrath against the whole world at the end of the age.
We can correctly conclude that the calamities that have ravaged the earth show us that we are living in the end times. We are indeed weak, vulnerable, and sinners need to repent because these are merely birth pangs that precede the future outpouring of wrath predicted in the Bible. However, the natural disasters themselves are not God’s direct judgment on cities or nations for particular sins.
There are two reasons for saying this:
1) There are no inerrant, authoritative prophets to tell us this and;
2) they do not fit the pattern of exemplary judgments in the Bible
....because the righteous were not spared.
The question we might ask: “How can we know if an historical event is a direct judgment of God on a nation, people or city?” Whenever something happens historically, it is part of God’s providential oversight of the world; but that does not make it a direct intervention of God caused by either the goodness or sinfulness of certain people. Righteous people may suffer calamity (like Job) and evil people may prosper (as lamented in Psalm 73). Wicked nations and kingdoms sometimes prosper for many centuries. God allows this by postponing immediate cause and effect of sinful actions.
Natural disasters are not God’s direct, full judgment on sin. If they were, God would spare the righteous. The calamities that have been coming upon the world in recent years, including the tsunami, hurricanes and tornadoes do not fit the category of exemplary judgment because there was no special revelation (General Revelation vs. Specific Revelation) about them and the righteous were not spared. These were calamities that God providentially allowed for purposes we only partly know, e.g. we are dwelling in a fallen realm. Jesus gave a message to believers: “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). The time is soon coming when we will no longer be vexed by the fact that God allows the wicked world to persecute the righteous or calamities to take the lives of the saints. But we must remember what Peter told us as we wait—the delay is caused by God’s mercy because there are yet others who will repent.
This exposition by no means discounts that God is fully in control, for indeed, the Creator is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. We must hold on to the fundamental truth that while God does not control everything, He is always in control of everything. However, to take the stand that all disasters are Gods act of divine retribution, stems from the premise that God causes all things. This would require the belief that God was responsible for all evil and purposely had a plan for the fall of mankind, which is preposterous. Instead, now that evil exists in opposition to God’s original purpose, we now are subject to dealing with this spiritual struggle, from conception until death. Christians should deeply and humbly accept God’s sovereignty in all things.
One of the popular "proof" scriptures used by proponents teaching that God is actively engaged in revealing his wrath against sin during this dispensation is Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness..." The overt problem with using Scriptures out of context, is the perpetuated error that results.
One teacher who teaches God's Wrath is John Piper. He concludes "God's wrath is right now being poured out on the whole world of ungodliness and unrighteousness. " He continues "'...the wrath of God is being revealed' is a present tense, continuous action. He concludes that it is happening now, not just in the future."
Piper among others, teach that universal death, is the curse of the fall or the wrath of God. Romans 5 addresses this matter. Additionally, the wrath conformists teach Romans 8 reveals universal futility and misery is more evidence of the curse of the fall, or the wrath of God. The third conclusion made, is that the sinking degradation of human behavior is more evidence of God’s present wrath. However, these points are not the wrath of God, but a consequence of the fall, or cause and effect--sow and reap principle. The wrath of God will not be revealed until total separation is initiated. Hell, intended for Satan and his minion, will be shared by those in opposition of God, this eternal death is the fulfilled "Wrath" of God. The day of wrath is mentioned in Romans 2:5, 8-9; 5:9.
Romans 2, specifically verse 5 in context, continues Paul's Romans 1 thoughts with a conclusion. "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed." As you can read here, in context, Paul's reference is pointing to the final judgment, not at all trying to convey that current disasters or the common perils of humankind is the hand of God revealing His anger.
Be careful as you move across blogs and social groups like Facebook. There are many well-meaning souls teaching erroneous doctrines that gravely outweigh sound doctrine steeped in historical biblical truth. There are many self-appointed watchman or "prophets" who do not have the Spirit's call or clear discernment, speaking dogmatically of matters which they do not understand. Heed the sobering warning of Peter "...our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures." 2 Peter 3:15-16
.
These natural disasters have raised a question in the minds of many Christians— “Is this God’s judgment?” This is a simple question; the answer is complex. In order to understand the relationship of calamities in history to God’s wrath against sin, we need to first establish some important categories by searching the Scriptures. Specifically we need to distinguish between general revelation and specific revelation and between God’s moral will and His providential will. Furthermore we need to understand the difference between exemplary judgment and the direct outpouring of God’s wrath against the whole world at the end of the age.
We can correctly conclude that the calamities that have ravaged the earth show us that we are living in the end times. We are indeed weak, vulnerable, and sinners need to repent because these are merely birth pangs that precede the future outpouring of wrath predicted in the Bible. However, the natural disasters themselves are not God’s direct judgment on cities or nations for particular sins.
There are two reasons for saying this:
1) There are no inerrant, authoritative prophets to tell us this and;
2) they do not fit the pattern of exemplary judgments in the Bible
....because the righteous were not spared.
The question we might ask: “How can we know if an historical event is a direct judgment of God on a nation, people or city?” Whenever something happens historically, it is part of God’s providential oversight of the world; but that does not make it a direct intervention of God caused by either the goodness or sinfulness of certain people. Righteous people may suffer calamity (like Job) and evil people may prosper (as lamented in Psalm 73). Wicked nations and kingdoms sometimes prosper for many centuries. God allows this by postponing immediate cause and effect of sinful actions.
Natural disasters are not God’s direct, full judgment on sin. If they were, God would spare the righteous. The calamities that have been coming upon the world in recent years, including the tsunami, hurricanes and tornadoes do not fit the category of exemplary judgment because there was no special revelation (General Revelation vs. Specific Revelation) about them and the righteous were not spared. These were calamities that God providentially allowed for purposes we only partly know, e.g. we are dwelling in a fallen realm. Jesus gave a message to believers: “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). The time is soon coming when we will no longer be vexed by the fact that God allows the wicked world to persecute the righteous or calamities to take the lives of the saints. But we must remember what Peter told us as we wait—the delay is caused by God’s mercy because there are yet others who will repent.
This exposition by no means discounts that God is fully in control, for indeed, the Creator is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent. We must hold on to the fundamental truth that while God does not control everything, He is always in control of everything. However, to take the stand that all disasters are Gods act of divine retribution, stems from the premise that God causes all things. This would require the belief that God was responsible for all evil and purposely had a plan for the fall of mankind, which is preposterous. Instead, now that evil exists in opposition to God’s original purpose, we now are subject to dealing with this spiritual struggle, from conception until death. Christians should deeply and humbly accept God’s sovereignty in all things.
One of the popular "proof" scriptures used by proponents teaching that God is actively engaged in revealing his wrath against sin during this dispensation is Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness..." The overt problem with using Scriptures out of context, is the perpetuated error that results.
One teacher who teaches God's Wrath is John Piper. He concludes "God's wrath is right now being poured out on the whole world of ungodliness and unrighteousness. " He continues "'...the wrath of God is being revealed' is a present tense, continuous action. He concludes that it is happening now, not just in the future."
Piper among others, teach that universal death, is the curse of the fall or the wrath of God. Romans 5 addresses this matter. Additionally, the wrath conformists teach Romans 8 reveals universal futility and misery is more evidence of the curse of the fall, or the wrath of God. The third conclusion made, is that the sinking degradation of human behavior is more evidence of God’s present wrath. However, these points are not the wrath of God, but a consequence of the fall, or cause and effect--sow and reap principle. The wrath of God will not be revealed until total separation is initiated. Hell, intended for Satan and his minion, will be shared by those in opposition of God, this eternal death is the fulfilled "Wrath" of God. The day of wrath is mentioned in Romans 2:5, 8-9; 5:9.
Romans 2, specifically verse 5 in context, continues Paul's Romans 1 thoughts with a conclusion. "But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed." As you can read here, in context, Paul's reference is pointing to the final judgment, not at all trying to convey that current disasters or the common perils of humankind is the hand of God revealing His anger.
Be careful as you move across blogs and social groups like Facebook. There are many well-meaning souls teaching erroneous doctrines that gravely outweigh sound doctrine steeped in historical biblical truth. There are many self-appointed watchman or "prophets" who do not have the Spirit's call or clear discernment, speaking dogmatically of matters which they do not understand. Heed the sobering warning of Peter "...our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures." 2 Peter 3:15-16
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