Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

(Justen introduces us) *Insert Ryan’s Laughter.

We start again.

Justen introduces us.

*Insert Ryan’s Laughter.

Jimmy gets mad at Ryan.

Ryan steps away.

Ryan comes back.

Justen introduces us.

Ryan almost keeps from laughing.

(This goes on a few more times) Ryan is beaten to a bloody pulp by Jimmy and Justen.

Jimmy and Justen have a nice discussion on the problem of evil.

(Ryan) As we have studied the doctrines of grace there is a common question which arises.

If God is sovereign over all things, even the salvation of men, then does that mean that God is sovereign over evil as well?

Or to ask another way: Does evil exist in the world because God ordained it?

A verse that may cause some issues is which says that ‘God creates calamity’ or some translations say that God created evil.

However, in dealing with passages like this we must consider the context.

God is speaking and he is talking about natural calamity and bringing distress on people.

So, when it says that God brings calamity it does not refer to moral evil.

There are plenty of verses which affirm the goodness, purity, and holiness of God.

“The Rock!

His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He," ().

"Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil, and Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor," ().

(Jimmy) This has been referred to as the ‘problem of evil.’

The question that the atheist poses to Christians falls into the premises.

First, if God is omnipotent then he could prevent evil if he wanted to.

Premise two: If God is omnibenevolent (all-good) then he would want to stop it.

Premise three: Evil exists.

The conclusion therefore, is that God is either not omnipotent or not omnibenevolent.

Perhaps he is not either, since evil exists in the world.

The logical conclusion then would be that if God lacks either one of these, God is not God, and thus, God does not exist.

(Justen) The mistake that atheists make and all those who conclude what Jimmy said is that they admit the presence of evil.

Why would this be a mistake?

Because if evil exists, good must also exist.

And God is the ultimate good.

Therefore, contrary to the atheists, God exists.

(Ryan) This is true, yet it still falls short of answering why evil exists.

We can say that God is the ultimate good.

We can say that we know evil because of the good that does exist, but that still leaves the question as to why evil exist unanswered.

(Justen) There are a few ways of viewing this from the Christian worldview.

First, there is the free-will answer: Man/Satan chose by his own free will to be evil.

Evil exists, but God had nothing to do with it.

Satan is the author of evil, not God.

The problem with that is there is no sufficient cause for the effect.

If Satan was perfect, then a suitable cause for the effect of evil could not come from him.

Having a free will doesn't create motivations or causes where there are none.

Second, you have the Augustine who said that evil is not a thing, but the absence of a thing.

It is the absence of good we see when we sense evil.

So, God didn't create evil — neither did man.

It does not exist.

Problem: Evil sure does seem real.

It may not exist like I do, like beings do.

Its effects are far too obvious to not exist in some form.

The absence of good does not instantly make things evil.

God pronounced creation good, but Augustine's solution seems to leave anything that is absent of moral good as evil.

Though I really don't like neckties and have a sneaky suspicion they are evil.

So, Augustine was only mostly wrong.

(Ryan) Modern Charismatics have a solution: God is good all the time!

God only gives, the devil takes, suffering and evil do not come from God, but from the devil.

Problem: I don't mean to be uncharitable towards our charismatic friends, but that's not in the Bible.

The Scriptures say the opposite, that those who live godly lives will necessarily find suffering and persecution as part of their life.

God gives a painful promise to his people when Paul says to Timothy, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."( ) So that solution is just not possible.

(Jimmy) As Justen mentioned earlier the "normal" Reformed answer is that we don't have a problem of evil, but a problem of good.

The mystery isn't that God could allow evil to begin and continue to exist in the world — the mystery is that God would allow any good to happen to bad people like us.

True enough, but that's no help.

It's an answer to a question, but not the question of why we have evil in this world.

But it is true — it's just not the answer to "Why is there evil in the world?"

I believe the reason why Satan could be created perfect, and yet fall, is that while he was perfect, he was still a creature, not a creator.

He was not a deity — he was lower than God.

Only God is immutable (; ; ).

Thus, Satan could "naturally" degrade without God forcing him to sin or inject him with unbelief.

God allowed it to happen for his greater glory, but he did not force it upon Satan or mankind.

COFFEE BREAK

(Justen) Welcome back.

(Ryan) I would like to continue our discussion on the problem of evil by looking at the Second London Baptist Confession 1689.

Chapter 5 of the confession deals with providence.

I can define providence briefly in two ways: First, providence is simply God’s provision for the things he has made.

When Ruth stumbles into the field of Boaz and gleans from his field, Boaz sends barely home with Ruth to give to Naomi.

This is an example of God’s providence.

Second, providence is the means by which God accomplishes his decree.

We’ll look at this more in some detail, but in Peter’s sermon in we see both the decree and the means.

Peter says that God delivered Jesus to be crucified according to what he had foreordained.

How was this accomplished?

Peter says in the next breath that lawless men put Christ to death.

Therefore, the decree was that God’s Son would die.

The providence was in the fact that God used people to crucify his own Son.

What does the 1689 have to say?

(Jimmy) The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that his determinate Counsel extends itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, which also he most wisely and powerfully bounds, and otherwise orders and governs, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceeds only from the Creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

(Ryan) So, there are a few things to mention.

First, having already talked about providence, the Confession goes on to say that God ordained the Fall and all other actions of sinful men and angels.

What do we make of this?

(Justen) Well, first of all, if God is not sovereign over all things, then God is not God.

Second, notice the words of the Confession.

God has unsearchable wisdom.

says that the secret things belong to God.

Next, it says that God is infinitely good.

God cannot do that which is contrary to his nature.

In his wisdom, how he ordains all things, even evil things, God retains his goodness.

(Ryan) Right.

And one of those areas in which we see God’s goodness is that men and angels are permitted to sin, but not by bare permission.