How are devout Christians viewed by other believers, when they are not delivered from "evil"?
score:10
From a purely Biblical perspective, there is nothing in God's word that promises that we will not suffer. In fact, it teaches the opposite.
From a tract put out by Living Waters Publications:
It is true that God loves you, but you decide if His plan is "wonderful." If you have heard that happiness comes through Jesus Christ, you may like to think again. The first thing Jesus said of the Apostle Paul (who wrote most of the New Testament) was that He would show him "how great things he must suffer for (His) name's sake.1 Three times Paul was beaten with rods, once he was stoned, three times he suffered shipwreck, a night and a day he spent in the sea. There were times when Paul was so unhappy, he wanted to die.2
The Bible says, "All who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."3 It says we enter the Kingdom of God through much distress,4 and that we were appointed to afflictions.5
Jesus said if we followed Him we would be reviled, persecuted, hated, and all manner of evil would be said against us falsely, for His sake. He warned that we would have to take up our cross daily, deny ourselves and follow Him, saying, "In the world you shall have tribulation," and even that we may be called to die for our faith.6 : That is 100% true. Being delivered from Evil is a valid prayer request, but we understand that it doesn't mean we will always be delivered. Someone on this site recently said "God isn't some Genie that goes around granting wishes." That's also 100% true.
The question appears to come from the perspective that "God has a wonderful plan for your life" and also a variation of the Prosperity Doctrine (where all our evils are caused by our own sin, but if we are just, we'll get whatever we desire).
I've always had a problem with both teachings. For a more lengthy discussion on the topic, I recommend Ray Comfort's book on the topic, freely available online in pdf format.
Some relevant verses:
(Mark 8:34-36) If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
(Acts 9:15-16) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
(John 15:18-21) If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you... If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you... because they do not know Him who sent Me.
Also, the book of Job is a pretty good example of someone that God loves, suffering because God allowed it. We are reminded in that story that God is sovereign, and that He allows suffering for His purposes.
Suffering increases faith, encourages reliance on God, and destroys pride. In short, pain makes you stronger and better. It refines us as a fire refines fine metals:
(Isaiah 48:10) Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.
So, in short, when we see Believers not "delivered from Evil" we don't think it's unnatural. And we darn well should be thinking "what can I do to provide comfort or help".
Upvote:7
For the Christian suffering for his or her faith is an honor. If it is the result of his faith not just is wrong behavior (It is not suffering for your faith, if you are uncaring for example).
The first example in the Bible that comes to my mind is :
41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ac 5:41). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The apostle were rejoicing from the fact that they suffer "evil" because of Christ. For the Christian God is not cut short when suffering happens. He is still sovereign in the hard time as he is in great times. For as Paul said it:
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ro 8:18). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Christian hope is in living eternally with God, not on fulfilling the american dream.
More post
- 📝 Judah, Joseph, and Jacob's birthright
- 📝 Does every denomination / sect have a catechism?
- 📝 According to Evangelicals, before the Reformation, who were Christians if “Catholics are not Christians”?
- 📝 Who is "I" in Isaiah 44:6
- 📝 What is the Catholic view of the biological transmission of original sin?
- 📝 What is the dominant theory of atonement in Catholic theology?
- 📝 What are the responses to the "Radical's Critics" argument concerning Genesis 1 and 2?
- 📝 What is the real biblical reasons why Joseph & Mary did not offer a one year old lamb?
- 📝 Alpha, Omega, & everlasting God?
- 📝 Is this proof of Heavenly joy?
- 📝 How do non-trinitarians interpret John 14:26?
- 📝 Historical figures mentioned in the Bible that sceptics doubted existed but were later confirmed by archaeology
- 📝 What is the position of the United Methodist Church on creationism and evolution
- 📝 Is apostleship continuing on into the current age?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for modern-day prophets?
- 📝 How much of the deuterocanonical books are true?
- 📝 How does one become a "lay-minister" in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 By Reformed Theology, Which Beliefs Accompany Saving Faith?
- 📝 From a Catholic perspective, did Adam's body undergo any change after the fall?
- 📝 Is there a registry of Book of Mormon Geography Theories?
- 📝 Where can I find the 5800 Greek NT Manuscript copies?
- 📝 In the Catholic Church, is there specific canon law on voluntary excommunication?
- 📝 Does the Catholic Church teach a specific way to pray to the saints?
- 📝 What are the differences between hamartiology from a Nazarene to a Calvinist perspective?
- 📝 Has anyone published a testimony about their deliverance from a spirit of divination or similar, as in Acts 16:16-18?
- 📝 Do Mormons agree with the Apostle Paul when he said at Acts 16:31 to the Philippian Jailer, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."
- 📝 Why in the Reformed tradition the 7 spiritual gifts mentioned in Isaiah 11:1-3 are no longer taught?
- 📝 How do demotions work in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Paul's analysis of Abraham's "offspring(s)" in Galatians 3
- 📝 Does the Holy Spirit's procession from the Father and Son infringe on the co-equality of the Trinity?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How are devout Christians viewed by other believers, when they are not delivered from "evil"?
- 📝 Do these videos represent JW meetings or do they have other secret/sacred meetings that are not available to public?
- 📝 How can the wicked live for eternity in hell when they are completely separated from the only source of eternal life?
- 📝 How can common believers in the Eastern Orthodox Church be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous?
- 📝 How is it that Georgian Orthodox Church are in full communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church when they have a different biblical canon?
- 📝 How can apologists argue that if Jesus did not rise again then Christianity and the Church would not have lasted, when other religions have?
- 📝 How can common believers in the Roman Catholic Church be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous?
- 📝 How do Catholics and other Christians respond to the US Bishops' teaching that Matthew was not written by it supposed author?
- 📝 How Christians are expected to accommodate or view the existence and presence of other religions vis a vis Christianity?
- 📝 How did Old Testament saints show they were focused on God’s promises even though they did not know when or how their Redeemer/Messiah would appear?
- 📝 How do Christians discern whether they are on the narrow path that leads to life or the broad path that leads to destruction?
- 📝 Are Christians not permitted to have sex with wife when she's on her period?
- 📝 How do Orthodox Christians explain that the Father and the Son are not two different Gods?
- 📝 How do Christians that believe in creatio ex nihilo answer the question of why human beings are not created with a perfect character from the outset?
- 📝 How can common believers be sure that the Church's decisions are correct and not erroneous?
- 📝 How can Christians know if they are truly saved and that Jesus won't tell them "..Depart from me, I never knew you," on judgement day?
- 📝 How do Christians discern if they are being called by God to ministry, and what ministry specifically?
- 📝 When are the various assorted labels for Catholics - see body - applied and how are they related?
- 📝 How can Christians be assured they are truly saved and that Jesus won't say "Depart from me I never knew you." on judgement day?
- 📝 When God sent Aaron to Moses had they not seen each other for decades?
- 📝 How could Jesus be born during the reign of Herod, and when Quirinius was governor of Syria, if those periods were not contemporary?
- 📝 Why do most Christians eat pork when Deuteronomy says not to?
- 📝 According to Evangelicals, before the Reformation, who were Christians if “Catholics are not Christians”?
- 📝 Are there any statistics that show how many scientists are Christians or otherwise believe in a personal God?
- 📝 According to believers in the inexorable damnation of the unreached, how is God not unfair for letting someone be born in unreachable conditions?
- 📝 What are indulgences and when and why were they used?
- 📝 How do Jehovah's Witnesses respond to the charge that they are false prophets (because their end-of-the-world predictions didn't come true)?
- 📝 Did Paul write other letters that are not in the Bible?
- 📝 In evangelicalism, how are Christians free from sin?
- 📝 How can we be sure our specific Christian confession is true, when every other Christian group claims that it's not?