Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Can (and does) God put people in bad situations for their own good? Does God even put a person in a situation that leads them to being killed, and can God then somehow turn this into a greater good for that person?
The sooner Christian universalists can understand that God planned for what we do therefore retaining our individuality (who we are in Christ) and his sovereignty(planning for our individuality so that we learn) the sooner Christian universalists can stop placing God in the realm of a murderer and using the sovereignty card to excuse him from it when it does no such thing.
Last edited by Phazelwood; 09-20-2009 at 04:18 PM..
Children are supposed to become sellf-sufficient adults. Why would you expect that to be any different for us spiritual children of God? If we are to be self-sufficient spiritual adults . . . we must have free will . . . not be robots programmed to perform some scripted play. Why would God try to deceive us by claiming to give us free will and then controlling us? Someone explain this idiotic doctrine to me . . Fundy? any other Calvinists? . . . whatever?
The two responses bring up "free" will. That's not necessarily the direction I was going here. But it does tie in. I believe God is sovereign, and we make choices.
But surely we must acknowledge that God puts people through trials, some of them horrific (at the time). God has perfect foreknowledge, and has declared the end from the beginning, the things not done and the things that will happen.
For example: Did God in His own sovereign will plan/ordian/decree Hitler's atrocities to take place, and will God work those atrocities for an even greater good, that would eventually benefit all mankind, including Hitler and all his victims?
If god truly is directing a person's steps, both bad and good, then the person is no more than a game piece in a big cosmic game. And how sad is it to think that the big sky man is moving some of his living game pieces in such a way they suffer horribly while he sits there smiling, laughing, and doing nothing. THIS is what we are supposed to fall on our knees and worship, love, and adore? I will never get it!
If god truly is directing a person's steps, both bad and good, then the person is no more than a game piece in a big cosmic game. And how sad is it to think that the big sky man is moving some of his living game pieces in such a way they suffer horribly while he sits there smiling, laughing, and doing nothing. THIS is what we are supposed to fall on our knees and worship, love, and adore? I will never get it!
But this is not really the point of my OP. The question is this:
Can God cause a greater good to happen out of the bad things that happen in this world? And can this greater good even be for the person`s who benefit who the bad situation happened too, even if that person had died? Is this possible?
Dani, I realize you don`t believe in God anymore, but lets just assume there is a God for a second. IF there is a God, would this God be able to do this?
Children are supposed to become sellf-sufficient adults. Why would you expect that to be any different for us spiritual children of God? If we are to be self-sufficient spiritual adults . . . we must have free will . . . not be robots programmed to perform some scripted play. Why would God try to deceive us by claiming to give us free will and then controlling us? Someone explain this idiotic doctrine to me . . Fundy? any other Calvinists? . . . whatever?
Are we truly self-sufficient? Does all we have come from us or from God? When it comes down to it, although we think in our minds that "we" accomplish what we have gained in this life whether it be wealth, success, good families, etc...where does that really come from? Each one of us was created by God for a specific reason...do we know what that reason is? I sure don't and all the speculation in the world can't give me that answer, only God knows why I was specifically created and how He will use me in this life. Have I gone through some pretty nasty stuff? Absolutely, but I know that if I hadn't...I wouldn't be the person I am today...this is how God works.
There are those who understand that God is absolutely sovereign and when they go through things, they look for the lesson that God is trying to teach them. Sometimes those lessons specifically involve things we need to work on in our lives and sometimes those lessons can be used by us to help others. Those who don't understand that God is working out a plan look at God as a mean, vengeful puppetmaster when bad things happen to them, they don't see any other picture than what they are currently going through...they don't look for the lesson. God uses all things we go through to teach us and perfect us, afterall, isn't the main goal for us to be more like Him? How can this be achieved otherwise?
Then there are those who don't believe in God at all...and I am really curious to hear from those persons who go through bad things...who do they depend on to see them through those times, who do they blame for their misfortune?
God's workings are perfect. As imperfect creatures, we see things as imperfect. God will send His angels to stop something if it has a negative lasting effect on the whole. He do something we deem good or bad. God always works perfectly. If we could see things the way God sees them, there would be no sin, evil or anything that isn't in harmony with God. Since we are material, we see from the material perspective and we see evil, sin and disharmony.
I do know of an incident that the world thought was horrific. God did step in and destroyed something that would cause upheaval in the universe. I don't remember where exactly I have the message but I do know that God will step in when He deems it necessary. (Or send His ministering spirits (angels) to do the job).
Can (and does) God put people in bad situations for their own good? Does God even put a person in a situation that leads them to being killed, and can God then somehow turn this into a greater good for that person?
I believe the answer is YES.
Yes, indeed. And if it should be that a persons life is taken then the teachings that is left behind is for those who were part of that person's life.
But this is not really the point of my OP. The question is this:
Can God cause a greater good to happen out of the bad things that happen in this world? And can this greater good even be for the person`s who benefit who the bad situation happened too, even if that person had died? Is this possible?
Dani, I realize you don`t believe in God anymore, but lets just assume there is a God for a second. IF there is a God, would this God be able to do this?
Okay sure why not. But it is a ridiculous notion. I'm sure there is some "greater good" coming out of the starving and suffering people in third world countries. I'm sure there is a "greater good" coming out of a parent watching their child suffer and die from luekemia.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
