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With many the question is not "Is there a God?" but "What kind of God is he?".

Some are angry with God because of all the unjust suffering in the world. In contrast, others insist that whatever God might do, being the almighty sovereign, he is beyond criticism. Some believe that he makes everything happen, good or bad. We have no free-will. There is no right or wrong.

Many people probably feel as this enquirer does:-

"I don't believe Free Will exists, which renders the whole concept of 'reward and punishment' or more like 'heaven and hell' ridiculous ..." - "There is no universal right and a universal wrong. That's a fact ..." - "... how can we expect to be held accountable for our good deeds and bad deeds, how can there be heaven and hell ... " - " ... 'Is God a mixture of good and bad?' Probably yes." - "... I would like to find out who God is and what does God intend for us. What our purpose in life is, etc.." - "... In order for me to believe in something, I have to truly understand it, and I won't lie to myself or to God by pretending that I understand him and thus attain a fake belief, ..."

He denies free-will but seeks intelligent answers. It is true that faking belief will not do. The Bible says: "It is impossible to please God without belief - because he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he rewards those who seek him diligently." Hebrews 11:6

SO - CAN WE KNOW GOD ?

Should God's sovereignty be questioned? Not if God is just, but is he? Is he good or bad? Can we trust him? Are there reasonable answers to these questions?

Also, If we live in a relative world where there is neither right nor wrong and God is a mixture of good and bad, we would never know when he was being up-front or devious. We could never rely on him.

THE BIBLE ASSERTS GOD'S INTEGRITY

GOD DOES NOT LIE - HE IS NOT DEVIOUS

"God is not a man, that he would lie ..." Numbers 23:19

"... with God there is no deviousness nor shadows cast by corners." James 1:17

"... God, who does not lie, promised eternal life before the world began" Titus 1:2.

THE BIBLE ASSERTS THAT GOD IS JUST

How could God justifiably judge the world if he himself is not utterly righteous?

ABRAHAM ASKS GOD:-

"It is totally unlike you to do in this kind of thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked ...Won't the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25

THE APOSTLE PAUL INSISTS:-

" ... what if some did not believe? will their distrust render God's trustworthiness ineffective? Not likely! Rather God is true and man false; as it is written, '... that you might be justified in your concepts, and might overcome when you are criticised' But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak like a man). Not likely! for then how shall God judge the world?"  Romans 3:3-6

WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIKE HIM - WE ARE TO LIVE RESPONSIBLY.

"... be mature, even as your Father who is in heaven (i.e. God) is mature" Matthew 5:43-48.

"Be holy; for I (God) am holy." Leviticus 11:44, 19:2 & 1.Peter 1:13.

GOD IS BOTH GOOD AND UPRIGHT

"The LORD is good and upright, so he will teach sinners how to live." Psalm 25:8.

There is a right way and there is a wrong way to live.

WHAT ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING ?

If God is good why does he allow the innocent to suffer?

DESPITE NOT HAVING ALL THE ANSWERS - THE FAITHFUL TRUST GOD EVEN IN SUFFERING

Many good folk endure suffering and still insist that God is good. Are they self deluded ?

The Bible details the extreme suffering of a man named Job. Even though his wife, driven to distraction, told him to curse God, his response was "Even though God kills me, I will trust him." Job 13:15. - Yet Job did not know what, in his case, had been happening 'behind the scenes'. Satan had been snooping around the world to see how things were going. God challenged him: "Did you take note of my servant Job that there is no one like him in all the earth, a mature and upright man, one who respects God, and shuns evil?". Satan slandered Job saying he trusted God because he was well off. So God allowed Satan to afflict Job's family and property. [Job 1:8 ff.]. Job remained faithful. Even so Satan is not satisfied. Satan would not accept that anyone would trust God implicitly. When the LORD God asked him again "Did you take note of my servant Job that there is no one like him in all the earth, a mature and upright man, one who respects God, and shuns evil? He still holds fast his integrity, even though you moved me against him, to devastate him without reason." Satan responded "Skin for skin, yes, everything a man has he will give for his life ... touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." Satan is allowed to smother Job with obnoxious sores. [Job 2:3 ff.].

Job became perplexed and wondered why God should be afflicting him. The LORD God asks Job "Who is it who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man; for I demand of you, and you must answer me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? tell me, if you understand it." Job 38:1 ff.

THIS THEN IS THE ISSUE

Satan (the adversary) also known as the Devil (the slanderer) wants us to believe that God is not holy. If he gets us to believe that God is a mixture of good and evil, he has succeeded.

God is spirit. His spirit is referred to as the Holy Spirit because he is holy. Slandering his Spirit is inexcusable. It must be repented of. The Lord Jesus said: "... whoever insults the Holy Spirit has no repeal ... but is liable to receive an eternal sentence" Mark 3:29.

SO IS THE HOLY SOVEREIGN GOD ALOOF FROM HIS CREATION?

The Lord Jesus said that God empathises with the dying sparrow - Matthew 10:29.

Not even one tiny sparrow is overlooked - Luke 12:6.

The Lord Jesus himself experienced our difficulties and can sympathise with us. Hebrews 4:15

HOW CAN WE BE SURE ?

Because the Lord Jesus bore the burden of our sins as a sacrifice.

" Who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree." 1. Peter 2:24

Even though our sins come between us and God, he wants to restore us.

"... your iniquities separate you. They are between you and your God ..." Isaiah 59:2

"... sin's wages is death; but God's generosity is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

WHILST DYING ON THE CROSS, GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING US TO HIM

"... God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, ..." 2 Corinthians 5:19

GOD ASSURES YOU AND ME OF HIS LOVE FOR US

"For whilst we were still helpless, at that time Christ died for the irreverent. Because one would hardly die for a righteous man, yet perhaps some might even dare to die for a good man. But God made his love toward us evident, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

HIS INTEGRITY IS AN ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL

"... by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we can have a strong guarantee ... to grasp on to the hope presented to us: Which hope we have as the soul's anchor, both sure and secure." Hebrews 6:17-19

IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM

"If we suffer with him, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us: Even if we distrust him, he remains trustworthy ..." 2 Timothy 2:12-13

"... don't be negligent, but follow those who through trust and perseverance inherit the promises." Hebrews 6:12

A HOPE MADE SURE BY THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

"Blest be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a real hope by Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, 1.Peter 1:3

[For evidence for the ressursction of the Christ see "No Corpse!"]

WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS - BUT -

God has given enough reason in the things we can understand to trust him in those we cannot.

If we understood everything there would be no need for trust.

GOD IS GOOD - HE CAN BE TRUSTED -

The Lord Jesus' gave these parting instructions to his apostles before returning to heaven:-

"... Declare the good news to all creation - He who trusts and is immersed* will be reprieved but he who distrusts will be condemned" Mark 16:15-16

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NOTES

Bible quotations are direct translations mainly based on the Authorised Version of the Bible.

* Baptism (immersion in water) displays death and resurrection, of Jesus and of us rejecting the old way
   of life and starting a new life for Jesus.  Romans 6 and Colossians 2:12