Category: Theology for Life

Is God Really in Control?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

By Jason Smith

“I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Just how sovereign is the God of the Bible? When one considers the endless stream of chaos, violence, and injustice reported on both local and national news stations, it could be very hard to believe that God really is in control.

The Bible describes God as infinitely loving, righteous, and good (Psalm 34:8; 145:17; 1 John 4:8).  In fact, Scripture reminds us that if there is one thing we can absolutely count on, it is that every single good thing we have has come to us from the loving hand of our Father in heaven (James 1:17). Friendship. Love. Family. Income. Health. A loving community of believers. The food in our stomach. The mocha I drank this morning. The car I drove to work in. Even the seemingly insignificant trivialities in life that brighten my day. They all come to me as undeserved gifts from a Father who delights to shower me with His love. This is important for me to remember, because apart from God’s grace, I would quickly lapse into the worst kind of pessimism.

That being said, what are we to make of all this evil and perversity in a world run by a good and holy God? In light of all the suffering in the world, atheists such as Richard Dawkins frequently say the burden of proof is on those who claim an all-powerful deity exists. Psalm 115:2 says that the nations may taunt, “Where is their God?” But our response will always be, “Our God is in heaven and does as He pleases” (v. 3). However, if we are honest, we can admit it is sometimes difficult to see this.

Repeatedly, Scripture reminds us of God’s all-pervasive sovereignty. “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19, NASB). “The Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17). In fact, God’s sovereign control is so meticulous that every roll of a dice or flip of a coin is determined by Him (see Proverbs 16:33). Thus, God decides the outcome of every NFL game that goes to overtime.

Why So Much Suffering?

But the question remains: If God really is in total control, why is the world so filled with evil and suffering? Upon a moment’s reflection, one can see that this is a tragedy-stricken world. We see bitter racism, hostile international aggression, lawsuits filed between those who once professed undying love for each other, and terrible diseases afflicting little babies. How are we to make sense of this conundrum? This question quickly flees the realm of the theoretical when either you or someone you love is struck by grief, tragedy, or betrayal.

In the biblical worldview, we are reminded that all suffering, disease, and death is the result of Adam’s fall into sin (see Romans 5:12). Although he was one man, that rebellion had a cataclysmic effect on all creation. We may downplay the seriousness of sin, but it always has consequences that extend even to the creation we inhabit. The natural world is subject to frustration, in “bondage to corruption,” and “groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now” (Romans 8:20-22). Adam led the way, but by extension, the whole human race is described as being in revolt against our Maker, suppressing the truth that He is righteous and we are not (Romans 1:18-21; 3:10).

It is into this broken world that God sent His dearly beloved Son to suffer alongside us as a human being and ultimately bear the infinite debt we owed for opposing God’s design and purpose, so that we might be totally forgiven and reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). God loved us even when we hated Him (Romans 5:8-11). Jesus, the God-man, can “sympathize with our weaknesses,” pain, and frustrations, because He lived as one of us, “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). In other words, God has proven through the cross that He has not abandoned us. Because of Christ’s atoning work, one day He will usher in a new creation where there will be no more pain, tears, or death (Revelation 21:1-5). We must cling to this unspeakably precious truth. At this point, you may be thinking, That is all true, but what about the suffering we still have to deal with today?

“I Am Yahweh, Who Does All These Things”

Many have proposed the solution is admitting God’s limited ability or knowledge, but Scripture everywhere rules that out.[1] Apparently, our comfort in suffering cannot be that God tried His best, but was simply unaware or unable to do anything about it. Remarkably, God often emphasizes the extent of His sovereignty in the very context in which the most heinous evil is described (see Genesis 45:5-8; 50:15-20; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28). Isaiah makes this very point when he quotes God declaring how He will equip the ungodly King Cyrus to accomplish His purpose.

“I am the LORD, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,

that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.

I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the LORD, who does all these things.” (Isaiah 45:5-7)

Notice God intentionally describes the full spectrum over which He has control: “I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things” (v. 7). The Hebrew word for “calamity” is ra (רָע) , which is most often translated “evil.” Although we may hesitate to credit God with having perfect control over all evil, our Lord is not. God seems to be going out of His way in Isaiah 45:5-7 to declare His sovereignty in all its fullness. Both good and evil occur according to His providential will. God is obviously not the direct cause of evil — He is spotless and holy. Nevertheless, He indirectly permits every instance of evil. If He did not, He would not really be sovereign. In fact, if something happened outside of His control, He would not truly be Yahweh, the God of Scripture. That is the whole point of saying, “I am Yawheh, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am Yawheh, who does all these things” (vv. 6b-7). God is the one who purposefully “works all things according to the counsel of His will” while nevertheless remaining perfectly righteous in all His ways (Ephesians 1:11).

The Greatest Comfort in Suffering

So, what’s the point? Just this: there is untold comfort in knowing and believing that God really is in control over all of creation. When pain and suffering rock our world, we can easily feel like we are drowning in a current of chaotic emotions. Fighting desperately to keep our head above water, we can struggle to believe that God is even real in those moments. Isaiah says Yahweh is a God who at times seems to hide Himself (Isaiah 45:15).

However paradoxical it may seem initially, the thing that will bring us the most hope and solace in the midst of our suffering is the reality of God’s absolute control – the truth that nothing can ultimately thwart His sovereign will. No matter how many times we get knocked to the ground, we can know that our King is never knocked off His throne. That is why we can trust Him when He says, “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (v. 22). This is not a provisional salvation, but an assured “everlasting salvation” (v. 17). If God truly is sovereign, then we can bank on His promise to use every instance of evil in our life to bring about His good purposes. We can be certain that our suffering is not meaningless. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Perhaps no truth is more comforting while we walk through pain and suffering than knowing that in the midst of all the chaos and confusion, God is working for our ultimate good and His everlasting glory.

Obviously, His moral will can be resisted by His rebellious creatures.[2] We’re not merely pawns on the cosmic chessboard, but free moral agents who are responsible for the choices we make. Yet, even this is only because He, the omnipotent Creator, allows us to go our own way. God’s providential plan for the universe — even His meticulous sovereignty — can never be thwarted by human evil. Think of it: He can even choose to rescue His people through a wicked man like Cyrus, who doesn’t even know Him (Isaiah 45:1, 4-5). That is why He is a God worthy of our total allegiance and worship (v. 23).

When suffering afflicts us, we are often surprised by it, but God never is surprised by our suffering. And that is the truth that will be our lifeline pulling us through the agony of hardship.


[1] “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17; also see v. 27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether” (Psalm 139:4; also see Jeremiah 23:24; Daniel 2:22; Matthew 6:4).

[2] Think of any time we break one of the Ten Commandments, which are an expression of His holy will for human life.

What Is God Like?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life2 Comments

By Jason Smith

“‘To whom then will you liken Me that I would be his equal?’ says the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25).

beautiful-sunrise-banjarmasin-1492545578 - Rose Barraza

Theologian A. W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” That is a thought-provoking statement, isn’t it? There seems to be a whole world of ideas resting on Tozer’s conclusion. He went on to say, “For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God.” [1]

In other words, our view of God will always influence what we, His image-bearers, aspire to be — whether we are aware of it or not. How we answer the single question “What is God like?” tells us a great deal about ourselves. As many have put it, we become like what we worship.

So what is your view of God? Is He stern and demanding? Is He persistently jovial like Santa Claus? Is He loving? Is He distant? Is He everywhere but still hard to find? Is He even real? Is He disappointed all the time? Or what about this one: is He so incredibly compassionate that He is willing to suffer with you and even die for you? I wonder how you might answer any one of these questions. When you stop to think about it, to ask such questions is to put your finger on the most fundamental issue of life. What is God like? What could possibly be a more important question to consider? The purpose of the entire universe hinges on God’s existence, nature, and character.

In the Beginning

The Gospel of John begins with this astounding claim about Jesus of Nazareth: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1-3). Then John tells us that this Word who “was God” did something we struggle to even wrap our minds around. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (v. 14). The unseen Creator (v. 3) and Son of God (v. 14) made Himself visible to the world.

At this point, our minds, hungry for answers, begin to bump up against their limits. How does the infinite, all-powerful God of perfect majesty become a helpless and tiny human baby, completely dependent on His young mother? John does not say the Word ceased being the infinite God; instead, He added humanity to His divinity. In this way, the God of the universe made Himself approachable, tangible, and truly knowable. To the average Joe, this Word-made-flesh would have looked so ordinary. He did not hover above the ground everywhere He went. His face did not emit a paranormal glow. And He certainly wasn’t ensconced in an effervescent cloud everywhere He traveled. Instead, this God-man not only appeared every bit as human as you and me, He actually was.

In verse 17, John elaborates: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The great deliverer Moses revealed certain things about who God is, through the law. The law expressed God’s goodness, justice, and holiness. It also expressed His compassion. When Moses brazenly pled with God to show him His glory, God rejected his request — at least partially (Exodus 33:18-20). Essentially, God told him, “I can’t do that, Moses. You’d die if you came into contact with the fullness of My glory.”

Yahweh, Yahweh

Therefore, God revealed Himself to Moses in a different way, by pairing His eternal Name “Yahweh”[2] (which He first revealed to Moses back in Exodus 3) with a description of His character. God took Moses up onto a mountain and “covered” him with His hand while the full radiance of His divine being passed by. The quivering Moses would only be allowed to witness the tail end of God’s glory so that he could live another day. But in that mountaintop experience God Himself proclaimed to Moses — and, by extension, to us — what He is like.

“Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7).

Here, in the law (or Torah), God’s perfect character is revealed. Yahweh tells us He is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, faithful, and forgiving. Yet, here is where we meet one of Scripture’s classic paradoxes. Right after saying He is both ready and eager to forgive sin, God tells us He “will by no means clear the guilty” (v. 7). How are we to make sense of this? Doesn’t a willingness to forgive imply a willingness to clear the guilty? No, and here we see the coming together of two fundamental truths about God. He is more gracious, loving, and forgiving than we could ever dare to imagine. However, He is simultaneously more just, holy, and pure than we ever thought possible. So where does this leave us? How do we solve this apparent enigma?

Scripture repeatedly affirms that we have a big problem, and that is our sin. The Bible tells us “there is no one who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46). Although we are prone to think of ourselves as good people (Proverbs 20:6), God knows our hearts. And His verdict is clear: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). When we consider all this, there seems to be one disturbing conclusion: we are the guilty of Exodus 34:7. Therefore, we each have much at stake in understanding how God can be both forgiving and just.

Grace and Truth

Jumping back to the first chapter of John’s Gospel, let’s see that statement in verse 17 once again. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Now think about this. Grace and truth are really the twin concepts above that we are trying to reconcile. God is supremely gracious by nature and eager to forgive sin. On the other hand, if even a human judge decided to let a serial killer go free because he showed himself sufficiently sorry, you would not accept that. You would not call such a judge extraordinarily forgiving; you would call him corrupt. Why? Because to let the murderer go would be unjust.

Similarly, overlooking sin would be unjust because it would be treating the serious crime of rebellion against the King of Heaven as a minor infraction, which it is not. It would not be in keeping with the truth. John is telling us that grace and truth are fully realized, revealed, and reconciled in Jesus Christ alone. In a sense, the paradox of God’s statement about His own character in Exodus 34 has been hanging in tension all through Scripture — that is, until the arrival of Jesus.

In Jesus, God’s character is embodied and illuminated with vivid and vibrant colors in high definition. “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known” (John 1:18). In the original Greek, it actually says that Jesus has exegeted or fully explained God. That is, in Jesus we see what God is really like. That is why Jesus can later refer to Himself as “I Am” (Yahweh) (8:58) and even tell His disciples, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (14:9).

Look at Jesus

But again, how can God both forgive sin and not overlook sin? How can grace and truth be reconciled? When Jesus first began His earthly ministry, John the Baptist heralded Him as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (1:29). With that statement, John pointed ahead to the cross, where Jesus, like a sacrificial lamb, would lay down His life for the world. 700 years before Christ’s crucifixion, the prophet Isaiah wrote:

“But He was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

We can be forgiven of our sin, but only if we believe in the One who bore our sin for us and was punished in our stead. That is why God’s character is never more vividly portrayed for all the world to see than in the cross of Jesus Christ, where both His astounding love and His perfect justice are on full display. As the psalter so beautifully writes, “Lovingkindess and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other” (Psalm 85:10). Scripture says that when we place all our trust in Christ’s sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, we are forgiven, cleared of all guilt, and found righteous in Christ (Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 2:16).

So how do we know what God is like? Look at Jesus. More specifically, look at Jesus on the cross. There, on Calvary, with hands outstretched to embrace a world that has rejected Him, we see what God is like.

Photo credit: Rose Barraza

[1] A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (Zeeland, MI: Reformed Church Publications, 2017), 1.

[2] In most English translations, the Hebrew name of God, “Yahweh,” is translated simply as “the LORD” (all caps), but a closer translation is more like “I Am” or “He Is.” In other words, Yahweh is the self-existent, eternal, and personally present Creator.

How Should Christians Vote?

On By Jason SmithIn Theology for Life2 Comments

By Jason Smith

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1).

Vote-Here-Marg Johnson

You might be wondering if I really have the gall to tell you how you should vote in the sense of recommending for whom or what specifically you should vote. But that is not my intention here. In fact, to do so would undermine much of what I have to say in this post. Instead, my aim is to challenge followers of Jesus Christ to consider thoughtfully both the manner and mindset with which they will vote this year.

It is a painful truism to say that our nation is deeply divided, particularly in the sphere of politics. Rarely has our nation witnessed such stark and severe polarization between conservatives and liberals. In the United States, one’s “political party” has practically become a euphemism for which side of the nation’s battle lines you have decided to take your stand. In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, a seemingly endless stream of vitriolic verbal attacks were lobbed back and forth like hand grenades on social media. In the midst of all the upheaval, many simply tried to duck for cover, fearing the next venomous insult might strike them.

How did it come to this? While the two-party structure has been in place in the United States since before the Civil War, rarely has so much hatred been spewed between the two parties. Like a sailor struggling to cross the deck of a ship being rocked by an intense storm, the nation feels unsteady. The Right and the Left have become ideological fortresses so cemented in their way of thinking that there seems to be no signs of fruitful dialogue. As a nation, I fear we have lost the art of civil persuasion. Instead, we have resorted to mindless mud-slinging and sardonic put-downs. Simply put, we need help.

I want to encourage you to think carefully about who you are as a Christian and how this should utterly transform the way we approach the voting booth. To do this, we need to look at Scripture. God has offered us the help we so desperately need in these politically trying times.

Christians Should Vote Biblically

The Christian’s source for truth and wisdom is Scripture. Therefore, in every area that we vote, we should be asking, “What does the Bible say on this matter?” The Bible is an ancient book, but it is never outdated. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV). That statement is as true today as it was when Paul wrote it. It is because of that first clause — all Scripture is God-breathed — that everything else follows. We can be fully “equipped for every good work” (including voting) because our God has actually spoken to us and not left us to work out everything according to our own fallible wisdom. Political opinions come and go. Cultural controversies have their day in the sun. But “the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8, ESV). On any issue we vote on, we should make it our goal to seek biblical wisdom on the matter.

Your Identity Is in Christ, Not a Political Party

This world is constantly trying to stuff people into certain categories, be they social, political, economic, or ethnic. You must be this and not that. But the cross of Jesus Christ forever stands as a witness against this way of thinking. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Your most fundamental identity is not dictated by whether you check the red or the blue box. Rather, it is found in Christ alone.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking of yourself most fundamentally as belonging to either the Republican party or the Democratic party. Recognize the deeper and eternal reality underneath all those transitory layers. Here’s an important question to consider: At the absolute core of who you are, do you identify more as an American or as a follower of Jesus Christ? Just remember that earthly kingdoms, by their very nature, will not stand forever. Only the kingdom of God will last into eternity.

Your Vote Is Important, but Not Ultimate

When Jesus stood before Pilate, bleeding and in chains, the Roman governor viewed his own power as ultimate. Did he have to answer to Caesar? Of course, but Caesar was over 1,000 miles away. When Jesus refused to respond to his interrogation, Pilate was indignant.

So Pilate tried another tactic, reminding Him who was in charge here. “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” (John 19:10). In today’s vernacular, Pilate was confidently asserting, “Just remember, I’m the big cheese around here.” As is often the case for those in seats of power, Pilate hoped Jesus would at least acknowledge his supremacy.

Instead, Jesus calmly turned to him and replied, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin” (v. 11). Wow. In other words, “Pilate, you wouldn’t even be standing in this position unless My Father had given it to you. You are actually a servant of God’s greater purposes in spite of yourself.” This is true of every government official according to Romans 13:1: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Our votes are important, but they are not ultimate. Why? Because human governments are not ultimate. God alone is sovereign over the nations (see Psalm 2). As Daniel said of the one true God while living in a land full of false gods, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:20-21). The only reason anyone is in any government position at all is because God determined it so. “He removes kings and sets up kings.”

Pilate was a wicked man willing to slaughter Jews in order to reassert his power (Luke 13:1). Yet Jesus says that God had good purposes for this evil man in office. Voting matters, but only because God can use even the most heinous persons to accomplish His mission in the world. Human freedom does not nullify the sovereignty of God. So vote, but vote with the recognition that ultimately you do not place anyone in any position of authority. That is the job of our sovereign God alone, and we should be thankful for that.

Vote with the End in Mind

Politicians promise many things. After a while, many of these promises seem a bit empty. However, there are promises found in Scripture that the follower of Jesus can bank their life on. The brightest, fullest, and most audacious hope one can ever dream of is found in the pages of Scripture. I’m talking about resurrection, the ultimate goal of the Christian life. On that Day, when the curtain rolls back, the world will see Jesus for who He truly is, and His kingdom will be unveiled and finally consummated in full. It will be said, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

Even today, however, Jesus rules from His throne in heaven. He’s not in the tomb; He hasn’t been for nearly 2,000 years. From the moment He conquered death in history, Jesus “must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). As we vote this year, followers of the risen Lord must vote with this hope in mind. This settled peace and assurance will keep us from angry name-calling and hostile aggression whenever the volatile topic of politics comes up. Ultimately, we are not awaiting our candidate’s election. We are awaiting the trumpet blast, and the return of our now reigning Lord (v. 52).

Photo Credit: Marg Johnson