The Secret Things
The last couple of weeks, there has been much discussion around the “blogosphere” about where people go when they die if they do not exercise repentance and faith in God. Most commonly this refers to unborn infants, infants, young children and the mentally disabled. Tim Challies wrote a series of thought provoking blogs about this, one being “Original Sin & the Death of Infants.” My father-in-law picked up on the interest and has written several entries on the subject, the first being “Babies in Heaven?”
One thing that troubles me about this discussion is that people seem insistent on having a final answer. Many people simply hear the cases that the outspoken well-known teachers present and decide to stick with the “authoritative” conclusions they make. The conclusion is that any baby or mentally disabled person gains “instant heaven” upon death. I don’t think that Scripture gives us a conclusive “final answer” for our question.
I wish, that on this issue, we could focus on what we do know rather than trying to fill in the blanks with answers that make sense, or seem right to us. We can’t use God’s character to draw our conclusions. But we do this so often, don’t we? We say, “God is love, therefore…” God is gracious, therefore…” Sometimes we take God’s perfect attributes and draw human conclusions from them, conclusions that may not be accurate. God is who He has always been and always will be (Rev. 1:8). Though we may try to ascribe our positions and stances to Him, He never changes. In Isaiah 49:9-10 God says of Himself–
“I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.”
We may not always understand why something is happening, especially situations that include suffering, trials, or death. Instead of coming to a conclusion that makes sense to us or demanding a “final answer” we should consider the God who is at work rather than trying to make sense of what is happening. For example, we say that God is good, then want to conclude that His goodness should mean that there would be no pain or suffering in life. We say that God is love and want this to mean that God would never let bad things happen to His children or send someone to hell. We can so easily warp what we do know to into what we want to be true.
We don’t always have to have a conclusion or an answer to our question. Somehow the statement, “I don’t know, but God does” is not a popular answer. The realities that God is good and loving should be the conclusion to some of our questions. I might need to say, “God is good.” Period. I need to trust Him without knowing what is going to happen or why. I don’t need Him to equal an end for me. He needs to be enough. God alone is hope andis comfort, we don’t need to tack on what we hope will happen at the end of that to try to make ourselves feel better.
If someone is in a trial or suffering a loss (even that of a child), its okay to say, “I don’t know, but God does.” We can rely fully on Him. Not a reliance that says, “I’m trusting you because I know you won’t let this happen” But a trust like Job that submits to Him with an attitude that says, “No matter what happens, even the hard things I can’t understand, I trust you because you are God and I am man.” Job even said “Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21) We need to resist the urge to give human answers to the questions we have about what God is doing.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God,
but those things which are revealed belong to us
and to our children forever,
that we may do all the words of this law.”
This verse is also a very hope-filled truth. Though I can’t know everything, I can know the One who does. He has revealed Himself to us and wants us to trust Him. He is God. We can leave the rest in hands.
August 3rd, 2006
Those are some very difficult and sensitive questions because the people usually asking have lost someone they love.
I have heard many an answer. So, here are some thoughts to consider:
If we all agree that God is all-knowing and sovereign and if we all agree on the theological concept of “pre-destination”… then God “foreknew” everyone. Even those unborn babies and the mentally disabled who may not have been able to verbalize their beliefs or even be cognizant enough to form any beliefs. God knows and has had it planned out from before the beginning of time. None of us really know what each of these souls may have chosen had they lived or been constructed differently.
Ultimately, it does depend on your own trust in the Lord and believing that whatever the answer is, it is in the good and perfect will of our loving Father.
August 3rd, 2006
AMEN!
August 3rd, 2006
AMEN! (was meant for Christa’s blog, not the comment above- for it has some logical/theological contradictions within the comment)
August 4th, 2006
My wife and I lost our first-born child over 5 years ago, and the questions you’ve raised were certainly heavy on my heart. I can remember two key learnings from the experience (even though the learning will continue until the day God calls me home):
- I remember standing up at the funeral service and telling people that I couldn’t understand this. It didn’t make sense to me. And yet, as I searched earnestly through the bible I could find no evidence that I belonged to a God who wanted to cause me pain, or a God who lived only to make my life a misery. So as much as things didn’t make any sense, it was important to hang on to a God who is consistently loving in His word, whose faithfulness never ends, and who promises that one day all the tears will be wiped from our eyes.
- I had written a song years before when I lost a close friend very suddenly. There’s a line at the end of the chorus that says
“now in my pain, when my heart’s on the ground,
I look at Your word and the choice is mine to make:
Either your words are true, or I am lost….
There is no choice to make.”
As Steve Curtis Chapman put it (I still struggle with this song): “God is God and I am not”.
August 4th, 2006
To Ilena…
My thoughts mentioned were not contradictory… they are what is called a paradox. In the grand scheme of God’s plan, it works perfectly. It doesn’t make sense in our own human brain because it is so far above what we can attain.
God has the power to choose each person’s destiny (and He does, according to Scripture), but He also gives us the responsibility to choose and we are all held accountable for our decisions. That is not a contradiction… it shows God’s perfect will.
Christa, I don’t want to trod on any toes, so if you have any comments to add, please feel free.
August 5th, 2006
to mrsjmyoung:
I took this statement to be a theological contradiction:
“Ultimately, it does depend on your own trust in the Lord and believing that whatever the answer is, it is in the good and perfect will of our loving Father.”
I took it to be a contradiction because “ultimately” our own “trust” is a gift of God’s grace and not our own will. But, since these are just written comments, and no other clues (e.g. body language, tone of voice, general knowledge of the other person’s character or personality) I probably misunderstood your meaning, and therefore, the fault is mine. I’m sorry if I came across as harsh. Your rebuttal was adequate and clear and gentle. Thank you. And, I, now, comprehend what you meant by this “paradox.”
August 5th, 2006
No problem, Ilena… I don’t always explain things very clearly either.
August 6th, 2006
Folks,
I’m pleased you were able to sort out your disagreement - but I’m curious: what would either of you say to someone who’d suffered a terrible loss? Either what you say above suggests that a person’s loss is the nett result of their actions, or merely the indicator of a sovereign God who predestines bad things to happen.
I have an answer, by the way, but I’m curious about yours.
August 6th, 2006
Rodd, I would say that any loss is entirely an act of God’s sovereignty. Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21). There may be situations where it seems as though the loss is a result of human action–such as in a car accident or a murder–but even those don’t happen apart from God’s sovereign working.
August 7th, 2006
I think bad things happen to us because we live in a fallen world. True, God’s sovereignty is absolute. But this sovereignty can and is also exercised in his preparedness to allow people to continue to choose, and also to experience the consequence of their actions. Sadly though, that also means that bad things happen even to ‘good’ people. I live in the same fallen world as you do, and the reality is that bad things happen to ALL of us. It also means that I still struggle with life even though I have a hope in God.
When I asked once “why doesn’t God come and fix it all up?” someone wise gave me an answer: When he comes again he’s going to clean up everything, including those He’s still waiting will choose to belong to Him. God’s return will be final. So God waits.
I happen to believe that God weeps at the pain we go through, knowing that in creating us with the right to choose we would create for ourselves a pain (through sin) that wasn’t supposed to exist in a perfect relationship. And yet it was always God’s plan to send His son into such a world as the ultimate expression of His love (1 Peter 1:20). God made us to choose. He knew we would choose the wrong things, but knew also that He would demonstrate His love in making it possible to be right with Him in spite of our wrong.
I know that part of belonging to God as a believer is that he ‘hedges’ us in (Ps 139:5). God protects us from the full consequence of our sin, and the sin of others (to David this was too wonderful to fully understand).
I know He longs to return and make all things new, as much as I look forward to Him bringing me home (Rev 22).
How we minister and relate to others who go through loss is very much dependent on us being real about our struggles to understand; and also in our willingness to offer them a glimpse of the kind of relationship you can have with a God who longs to welcome a lost son home.
Please remember that to someone who suffers loss not having the answers is often the best approach - your answers above seem to be so matter of fact and well prepared, but how does it help someone when they’re in pain?
August 7th, 2006
Compassion toward someone’s loss and crying when they cry (despite “knowing” an answer or not) is the best approach. My best friend also lost her baby a few years ago and it is a very painful time for everyone.
August 7th, 2006
Sis-
I loved this post. One of the great joys of the Christian life is being able to say, “I don’t know, but God does.”
Keep up the great blogging! I’ve missed it!
August 7th, 2006
I think mrsjmyoung has a good point, compassion toward someone after a loss is the best way to comfort them because it is something we (and they) can be sure of- our love, care, and support for that person.
I find it poor logic to make promises to the person that are out of our own finite hands (i.e.”you’ll see your baby in heaven someday”) because IF we do not have the answers, let’s not pretend that we do.
I also wonder at the idea that an almighty and righteous God would owe us anything, like setting everything to right, as we think it should be. Was salvation not enough for us, that now we think we can call God unfair?
I know I myself have thought this before. We should be ashamed to ever think that God didn’t treat us rightly. As we were deserving eternal damnation, anything better than that is a blessing.
Yes, we should be questioning “why”, but keeping in mind how God may be trying to teach us and grow us, using whatever method He deems necessary to conform us to the image of His Son.
Thanks for posting, Sis
August 7th, 2006
i liked this one, i guess its because I’ve been trying to figure out why God would let one of my younger friends die [she passed away on august 2, 2006] she was getting better and i just don’t get it and seeing what you wrote and the comments it is nice and i can say that i don’t know but God does, a comfort i get to share in. sorry i haven’t’ wrote in a while its just been hard since i miss you but hey quick question did you ever receive any of the emails i sent you cause i think something’s wrong. tell me when you get some time. God bless –emma