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Touching lives with the truth of God's Word.

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Location: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Monday, August 26, 2013

UNDERSTANDING FREE WILL

Martin Luther struggled greatly with the relationship of God’s sovereignty to human free will and sin. In fact, one of the greatest books ever written on the subject, The Bondage of the Will, is from Luther’s pen. When Luther grappled with this issue, he especially struggled with the Old Testament passages where we read that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 4:21; 7:3–4, 13–14, 22–23; 8:15, 19, 30–32; 9:27–10:2; 10:16–2024–28).

When we read these passages, we tend to think, “Doesn’t this suggest that God not only works through the desires and actions of humans, but that He actually forces evil upon people?” After all, the Bible does say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

When Luther discussed this, he observed that when the Bible says that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, God did not create fresh evil in the heart of an innocent man. Luther said that God didn’t harden people by putting evil in their hearts. All that God must do to harden anyone’s heart is to withhold His own grace; that is, He gives a person over to himself.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

GOD IS JUST

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. [Deuteronomy 32:4]

Only God is able to completely understand every aspect of every situation. He alone knows all the facts. He alone knows the motivations of the heart. His judgments are fair, impartial, righteous and true. God will, on the final Day of Judgment, right all wrongs and judge each person according to His standards. He will ensure that justice prevails. We do not need to become angry and bitter about the unfairness in this world. We can leave the final judgment to God, He is going to fix this mess and make everything right.

They will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth. [Psalm 96:13]

Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. [Psalm 45:6]

The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. [Psalm 9:7-8]

God examines both rich and poor, not according to their lands and houses, but according to the riches of their hearts. [Augustine of Hippo]