The Context

When I take a look at life, I see several serious questions that must be dealt with. The most obvious and most immediately are what I call the questions of Origin, Meaning and Destination. These are the “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” “Where am I going?” questions. I am certainly not the first to tackle these questions, and the answers others have given are many and varied. They can, however, be grouped into two general categories. Every answer will at the root be either Theistic or Atheistic. One must decide from the start whether or not deity will lay the foundation. Then, of course, when that decision is settled a host of new questions emerge (what about evil, suffering, goodness, morality, etc.?) and one feels as though he could quickly drown in the flood.

These are among the many problems that Paul addresses in his letter to the Roman Christians. In chapter one he asserts that his answers will be theistic—he begins with god. He also quickly states that man has an innate knowledge that there is a god, yet man has chosen to “suppress” this knowledge (Rom. 1:18-19). He further says that this god’s divine nature and eternal power are evident in the natural world (1:19-20). Paul’s conclusion here is that the one who, in the face of this evidence, still chooses to pursue his own desires rather than to pursue more knowledge about this god is without excuse and rightly judged (v. 20).

A second thing that stands out in these opening verses is the idea of righteousness versus unrighteousness. The reader is introduced in verse 17 of chapter one to the idea of the “righteousness of God,” and the fact that the “wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” I conclude from this that the God of the Bible is righteous, and, since he is eternal, the author of righteousness. I think it is also safe to conclude that to be ungodly is to live in a manner inconsistent with God’s revealed character and is therefore equivalent to unrighteousness.

As we move through the letter, Paul’s argument unfolds further. In chapter three Paul states that everyone has sinned, committed unrighteousness, (v. 10-18) and that the “whole world” is “held accountable to God,” (v. 19). He then explains in chapters four and five how salvation has come to mankind and is available through faith in Jesus the Christ. So Paul gives the problem that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and the solution that all are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (3:23-24).
Thus far the formula is easy; God created man, man rebelled and thus deserves punishment, but God mercifully provided a savior, Jesus, so that all who put faith in him will be spared God’s wrath. As we come to chapter nine, however, things are suddenly not so “cut and dry.” As Paul endeavors to explain the plan behind the plan, the questions and emotions begin to billow and swell like a swarm of angry yellow-jackets.

It is here that Paul strongly asserts and defends God’s power and right to choose the destiny of
every individual. It is here we learn that God determined before the world was formed who
would be allowed into heaven and who would be left to hell. It is here that we encounter such
verses as 10-13 that state “though they (Rebecca’s children) were not yet born and had done
nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because
of works but because of his call—she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ As it is
written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” These are just a few of the verses in this chapter that explain the predestinating plan that lies behind the plan laid out in the previous chapters.

The Catch

So many thoughts and ideas whirl through my mind when I consider these things, but I will try to clearly articulate what could be called “the catch” for me personally—the big question. It has been asked countless times “How could a good God allow evil and suffering?” My question is not so much a matter of how (as that is clearly explained in the Bible, esp. Romans), but why. Why would God, who claims to be good, create men just to eternally destroy them in hell?

Remember, the argument of scripture is that all of man is born under and has committed sin, and that God has mercifully sent his son to save those who would believe in him (Ps. 51:5, Rom. 3:23, Rom. 5:8-9). Now some try to solve the problem by saying that it is the choices we make that send us to heaven or hell. They would have us believe that man’s will, his inmost driving force, is free—that he absolutely free to decide on his own whether or not he will accept Jesus as his savior, and that it is the sin of rejecting Christ as savior that sends men to hell. This, however, is an answer I cannot accept because it simply does not fit with what scriptures says in Romans 9 and elsewhere. Others agree with scripture, that all is predestined, yet they still emphasize man’s responsibility in moral matters. Ultimately they too hold that people are sent to hell for rejecting Jesus as savior.

While I would fall more into the latter camp, due to the fact that I believe scripture means what it says when it talks about predestination, my question remains. Why would God, who claims to be good, create men just to eternally destroy them in hell? Why does he find it pleasurable to burn persons, humans in unimaginable torture? Why predestine a man to fall? Why predestine the entire human race to be born under sin? Why punish people for sins they were predestined to do?

While these questions relate largely to the Origin and Destination problems I mentioned earlier, many also arise in my mind concerning Meaning. To me, after wading through all these explanations and implications, one question remains. In light of the fact that all has been predestined before the world was made, and in light of the fact that the way things have been predestined is based not on anything men have done or will do, but is based merely on how God feels like doing things, is it possible that the names we call things are no more than empty labels?
For example, is there really such a thing as right and wrong, or is the heart of the matter that God predestined one to act this way and another to act that way? Is there really such a thing as human thought, rationality, decision-making—humanness,

Over the past couple of weeks, my Sunday school class has been going through an overview of Whose Money Is It Anyway? by John MacArthur. This past Sunday, as part of the lesson plan, we read the parable of the “Unjust Steward” (or “manager” for all you ESV fans). The entire class was rather taken aback when we stumbled across verse 9, but no explanation of it was ever really given. As a result, I spent three days wrestling with this parable, and specifically with this verse, endeavoring to understand what exactly Jesus is trying to teach us here. My conclusion is as follows.

At first, this verse seems to indicate that we are bribe people into becoming our friends because they hold the keys to heaven and can keep us out if they so wish! This is a rather disturbing thought, and (thankfully) quite contrary to the rest of scripture. What then is Jesus saying? I think we can take away two main lessons from this passage. The first lesson is one in stewardship.

When we look at the Wicked Manager, we find that he, in a sense, used his master’s money to provide for the needs of his Master’s debtors (by settling bills for less than they owed), and thus gained as a reward the approval of his maser’s debtors, even to the extent that they invited him into their homes after he was fired. Jesus uses this story to illustrate the necessity of believers to use their money wisely. Likewise, we also have a Master who has entrusted us with varying amounts of money. We should strive to be good stewards with this money, by providing for the needs of others, especially of other believers. Then, when we die, those believers whom we have helped will gladly receive us into heaven.

The difference between the believer and the Wicked Manager is one of motive and method. Namely, that the Wicked Manager helped his master’s debtors so that he could benefit himself here on earth, and he did so by “ripping of” his master. Believers, on the other hand, are to help others, not to benefit ourselves on this earth, but to obey and glorify Jesus, and we are to do so, not by “ripping him off” as it were, but through prudent management of the resources he has given us. (Note: “they may receive you into the eternal dwellings” does not mean that “they” have power to turn one away from heaven, but refers more to the added blessing of being received in heaven by those believers whom one has helped on earth) This lesson of using our money wisely is further highlighted by the account Jesus gives almost immediately after telling this parable of the rich man who died and went to hell because he cared more for himself than for others.

The second lesson regards masters. Jesus states at the end of this parable that “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money,” (verse 13). The Wicked Manager had the choice of either serving his master or himself. Believers face the same choice. We can either serve our Master or serve ourselves (to “serve money” is at the root serving self). One cannot serve both. As illustrated by the Wicked Manager, who used his master to better himself, one will eventually “love” one master and “despise” the other.

In conclusion, we can take from this parable that we are to carefully and wisely handle what God has given us, using it in a way that glorifies Him. Then, in so doing, we will be rejecting the master of self, and faithfully serving our heavenly Master. Thus, we will gain a rich reward in the life to come.

–D. R. Rainbolt

Pregnant with sin is my sorrowed soul, and greater

Now grows my labour-grief as, troubled, I

The off-spring of the Enemy of my Saviour

Do birth again into this world by means of sly,

Uncouth glances, ill intents, countless thoughts of hate.

How oft’ I feign to lie within the mighty arms

Of Him whose love from Holiness doth orig’nate,

While within I make shrines to worship lying charms.

Oh Lover Divine! Come rescue now the glory

Your Name is due, which I but imperfectly bear,

And often lose amid my dark thoughts. One and Three

Thou Trident of Mercy come pierce my pride and share

With me the thorn of suffering that I might taste

Your good grace, and bear fruit worthy of Your embrace.

–Daniel Rainbolt

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