The Pilgrim Pastor

The question came to me recently, "Who was Hell created for? Fallen Angels?"  The Bible does teach that Hell was created for Satan and his fallen angels.  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!” (Matthew 25:41 NET)  However, when we consider the context of this passage of Scripture, we see that Jesus is specifically speaking about judgment upon sinful and unbelieving humans who will take part in the place of punishment that was originally created for Satan and his fallen angels.

People bring many different theological and philosophical perspectives to bear on the questions relate to the problem of pain and evil.  They are too vast to fully explore for our purposes here.  These various ideas which are brought to bear in an attempt to answer these questions often convolute, complicate, and obscure any answer which has the potential to satisfy the heart with intricate systems of thought that barely satisfy the mind.  To get at the heart of the problem of pain and evil we have to ask two questions and be willing to listen to what God says in His word with regard to their answers.  Who is God?  Who am I in relation to God?  From these two foundational questions we find answers with the potential to satisfy the heart and sustain a growing faith in God.

Sin is the source of the brokenness in this world.  In Romans 5 we read that death came into the world as the result of the rebellion of Adam in the garden.  Acting on behalf of man as the corporate head of the human race, Adam chose to rebel against God rather than to obey God.  (Genesis 3:16-19) The result was a change in the nature of creation.  God is not the author of evil.  Adam and Eve chose rebellion.  God is absolutely just, in the same way that He is completely holy and loving.  Man’s choice brought about the consequence of death’s entrance into the world.  Humanity has itself to blame for the brokenness of this world and if we are honest, we can plainly see that the greatest amount of pain and suffering that occurs in the world is brought about through hostility shared between people.  The pain and suffering that is cited in your question, for example, is the pain and suffering which man has caused himself through his great and tragic propensity to destroy one another. 

Conversely, God has offered humanity a way out of its sinful rebellion so that for those who choose Christ, there is a way to be reconciled to God.  “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.” (Romans 5:15-16 NIV)

We have quickly addressed the origin of pain and suffering. What about its continued existence?  Surely it is true that man causes much harm to man.  Humanity is in many ways its greatest enemy.  Why does God allow this pain and suffering to continue?  Everything that occurs in the world and in our life has one grand purpose which offers meaning well beyond our immediate comfort, safety, or well-being.  All that occurs does so either by design or divine allowance in order to draw mankind to a place of dependence upon God.  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”  (Romans 5:1-5 NIV)

Pain, suffering, sorrow, tragedy, is allowed to continue in this present period of human history in order to cut the legs out from under our pride, draw us to our knees in repentance, and raise our eyes to heaven.  In Romans 8:28-29 the Bible says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (NIV)  God redeems the brokenness of this life as we identify with Christ through it and allow it to make us more dependent upon God.  

God is not pleased with evil.  Nor will He allow it to continue unchecked forever. In Revelation 21:1-5 we read that God has promised to wipe away every tear, that a day is coming when Jesus shall return, destroy the present brokenness that sin brought into this world, and establish His Kingdom in perfection.  We are not without hope.  While we do not know when this will occur, it is has long been the blessed hope of the Church and a foundational truth for countless believers. 

The Bible is the very most consistent when it comes to our experience of tragedy and pain in this world and an explanation for it which offers hope and meaning.  Consider that no other system of theology or philosophy adequately deals with the problem of pain and evil; man’s utter inability to manage his relationships apart from violence, cruelty and dissatisfaction.  We all sense that there is a problem, that this world is somehow not what it ought to be.  The fall in the Garden of Eden still echoes in the chambers of every heart.  Only the Bible explains where our proclivity to destroy ourselves comes from in terms which also offer hope and are consistent with our experience of reality.  The Bible passes the correspondence test of truth. 

What it says corresponds with our experience of the world around us.

Pilgrim Pastor... Surrounded by evil, suffering, sorrow... filled with love, light, hope! 

There seem to be a lot of teachers creeping up in basement youtube videos teaching a form of Pentacostal Holiness, but without the teeth of the actual movement.  By citing passages out of context, men like the one I stumbled accross recently named Jan (Justice) Boshoff of First Plumbline Apologetics (www.firstplumbline.net)  While I cannot comment exhaustively as to this man’s ministry and certainly not to his inner thoughts or hearts intent, in reading much of the materiel on his ministry website and after examining several of his YouTube videos, it appears that he prescribes to at least a version of what is commonly known as holiness theology which arose out of the Pentecostal Holiness Movement of the early twentieth century.  The common elements of this view are that it is possible to achieve actual propositional holiness in this life.  This is evidenced by a few of Mr. Boshoff’s statements found in one of his You Tube videos.  He says that “We cannot carry on in sin and then say that we have a relationship with God… if you love Jesus my friends you make sure there is nothing between you and God.”  (YouTube Video: “Sin no more lest....” ) 

While I do not wish to engage in a debate or critique of this man or his ministry, it is not difficult to find an abundance of biblical support against this view. If you are interested, keep reading:

This view depends upon citing only those passages of the Bible which speak of the importance of personal holiness in the life of the Christian.  Indeed, the Bible does speak of the importance of real holiness.  However, citing Scriptures that only support one’s view is highly problematic.  This method of Bible interpretation divorces those passages of Scripture from their context.  When we take passages out of context to prove a point in seclusion from other passages on the same subject or similar subjects, in this case the themes of sin, forgiveness, and holiness, then we isolate those passages from their overall meaning and do damage to the overall themes of the Bible. 

The Bible makes it clear that all people, including Christians, are not without sin.  Romans 3:23 makes it clear that all people have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NIV)  In the Epistle of I John, the author writes to Christians concerning, among other things, their own sin.  He says that “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10 NIV)  The writer of this letter, most likely John the Apostle, is writing to Christians.  He makes two very important points in relation to our discussion here.  First, while writing to Christians, he says that we are not without sin.  Secondly, John says that if we confess our sins God is faithful and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. 

The Bible speaks of our need for holiness. “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV)  However, nowhere does the Bible imply or state that such holiness is dependent upon our ability to create or maintain it. Our holiness comes through confession to God of our sin and trust in Jesus Christ, who forgives our sin.  In the very next verses which follow this citation from Peter which is often used by those of the holiness theology perspective, Peter goes on to point us to the reality that our holiness in the sight of God is completely reliant on the holiness of Jesus which comes through faith! “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:18-21 NIV)

Our faith and hope for salvation are completely in God.  He saves us through faith in Jesus.  Holiness and obedience are important but they are the product of God’s grace working in us.  God’s favor does not in any way depend upon our ability to live a life of holiness.  God’s grace is the product of His love and faith is the gift that God gives to us in order to access His grace.  Fear mongering men rely upon our insecurity as believers to get us to listen to their message.  While they may even be well intentioned, a Gospel that depends upon our ability to be holy in order to get or keep a relationship with God is no Gospel at all. 

The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin and not only that; He also covered us with His righteousness, His holiness.  “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22a NIV)  When God judges us He does not judge our holiness that we have been able to maintain by our efforts.  He judges us according to the holiness of Jesus that was transferred to our spiritual account by faith.  We are called to a life of growing obedience but our obedience is not the basis of our salvation or of God’s love for us.  The blood of Jesus Christ which covers us is the basis of our salvation because of God’s love for us.  Peace comes from knowing that God did it all in Christ.  “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” (Colossians 1:19-20 NIV)

Believers will always be faced with temptation and sin in this life.  (Ephesians 4:27, James 4:7)  Through a life of devotion to Christ and commitment to spiritual growth we do mature in our ability to resist temptation and sin. (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 6:13-17, James 4:1-6)  That does not mean that we will ever cease to sin.  We must be very careful what voices we choose to listen to. (Matthew 7:15, Acts 20:29, 2 Peter 2:1)  If a man’s ministry teaching or views run counter to what we know of the Bible, then we should distance ourselves from that man, choosing well respected and biblically consistent sources of instruction instead.  Obedience matters.  The Bible calls on us to be a people of growing maturity in and obedience to Christ but we will never find the peace of God until we recognize that salvation and a relationship to God is the gift of God alone, through faith.  Our righteousness is the gift of Jesus righteousness. 

Our good works and ability to live a sinless life is but a shadow of the worth of Jesus which God covers us with freely. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6 NIV)  Any good work that we do is the result of God’s grace, not the means of gaining or maintaining it.  Peace comes through resting in what God has done for us, standing in awe and amazement at His love for us, and resting in Him.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27 NIV)

I am presently conducting research for a contribution to aproject dealing with the subject of the “Eternal Security” of the believer.  That is, the doctrine commonly referred to as “Once Saved, Always Saved.” Not surprisingly, my contribution to this multi-author compilation is in the subject area of practical theology; what does this doctrine mean in the daily lives of Christians?  Many (if not all) of the other contributors are noted pastors, theologians, and scholars and I was very pleased to have been asked to contribute.

In my initial research, I came across one of the most well written statements on the dichotomy which exists between hard determinism (that God "arbitrarily" chooses who will be saved) and indeterminism (that God simply “rolls the dice” with Jesus and whoever is saved is saved).  Both of these options of biblical interpretation are poor choices.  The Bible teaches both, neither and something else entirely…

“Neither the one, (coercion – Determinism) nor the other (arbitrariness – Indeterminism) can be accepted – but rather the mean which preserves equi-distance from both extremes. Reason staggers here – faith worships.” - “The Reformed Doctrine of Justification,” Dr. Edward Boehl, 1946.

Friend, we shall never plumb the depths of the mind of God.  We are secure in Christ because God chose to save us in Christ.  His saving instrument is our faith according to grace. The relationship between human free will and God’s sovereign action is vast and deep; the full contents of its exploration locked to the human mind.These two seemingly opposing notions are both present in Scripture and not contradictory in the mind of God.  They are only locked to our finite minds, not to His.

Where reason ends, faith begins.  Where our ability to comprehend the deepest mysteries of God ends like a trail suddenly ending on a steep cliff, faith gives us wings to fly and soar over the abyss of the mysteries of God and His creation.  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6NIV)  We will only ever know Him to the extent that we are willing to seek Him on His terms, His way. 

Pilgrim Pastor… meditating on the vast inadequacy of my academic credentials… acknowledging my need for simple saving faith in my savior…