John Wesley gives an example of David where sin causes suffering. We all live as if we personally suffer because of everyone else's sin. We tend to blame anyone else that we can. We say," Oh, it's Adam and Eve's fault" when our sins account for the fallen world just as much. Our pride gets in the way. We should humble ourselves enough to admit our own sins. "Lo, I have sinned, I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done?" 2 Samuel 24:17 Wesley shares this passage as to what or attitude should be.
Wesley believes our sins are the cause of all our suffering, "It therefore behoves us to consider our own sins;-- the cause of all our sufferings." (II 1) I don't know where he got this idea, but it isn't biblical. While I agree that sin causes sufferings many times, he used David as an example, suffering can also have other causes. Job, Stephen and Jesus are examples. Job and Stephen were godly men who did what was right and Jesus was perfect, however, they all experienced suffering. Why do "bad things happen to good people?" I believe it is God's plan. Maybe it is to glorify Himself, teach us, test us, punish us or it is a result of simply doing what was right. God explains that if we follow Him we will have suffering and persecution. Whatever the reason, we can trust that God allowed suffering in our lives for a purpose.
PS- commented on Rachel's "Star Spangled Banner"
I was thinking about this while in class and outside of class and it has become something i am learning in my own life now. Suffering is not just because of our sin. It can be sometimes but not all the time. God allows suffering for many reasons. He allows it for us to learn something. Sometimes, our suffering is to simply show God's Glory and for us to seek HIm through it all. God is Sovereign. He is in control and through it all, there is a reason and purpose for it.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you about Wesley being wrong about our sin being the root of all of our suffering. Suffering has many causes, BUT I believe that all suffering in some way, shape, or form brings glory to god. Which is the whole purpose of our existence in the first place. God made us so that we may give praise to him and his son. God never intended for our suffering to be how he his glorified. We are the creators of our own suffering, but god takes our frankenstein and turns it into his glory.
ReplyDeleteI agree too that sin is not always the cause of suffering. I think, in a way that it entered the world through sin, but Adam and Eve suffered temptation before they even took a bite of the forbidden fruit. But alot of suffering is caused by our sin. Jesus suffered because of our sin. But suffering and overcoming it is how God shows His glory by making us stronger once He's brought us out of it. Like how a blacksmith puts iron in the fire before they sculpt anything from it.
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