'>
- Cheer Up!
- Why does God allow COVID-19?
- Covid-19: It all started in the Garden
- God has a purpose in COVID
Why does God allow COVID-19?
Tough times bring both the good and the bad out in people.
People look at tough times differently
During this COVID-19 experience, many — who have no regard for God in the first place — seem to quickly blame Him for the virus and all the suffering and loss going on in this world.
Then, there are some who casually acknowledge there must be some unknown “higher power.”
They search the horizon with skepticism looking to see what role “it” may play in this mess.
And then, there are a few in this world who truly have a personal faith in God.
That means they rely fully upon the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
In them, the Holy Spirit dwells — and provides us assurance, conviction, enlightenment and the power to remain faithful.
To that small minority in the world, I say we have cause to rejoice in the peace and assurance God is giving you!
God is in control.
Every moment of every day, the Sovereign God of all that is, sits in the throne room of Heaven perfectly accomplishing all the purposes of the Godhead.
To better grasp how this Perfect Godhead is involved with the present pandemic, we need to understand a religious term… “the Will of God.”
I intentionally capitalized “Will.” It refers to God’s Will… perfect in all its essence and eternal in its existence.
And, I hasten to point out that the “Will” of God is frequently, no, generally, misunderstood.
Understanding the Will of God
There are multiple ways to understand and participate in the Will of God.
And during the COVID-19 virus outbreak is a great time for you to understand why I would say “COVID-19 is within the Will of God.”
Let’s focus on two aspects of the Will of God that the mind of man can comprehend and understand at a practical level.
I’ ll refer to them as the “Sovereign Will of God” and the “Permissive Will of God.”
Now, please, you “Theologians” don’t jump to criticize the terminology. This article is written for those unfamiliar with the subject of the Will of God.
This is an overview … viewed from an altitude of 35,000 feet, as some might say.
“Sovereign Will of God”
This is the power of God to make anything and everything happen by simply decreeing it… inaudibly… it’s the power-side of God.
“He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand” (Daniel 4:35).
Consider also, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalms 115:3).
These Old Testament verses confirm that … those who fear God have always recognized that God has the unrestricted power to make anything and everything happen.
Nothing that happens is outside of God’s sovereign will… but we humans do not always discover His Sovereign Will until after it is accomplished.
An example
For example, it was God’s sovereign will that Joseph be taken to Egypt, languish in Pharaoh’s prison, interpret the king’s dreams, and eventually save his people from famine and be honored by all (Genesis 37–50).
At first, Joseph and his brothers were completely ignorant of God’s will in these matters, but, every step along the way, God’s plan was made plainer.
And — through the revelation of the Scriptures — YOU and I can now understand how God’s Sovereign Will operates.
“Permissive Will of God.”
What is usually referred to as divine permission (Permissive Will of God) is this: God simply lets an event happen.
That is, He does not directly intervene to prevent an event happening.
Here is where grave dangers lurk.
Some theologies view this drama as if God were impotent to do anything or that He is just disinterested in human event(s).
The late Dr. R.C. Sproul commented,
“This view, makes man sovereign, not God. God is reduced to the role of spectator or cheerleader, by which God’s exercise in providence is that of a helpless Father who, having done all He can do, must now sit back and simply hope for the best. He permits what He cannot help but permits because He has no sovereign power over it.”
NOTHING could be farther from the TRUTH.
Understanding God’s Will
What is God’s Will?
That “No one should perish, but everyone should come to repentance.” That has always been His Will for His creation.
But man continues to play the blame-game — and pins the tail on the Divine Healer rather than the devil donkey!
