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BULLETIN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO

WHY WAS IT NECESSARY TO  MAKE NOT ONLY PEOPLE
WHO WOULD CHOOSE TO FOLLOW GOD
BUT THOSE WHO THOSE WHO WOULD NOT ?
WHY NOT MAKE ONLY THOSE WHO WOULD BE DISPOSED TOWARD HIM ?

This is the question of a youth concerned about life.

Answer  is not hard to find if you ponder in terms of PURPOSE and POWER of the Creator.

If His purpose were to look good superficially and to have a quick, slick answer, then such a fraud as that might be considered.

However, since the Bible is our orientation to God, coming from Him not us (cf. SMR), it is apparent that His purpose is served by a better TEST, than suggested by the youth, a better DEMONSTRATION than that young person had in mind and moreover the production (freely, not by any mere force or farce) of people who without being merely commanded, should become devotees of goodness, loved lovers of God. Indeed, not only this, but loving toward each other, examples of spiritual  loveliness and moral beauty. A painter might wish something like that for a painting, but this is LIFE, and by the nature of our construction, we have freedom to align.

If then only those to be freely in line with truth were created, these would not be subjected to such tests of the malign, evil, deceitful, unreliability of OTHER PEOPLE, who would not merely ruffle their feathers but try the very patience of the saints. They would be spared true test in an artificial environment. They might be crucified, a quick test, imprisoned, unjustly accused, or their very names made to stink by devious lies against them. THEN and in these and other ways, they would be shown a test at the level of REALITY.

If you try to avoid reality, in the end you always lose, whether rich or poor, because it cannot be controlled. The reality is that God seeks and does not force because that is contrary to His nature, purpose and design. See for example Isaiah 44-46, Ephesians 5. He states that He would like all to be reconciled to Himself, the blood of Christ being shed (Colossians 1:19ff.), but He wants it in terms of love (John 3:16-19), without which the human race, is being seen more and more clearly, as not only unworkable, but foul and feeble.

Hence reality is necessary. No slick adventure can replace history. It is real and with exposure to evil and scope for salvation, reconciliation with God through the free gift of Jesus Christ, available, failure to receive whom simply leaves a rebel race. These are found repeatedly, pretending in many cases that their Maker is not there, and exhibiting, one by one, continuance simply as they are, or else what ?  Why, the reception of the recipe of pardon, peace and point in life, because of His love. IT IS THIS - OR NOT.

This openness then DEMONSTRATES to the world and to all the powers of evil which love to distort the truth and encourage others in their own rebellion, that goodness is NOT a mere method of obtaining rewards, but that it is for many, what is wanted, what is sought, valued by those who are His. Job is a good example.

Thus is seen that the way of God for life, in truth is able to stand against all tests, has a sincerity which, while it is true there are many hypocrites, is nevertheless as obvious as falling in love romantically, though far deeper (cf. Ephesians 5).

God wants this to be done, this demonstration to be made, this laboratory of history to show the truth for all eternity; and how eloquent history is turning out to be , with every folly of illogical thought and shameless politics, misrule and cruelty made apparent in different ways, through regimes and models invented by man. God has indicated that none of these, usurping rule from Him, will work (Ezekiel 21:27). When His purpose is the exposure under test of those blessed in Christ, as also of the nature of evil, not a mere moral denunciation but a matter of reality, then that purpose too is fulfilled by unfiltered reality.

The truth is part of His purpose; His love is another; His authenticity and seeking for it - genuine and sincere faith, is a third.

In estimating then WHY someone does something, you must in all reality consider the PURPOSE. That is why some things are done in one way and NOT in another. This you know in your own life. God knows what will be, but its method of production is not twisted for that. He also knows the necessity  of knowing, as of showing and exhibiting the truth AS truth.

He has the power for this, and uses it, publishing in His written and only authorised word to mankind, the Bible, what it is to be as world history progresses (or regresses); and at times also when it is to happen, and often in what series of events (as now) certain developments are to be made.

Of this, there is a current case. It is the collection of wars, earthquakes notably, famines, troubled seas, degeneracy en masse among mankind, horrible decline in many churches, deception by false leaders, a flush of false prophets, and increasing unworkability of the whole human race, and all of this in association with the return of Israel the nation, to Jerusalem which, as predicted (Luke 21:24), has happened ONCE in some 1900 years and is now fulfilled. As Peter declares,  prophecy is a light in a dark place, and is of much aid as the day comes for challenge (II Peter 1:19-21).

God tells us what to do when trials amid darkness seek to surround us (Isaiah 50:10 -11) as we walk in His way. The  point here is simply to do it: trust in the Lord and rely on Him. His salvation is not grievous (I John 5:3).      One of His commandments is to repent of rebellion and through the blood of the cross, to ask for pardon and mean it, trusting the God who made you to excel all fake salvation and needless damnation.  God would have all do this, but does not dictate (Colossians 1:19), because He is kind, or shut His eyes, because He is true.