"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11

(16) Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was wickedness, and that in the place of righteousness wickedness was there also. (17) I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time [appointed] for every matter {and} purpose and for every work.

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How can God be in control when the world contains so much evil? How can God be in control with the evil prospering in their sins and the righteous suffering in their obedience? Does that not seem backward from the way that we would think of God operating things? How should a Christian react to this?

Certainly, Solomon was not the first to ask this question. As much as we might dislike having to deal with this, it is nonetheless a reality. In His wisdom, God chose to deal with humanity in this way, and perhaps most especially, to allow His own children to face these same circumstances.

Solomon was comforted by two godly realities that we should also understand and use. First, he assures us that God will judge. The timing of His judgment is in God's capable hands. Therefore, we must remember that nobody among humanity will get away with the evil that he does. The wages of sin—death—is a reality (Romans 6:23). We cannot allow ourselves to forget that God is judging. It is a continuous process, and in many cases, we simply are not aware of present, unseen penalties that the evil person may already be paying.

Second, human nature naturally thinks that the way God handles things is unfair, a judgment that is the work of the spirit of this world (Ephesians 2:2-3). However, God's perception of timing and judgment is a much broader and more specific picture regarding each person than we can see. We are not walking in others' shoes, nor are we aware of what God is planning for them to experience. Therefore, what we must know and properly utilize is the fact that, in a major way, other people are none of our business. That is God's concern, and He will take care of things in His time.

— John W. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:
Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Four): Other Gifts



 

Topics:

Consequences of sin

Ecclesiastes and Christian Living

Evil Prospering in Their Sins

Fairness of God

God Will Judge

God's Control

God's Fairness

God's Sovereignty

Wages of Sin

Wages of Sin is Death




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