I don't know about you, but I think the game of knowing "why" God is doing things in this world is a presumptuous and often self-serving game to play. One thing I've observed is that most folks who "know" the mind of God on an event -- say Katrina or 9/11 or the election of Obama -- always stand on the right moral side of the judgment. In other words, the ones who think they are righteous are the ones who speak up and render judgment in these matters. However, it smacks too often of self-righteousness.So, I thought I'd play this game of rendering judgment on world and national events and I do this in order to point out potential inconsistencies and to plea with those who are in the habit of declaring why God is doing some event to exercise humility and (only) a proper confidence. In fact, perhaps we ought to keep such discernments to ourselves. Who knows the mind of God but God alone?
Here are three points:
1. If you believe in God's sovereign control of this world [in a deterministic sense], then God wanted Obama in the White House and God didn't want McCain in the White House.
2. If you believe in God's sovereign control of this world, then it cuts both ways: if you think something bad or tragic or disastrous is a judgment by God, then everything bad or tragic or disastrous is a judgment by God [even if disciplinary]. Put concretely, if the elevation of one candidate to President is a reward from God, then the loss is a judgment by God against that candidate and party. (Doesn't this strike you as madness?)
3. If we believe in God's sovereign control of this world, then we dare not think that God's judgment is always against the other guy and never against us.
So, if we want to pretend to these levels of discernment, let's think together about why God made Obama President? (You might have other ideas.)
First, perhaps God made Obama President because he is rewarding the progressives and liberals for their efforts and their justice-seeking ways and compassion.
Second, perhaps God made Obama President in order to lift the African Americans into a position of vindication and victory.
Third, perhaps God made Obama President because he's tired of the self-righteousness of the conservatives.
Fourth, prehaps God made Obama President because he wants the conservatives to see that it is "God" who lifts and it is "God" who lowers -- not them.
Now my view: I believe in God's sovereignty. But believing that does not mean I know what God is doing all the time. Thus, I don't know why "God made Obama President." I'm not sure we're supposed to know "why" God does what God does. Not knowing, admitting mystery, is the way of this world. I am to live by faith.
It is far wiser to speak of what we have learned from an event than to declare, as if by revelation, what God intended. I'd rather be wise than foolishly pretend to revelatory knowledge.
1. If you believe in God's sovereign control of this world [in a deterministic sense], then God wanted Obama in the White House and God didn't want McCain in the White House.
2. If you believe in God's sovereign control of this world, then it cuts both ways: if you think something bad or tragic or disastrous is a judgment by God, then everything bad or tragic or disastrous is a judgment by God [even if disciplinary]. Put concretely, if the elevation of one candidate to President is a reward from God, then the loss is a judgment by God against that candidate and party. (Doesn't this strike you as madness?)
3. If we believe in God's sovereign control of this world, then we dare not think that God's judgment is always against the other guy and never against us.
So, if we want to pretend to these levels of discernment, let's think together about why God made Obama President? (You might have other ideas.)
First, perhaps God made Obama President because he is rewarding the progressives and liberals for their efforts and their justice-seeking ways and compassion.
Second, perhaps God made Obama President in order to lift the African Americans into a position of vindication and victory.
Third, perhaps God made Obama President because he's tired of the self-righteousness of the conservatives.
Fourth, prehaps God made Obama President because he wants the conservatives to see that it is "God" who lifts and it is "God" who lowers -- not them.
Now my view: I believe in God's sovereignty. But believing that does not mean I know what God is doing all the time. Thus, I don't know why "God made Obama President." I'm not sure we're supposed to know "why" God does what God does. Not knowing, admitting mystery, is the way of this world. I am to live by faith.
It is far wiser to speak of what we have learned from an event than to declare, as if by revelation, what God intended. I'd rather be wise than foolishly pretend to revelatory knowledge.
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In the Bible we see God raising up rulers ranging from David to Nebuchadnezzar to Pilate. The interpretation of what God is doing with different rulers varies from blessing to judgment, even when the ruler is described as evil. The modern problem is in knowing which paradigm to apply at a given time.
This is one thread of a broader issue. People routinely attempt to interpret God's intent with regard to all kinds of issues, big and small. I think we should not be more than tentative with such assessments most of the time.
I BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD TEST OBAMA IN JUST BE PATIENT ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. GOD DIDNT MAKE OBAMA PRESIDENT POEPLE DID THEY BELIEVE IN HIM SO MUCH FOR CHANGE IN THIS WORLD SO THEY ELECTED HIM. BUT POEPLE FORGET OBAMA IS JUST A PERSON AND IF GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OBAMA THEN IT WILL BE REVEALED IN POEPLE WHO WALK WITH GOD WILL SEE IT. WE AREN'T SUPPOSE TO GET CAUGHT UP WITH CARES IN THIS WORLD THIS WORLD ISNT OUR HOME. SO GOD WONT MAKE EVERYTHING PERFECT BECAUSE SATAN STILL AND WILL ALWAYS RULE THIS WORLD. OUR PLACE AND OUR PROMISES ARENT OF THIS WORLD. POEPLE SHOULD PRAISE JESUS IN FOLLOW JESUS AS MUCH AS POEPLE PUT FAITH INTO OBAMA TO CHANGE THINGS. ONLY WAY TO RECIEVE WHAT ARE ALL LOOKING FOR THAT IS THROUGH JESUS. GOD BLESS EVERYONE
1. If you believe in God's sovereign control of this world [in a deterministic sense], then God wanted Obama in the White House and God didn't want McCain in the White House.>
No. It could be, and most likely was God's permissive will.
I think that God allows us to make decisions and that the people did choose obama because they wanted change. I do not think that it was Gods will for Obama to be president though. We all have to realize that what the Bible says about the end times is happening right now and we are seeing the Bible be fulfilled as it says.
Maybe "God made Obama President" to judge us. Obama will impoverish us through taxation. He will make us financial slaves to China. He will destroy our economy by taxing those who provide jobs (the rich) out of existence and adding artificial costs to our energy. He will open us up to foreign attack by diminishing our nuclear capabilities and reducing funding for our defense. The terrorists have no need to attack us yet. We are doing a bang-up job of destroying ourselves through the man we elected. The terrorists can just come in and finish us off when the pickings are easy. How long has our God-denying, abortion-loving country been ripe for this? It is as though God is saying, "So, you want a king? I'll give you a king!"
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