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Is God fair?

Fortunately for us, God is not fair. Fairness would mean that everyone got exactly as he or she deserved and everyone would be treated the same. If God were completely fair, we would all spend eternity in hell paying for our sin, which is exactly what we deserve. We have all sinned against God (Romans 3:23) and are therefore worthy of eternal death (Romans 6:23). If we received what we deserve, we would end up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15). But God is not fair; instead, He is merciful and good, so He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). All we have to do is believe in Him and we will be saved, forgiven, and receive an eternal home in heaven (John 3:16).

However, despite God’s loving grace, no one would believe in Him on his own (Romans 3:10-18). God has to draw us to Himself in order for us to believe (John 6:44). God does not draw everyone, but only certain people He has sovereignly chosen (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11). This is not “fair” in our eyes because it appears God is not treating all people equally. However, God does not have to choose anyone. Those whom God has chosen are receiving God’s love and grace. But all have the opportunity to respond to the revelation of the creation (Psalm 19:1-3), as well as the conscience God has put within them (Romans 2:15), and turn to God. Those who do not will receive what they truly deserve because of their rejection of Him. Those who reject Him receive the punishment they deserve (John 3:18,36). Those who believe are receiving far more, and much better, than what they deserve. No one, though, is being punished beyond what he deserves. Is God fair? No. Thankfully, God is much more than fair! God is gracious, merciful, and forgiving - but also holy, just, and righteous.

Why does God demand, seek, or request that we worship Him?

What is worship? Worship means “to give honor, homage, reverence, respect, adoration, praise, or glory to a superior being.” God demands worship because He and He alone is worthy of it. He is the only being that truly deserves worship. He requests that we acknowledge His greatness, His power and His glory. Revelation 4:11 tells us, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” God created us, and He is a God who will not be usurped. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Exodus 10:3-5). We must understand that God’s jealousy is not the sinful envy that we experience, born out of pride. It is a holy and righteous jealousy that cannot allow the glory due only to Him to be given to another.

God expects us to worship Him as an expression of reverence and thanksgiving to Him. But God wants even more than that. God also expects us to be obedient to Him. He wants not only for us to love Him; He wants us to act justly towards each other, to show love and compassion to others. In this way, we present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. This glorifies God and is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). When we worship with an obedient heart and an open and repentant spirit, God is glorified, Christians are purified, the church is edified and the lost are evangelized. These are all the elements of true worship.

God also desires that we worship Him because our eternal destiny depends on our worship of the true and living God. Philippians 3:3 describes the true church, the body of believers in Jesus Christ whose eternal destiny is heaven. “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” In other words, the church is uniquely identified as God’s people, but not through physical circumcision. The church is made up of those who worship God in their spirit rejoicing in Christ, and not trusting in themselves for salvation. Those who do not worship the true and living God are none of His, and their eternal destiny is hell. But the true worshippers are identified by their worship of God, and their eternal home is with the God they worship and adore.

God demands, seeks and requests our worship because He deserves it, because it is the nature of a Christian to worship Him, and because our eternal destiny depends upon it. That is the theme of redemptive history: to worship the true, living and glorious God.

Apakah Allah/Alkitab seksis?

Seksisme adalah salah satu jender, biasanya laki-laki, mendominasi jender lainnya, biasanya perempuan. Alkitab mengandung banyak referensi pada perempuan yang dalam pemikiran modern kita terkesan diskriminatif terhadap kaum perempuan. Apakah ini berarti Allah, dan karena itu Alkitab, seksis? Kita harus mengingat bahwa Alkitab ketika menggambarkan tindakan tidak berarti Alkitab mendukung tindakan tsb. Alkitab menggambarkan laki-laki memperlakukan perempuan tidak lebih dari sebagai barang kepunyaan, namun ini tidak berarti Alkitab menyetujui tindakan itu. Bahkan dalam contoh-contoh di mana Alkitab memberi perintah yang berhubungan dengan perlakuan terhadap perempuan, hal itu tidak merupakan suatu indikasi dari standar yang dikehendaki Allah. Alkitab lebih berfokus pada memperbaharui jiwa kita daripada masyarakat kita. Allah mengetahui bahwa perubahan hati akan menghasilkan perubahan tingkah laku.

Pada masa Perjanjian Lama seluruh dunia bersifat patriakal. Status sejarah tsb sangatlah jelas – bukan hanya di dalam Kitab Suci, namun juga dalam peraturan sosial yang mengatur kebanyakan masyarakat di dunia. Berdasarkan sistim nilai modern dan pandangan manusia duniawi, hal itu disebut “seksis.” Allahlah yang menentukan keteraturan dalam masyarakat, bukan manusia, dan Dialah Sumber dari berlakukan prinsip-prinsip otoritas. Namun demikian, sama seperti semua yang lain, manusia yang berdosa telah mengacaukan keteraturan ini. Hal ini mengakibatkan ketidaksetaraan dalam posisi laki-laki dan perempuan sepanjang jalannya sejarah. Pengabaian dan diskriminasi yang kita dapatkan dalam dunia bukanlah sesuatu yang baru. Hal itu adalah akibat dari kejatuhan manusia dan masuknya dosa – yang adalah pemberontakan melawan Allah. Oleh karena itu kita dapat dengan benar mengatakan bahwa istilah dan praktik “seksisme” adalah akibat dari – produk dari – dosa umat manusia. Pewahyuan Alkitab secara progresif mengarahkan kita pada penyelesaian untuk seksisme, dan juga untuk semua kebiasaan berdosa dari umat manusia.

Untuk mendapatkan dan mempertahankan keseimbangan rohani antara posisi otoritas yang telah ditetapkan Allah, kita perlu melihat kepada Alkitab. Perjanjian Baru adalah penggenapan dari Perjanjian Lama, dan di dalamnya kita mendapatkan prinsip-prinsip yang memberitahukan kita jalur otoritas yang benar dan penyelesaian untuk dosa, penyakit dari seluruh umat manusia, dan hal itu meliputi diskriminasi berdasarkan jender.

Salib Kristus adalah penyeimbang yang agung. Yohanes 3:16 mengatakan, “Barangsiapa” dan ini adalah sebuah pernyataan yang meliputi semuanya dan tidak mengabaikan seorangpun berdasarkan posisinya dalam masyarakat, kemampuannya berpikir atau jender. Kita juga mendapatkan bagian Alkitab dalam surat Galatia yang memberitahukan kita kesempatan yang sama bagi kita untuk keselamatan. “Sebab kamu semua adalah anak-anak Allah karena iman di dalam Yesus Kristus. Karena kamu semua, yang dibaptis (diidentifikasikan) dalam Kristus, telah mengenakan Kristus. Dalam hal ini tidak ada orang Yahudi atau orang Yunani, tidak ada hamba atau orang merdeka, tidak ada laki-laki atau perempuan, karena kamu semua adalah satu di dalam Kristus Yesus.” (Galatia 3:26-28). Di salib tidak ada seksisme.

Alkitab bukan seksis. Karena Alkitab dengan tepat menggambarkan akibat dosa. Alkitab mencatat segala jenis dosa: perbudakan dan perhambaan serta kegagalan dari para pahlawan yang agung. Namun Alkitab juga memberi jawaban dan penyelesaian untuk dosa-dosa melawan Allah dan aturan-aturan yang ditetapkanNya. Jawaban itu? Hubungan yang benar dengan Allah. Perjanjian Lama memandang ke depan kepada pengorbanan yang paling agung, dan setiap kali suatu pengorbanan untuk dosa dilakukan, hal itu mengajarkan perlunya pendamaian dengan Allah. Dalam Perjanjian Baru, “Anak Domba yang mengangkut dosa isi dunia” dilahirkan, mati, dikuburkan dan bangkit kembali dan kemudian naik ke tempatNya di surga, dan di sana Dia berdoa syafaat untuk kita. Melalui percaya kepadaNyalah penyelesaian untuk dosa ditemukan dan hal itu termasuk dosa seksisme.

Tuduhan seksisme terhadap Alkitab adalah berdasarkan ketidakpengertian akan Kitab Suci. Ketika laki-laki dan perempuan menempati tempat yang telah Allah tetapkan bagi mereka dan hidup sesuai dengan “Demikianlah Firman TUHAN,” maka akan ada keseimbangan yang indah antara jender. Keseimbangan itulah yang dimulai oleh Allah dan akan diselesaikan Allah. Ada banyak perhatian yang tidak pantas yang diberikan kepada berbagai produk dosa dan bukannya pada akar dosa. Hanya ketika ada pendamaian pribadi dengan Allah melalui TUHAN Yesus Kristus maka kita mendapatkan kesetaraan yang sejati. “Kamu akan mengetahui kebenaran, dan kebenaran itu akan memerdekakan kamu." (Yohanes 8:32)

Adalah juga penting untuk memahami bahwa perbedaan peranan yang diberikan Alkitab kepada laki-laki dan perempuan bukanlah seksisme. Alkitab menyatakan dengan jelas bahwa Allah menginginkan para lelaki untuk berperan sebagai pemimpin dalam gereja dan keluarga. Apakah ini membuat perempuan lebih rendah? Sama sekali bukan. Apakah perempuan kurang pintar, kurang mampu dan dipandang lebih rendah dalam pandangan Allah? Sama sekali tidak! Yang dimaksudkan adalah bahwa dalam dunia yang sudah dinodai dosa ini, haruslah ada aturan dan otoritas. Allah telah menetapkan fungsi otoritas demi kebaikan kita. Seksisme adalah penyalahgunaan dari peranan-peranan itu … bukan soal adanya peranan-peranan itu.

Is God / the Bible sexist?

Sexism is one gender, usually male, having dominance over the other gender, usually female. The Bible contains many references to women that, to our modern mindset, sound discriminatory towards women. But we have to remember that when the Bible describes an action, it does not necessarily mean that the Bible endorses that action. The Bible describes men treating women as little more than property, but that does not mean God approves of that action. The Bible is far more focused on reforming our souls than our societies. God knows that a changed heart will result in a changed behavior.

During Old Testament times, virtually every culture in the entire world was patriarchal in structure. That status of history is very clear—not only in Scripture but also in the rules that governed most societies. By modern value systems and worldly human viewpoint, that is called “sexist.” God ordained the order in society, not man, and He is the author of the establishment principles of authority. However, like everything else, fallen man has corrupted this order. That has resulted in the inequality of the standing of men and women throughout history. The exclusion and the discrimination that we find in our world is nothing new. It is the result of the fall of man and the introduction of sin. Therefore, we can rightly say that the term and the practice of “sexism” is a result of sin. The progressive revelation of the Bible leads us to the cure for sexism and indeed all the sinful practices of the human race.

To find and maintain a spiritual balance between the God-ordained positions of authority, we must look to Scripture. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old, and in it we find principles that tell us the correct line of authority and the cure for sin, the ill of all humanity, and that includes discrimination based upon gender.

The cross of Christ is the great equalizer. John 3:16 says, “Whoever believes,” and that is an all-inclusive statement that leaves no one out on the basis of position in society, mental capacity, or gender. We also find a passage in Galatians that speaks of our equal opportunity for salvation. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). There is no sexism at the cross.

The Bible is not sexist in its accurate portrayal of the results of sin in both men and women. The Bible records all kinds of sin: slavery and bondage and the failures of its greatest heroes. Yet it also gives us the answer and the cure for those sins against God and His established order—a right relationship with God. The Old Testament was looking forward to the supreme sacrifice, and each time a sacrifice for sin was made, it was teaching the need for reconciliation to God. In the New Testament, the “Lamb that takes away the sin of the world” was born, died, was buried and rose again, and then ascended to His place in heaven, and there He intercedes for us. It is through belief in Him that the cure for sin is found, and that includes the sin of sexism.

The charge of sexism in the Bible is based upon a lack of knowledge of Scripture. When men and women of all ages have taken their God-ordained places and lived according to “thus says the LORD,” then there is a wonderful balance between the genders. That balance is what God began with, and it is what He will end with. There is an inordinate amount of attention paid to the various products of sin and not to the root of it. It is only when there is personal reconciliation with God through the Lord Jesus Christ that we find true equality. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

It is also very important to understand that the Bible’s ascribing different roles to men and women does not constitute sexism. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God expects men to take the leadership role in the church and the home. Does this make women inferior? Absolutely not. Does this mean women are less intelligent, less capable, or viewed as less in God’s eyes? Absolutely not! What it means is that in our sin-stained world, there has to be structure and authority. God has instituted the roles of authority for our good. Sexism is the abuse of these roles, not the existence of these roles.

Mengapa dalam Perjanjian Lama Allah begitu berbeda dengan dalam Perjanjian Baru?

Saya percaya bahwa pada pertanyaan ini didasarkan pada salah pengertian yang mendasar mengenai apa yang Perjanjian Lama dan Baru ungkapkan mengenai pribadi Allah. Cara lain untuk mengekspresikan pemikiran yang sama adalah waktu orang mengatakan, ”Allah Perjanjian Lama adalah Allah yang murka sedangkan Allah Perjanjian Baru adalah Allah yang mengasihi.” Fakta bahwa Alkitab adalah penyataan diri Allah secara progressif melalui peristiwa-peristiwa sejarah dan cara Allah berhubungan dengan manusia sepanjang sejarah memungkinkan terjadinya salah pengertian terhadap Allah dalam Perjanjian Lama dan Perjanjian Baru. Namun ketika orang membaca baik Perjanjian Lama maupun Perjanjian Baru langsung jelas bahwa Allah tidak berbeda dan bahwa murka dan kasih Allah diungkapkan dalam kedua Perjanjian.

Contohnya, dalam Perjanjian Lama Allah dikatakan sebagai ”penyayang dan pengasih, panjang sabar, berlimpah kasih-Nya dan setia-Nya” (Keluaran 34:6; Bilangan 34:6; Ulangan 4:31; Nehemia 9:17; Mazmur 86:5; 15; 108:4; 145:8; Yoel 2:13), dan di dalam Perjanjian Baru kasih setia dan kemurahan Allah dinyatakan dengan lebih jelas dalam pernyataan, ”Karena begitu besar kasih Allah akan dunia ini, sehingga Ia telah mengaruniakan Anak-Nya yang tunggal, supaya setiap orang yang percaya kepada-Nya tidak binasa, melainkan beroleh hidup yang kekal” (Yohanes 3:16). Dalam Perjanjian Lama kita juga menemukan bahwa Allah memperlakukan Israel dengan cara yang sama seperti seorang ayah yang pengasih terhadap anak-anaknya. Saat mereka secara sengaja berdosa kepadaNya dan menyembah berhala, Tuhan akan menghukum mereka, namun setiap kali mereka bertobat dari penyembahan berhala, Tuhan menolong dan membebaskan mereka. Allah juga bersikap demikian terhadap orang-orang Kristen dalam Perjanjian Baru. Misalnya, Ibrani 12:6 memberitahu kita, ”Tuhan menghajar orang yang dikasihi-Nya, dan Ia menyesah orang yang diakui-Nya sebagai anak" (Ibrani 12:6).

Demikian pula dalam Perjanjian Lama kita melihat penghakiman dan murka Tuhan dicurahkan atas orang-orang berdosa yang tidak mau bertobat. Dalam Perjanjian Baru kita melihat bahwa ”Sebab murka Allah nyata dari sorga atas segala kefasikan dan kelaliman manusia, yang menindas kebenaran dengan kelaliman.” (Roma 1:18). Bahkan sekalipun kita hanya membaca Perjanjian Baru secara sekilas, kita akan melihat dengan jelas bahwa Yesus berbicara lebih banyak mengenai neraka daripada mengenai surga. Jadi jelas bahwa dalam Perjanjian Lama Allah tidak berbeda dengan dalam Perjanjian Baru. Berdasarkan naturnya, Allah tidak dapat berubah dan walaupun dalam ayat-ayat Alkitab tertentu aspek tertentu dari natur Allah lebih ditekankan dari aspek-aspek lainnya, Allah sendiri tidak pernah berubah.

Ketika seseorang betul-betul membaca dan mempelajari Alkitab, nyata dengan jelas bahwa dalam Perjanjian Lama dan Baru Allah tidak berbeda. Dan sekalipun Alkitab terdiri dari 66 kitab yang bebeda, ditulis di tiga benua, dalam tiga bahasa, dalam kurun waktu sekitar 1500 tahun, oleh lebih dari 40 penulis (dari berbagai latar belakang), Alkitab tetap merupakan satu kesatuan dari awal sampai akhir tanpa kontradiksi. Dalam Alkitab kita menemukan bagaimana Allah dengan kasih, kemurahan dan keadilan memperlakukan orang-orang berdosa dalam berbagai situasi. Alkitab benar-benar adalah surat cinta Allah pada umat manusia. Kasih Allah kepada ciptaanNya, khususnya umat manusia, nyata dalam Alkitab. Dalam Alkitab kita menemukan Allah dengan kasih dan murah hati menarik manusia ke dalam hubungan yang khusus dengan diriNya, bukan karena manusia pantas mendapatkannya, namun karena Allah itu penyayang dan pengasih, panjang sabar dan berlimpah kasih dan setiaNya. Namun kita juga melihat Allah yang suci dan benar, Allah yang adalah Hakim bagi semua yang tidak taat kepada FirmanNya dan menolak menyembah Dia dan memilih menyembah allah yang mereka ciptakan sendiri, menyembah berhala dan illah-illah lain dan bukan menyembah Allah yang esa dan sejati (Roma 1).

Karena karakter Allah yang adil dan suci, semua dosa, baik dari masa lalu, sekarang dan masa depan harus dihakimi. Namun demikian Allah dalam kasihNya yang tidak terbatas telah menyediakan pembayaran bagi dosa dan jalan pendamaian supaya orang berdosa dapat bebas dari murkaNya. Kita melihat kebenaran yang indah ini dalam ayat-ayat seperti 1 Yohanes 4:10 ”Inilah kasih itu: Bukan kita yang telah mengasihi Allah, tetapi Allah yang telah mengasihi kita dan yang telah mengutus Anak-Nya sebagai pendamaian bagi dosa-dosa kita” (1 Yohanes 4:10). Dalam Perjanjian Lama Allah menyediakan sistim korban persembahan di mana dosa dapat ditebus; namun sistim ini hanya sementara dan untuk mengantisipasi kedatangan Yesus Kristus yang akan mati di salib untuk benar-benar menggantikan dan menebus dosa-dosa kita. Juruselamat yang dijanjikan dalam Perjanjian Lama diungkapkan dengan lebih jelas dalam Perjanjian Baru dan puncak pernyataan kasih Allah, yaitu pengutusan Anaknya Yesus Kristus diungkapkan dengan segala kemuliaan. Baik Perjanjian Lama maupun Perjanjian Baru diberikan ”menuntun engkau kepada keselamatan” (2 Timotius 3:15) dan ketika kita mempelajarinya dengan teliti, nyata dengan jelas bahwa Allah dalam Perjanjian Baru tidak berbeda dengan Allah dalam Perjanjian Lama.

Why is God so different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament?

At the very heart of this question lies a fundamental misunderstanding of what both the Old and New Testaments reveal about the nature of God. Another way of expressing this same basic thought is when people say, “The God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath while the God of the New Testament is a God of love.” The fact that the Bible is God’s progressive revelation of Himself to us through historical events and through His relationship with people throughout history might contribute to misconceptions about what God is like in the Old Testament as compared to the New Testament. However, when one reads both the Old and the New Testaments, it becomes evident that God is not different from one testament to another and that God’s wrath and His love are revealed in both testaments.

For example, throughout the Old Testament, God is declared to be a “compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5, 15; 108:4; 145:8; Joel 2:13). Yet in the New Testament, God’s loving-kindness and mercy are manifested even more fully through the fact that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Throughout the Old Testament, we also see God dealing with Israel the same way a loving father deals with a child. When they willfully sinned against Him and began to worship idols, God would punish them. Yet, each time He would deliver them once they had repented of their idolatry. This is much the same way God deals with Christians in the New Testament. For example, Hebrews 12:6 tells us that “the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

In a similar way, throughout the Old Testament we see God’s judgment and wrath poured out on sin. Likewise, in the New Testament we see that the wrath of God is still “being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). So, clearly, God is no different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament. God by His very nature is immutable (unchanging). While we might see one aspect of His nature revealed in certain passages of Scripture more than other aspects, God Himself does not change.

As we read and study the Bible, it becomes clear that God is the same in the Old and New Testaments. Even though the Bible is 66 individual books written on two (or possibly three) continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years by more than 40 authors, it remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. In it we see how a loving, merciful, and just God deals with sinful men in all kinds of situations. Truly, the Bible is God’s love letter to mankind. God’s love for His creation, especially for mankind, is evident all through Scripture. Throughout the Bible we see God lovingly and mercifully calling people into a special relationship with Himself, not because they deserve it, but because He is a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth. Yet we also see a holy and righteous God who is the Judge of all those who disobey His Word and refuse to worship Him, turning instead to worship gods of their own creation (Romans chapter 1).

Because of God’s righteous and holy character, all sin—past, present, and future—must be judged. Yet God in His infinite love has provided a payment for sin and a way of reconciliation so that sinful man can escape His wrath. We see this wonderful truth in verses like 1 John 4:10: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” In the Old Testament, God provided a sacrificial system whereby atonement could be made for sin. However, this sacrificial system was only temporary and merely looked forward to the coming of Jesus Christ who would die on the cross to make a complete substitutionary atonement for sin. The Savior who was promised in the Old Testament is fully revealed in the New Testament. Only envisioned in the Old Testament, the ultimate expression of God’s love, the sending of His Son Jesus Christ, is revealed in all its glory in the New Testament. Both the Old and the New Testaments were given “to make us wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15). When we study the Testaments closely, it is evident that God “does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).

Does God have a sense of humor?

Perhaps the best indication that God does have a sense of humor is that He created man in His image (Genesis 1:27), and certainly people are able to perceive and express humor. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a “sense of humor” as “...The ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is comical or funny.” According to this definition, then, God must show an ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is comical. The difficulty is that people perceive what is comical differently, and what sinful man perceives as funny would not amuse a holy and perfect God. Much of what the world calls humor is not funny but is crass and crude and should have no part in a Christian’s life (Colossians 3:8). Other humor is expressed at the expense of others (tearing down rather than building up), again something contrary to God’s Word (Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29).

An example of God's humor is the instance in which the Israelites were using the Ark of the Covenant like a good-luck charm in taking it to battle, and the Philistines ended up capturing it and placing it in their temple before their idol of Dagon. They came into the temple the next day and found Dagon flat on his face before the ark. They set him back up. The next morning, there he was again, but this time he had his hands and head cut off as a symbol of his powerlessness before the God of the ark (1 Samuel 5:1-5). God’s putting Dagon in a position of submission to His ark is a comical picture.

This incident is an example of God laughing at the foolishness of those who would oppose Him. “See what they spew from their mouths— they spew out swords from their lips, and they say, ‘Who can hear us?’ But you, O LORD, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations” (Psalm 59:7-9). Psalm 2 also reveals God laughing at those who would rebel against His kingship (verse 4). It is like the comical picture of a kindergarten-aged child being upset at his parents and running away from home...all the way to his neighbor’s house. But there is obviously a serious side to this as well, and although the picture of weak and silly man trying to match wits with an almighty and all-knowing God is comical, God takes no delight in their waywardness and its consequences but rather desires to see them turn around (Ezekiel 33:11; Matthew 23:37-38).

A person does not crack jokes in the presence of one who has just lost a close loved one; silly jokes are out of place on such occasions. In the same way, God is focused on the lost and is looking for those who will care for their souls as He does. That is why our lives (while having times of refreshing and humor) are to be characterized by “soberness” (seriousness about making our lives count for Christ) (1 Thessalonians 5:6,8; Titus 2:2,6).

Is there anything God cannot do?

On a clear night, look up at the stars in the sky. Genesis 1 records that God made all of them! Imagine the power in just one star! But it is not just about raw power. There is intelligence and design packed in our universe down to the smallest DNA strand, down to the smallest subatomic particle. God’s power and wisdom are beyond our comprehension. That is why the LORD said to Abraham in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” That is why the LORD said to Moses when Moses questioned how God could possibly supply meat to several million Israelites in the wilderness, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?” (Numbers 11:23). That is why Jonathan told his armor bearer that the LORD didn’t need a lot of soldiers to get a victory (1 Samuel 14:6).

Jeremiah 32:17 states, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.” Even in the spiritual realm, those that seem the farthest from salvation are not impossible for Him to reach (Mark 10:25-27). And as great as His power is, His love and mercy are just as great...even to the point of His willingness to send His own Son to die on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for a sinful mankind. He did this so that He, in complete justice, could forgive those who will turn away from self-reliance and sin to reliance upon Christ and His finished work. As parents, it would be far worse to see our children endure torment than go through it ourselves, and yet that is just what God the Father did. John 3:16, a familiar verse, states God’s great love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This love was not just for the “good” people (there are none), but for us...a fallen, sinful, unlovely, rebellious people (Romans 3:10-23)...and yet He chose to shower us with His love (Romans 5:6-10) when we didn’t deserve it.

The only thing that God cannot do is act contrary to His own character and nature. For example, Titus 1:2 states that He cannot lie. Because He is holy (Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:16), He cannot sin. Because He is just, He cannot merely overlook sin. Because Christ paid the penalty for sin, He is now able to forgive those who will turn to Christ (Isaiah 53:1-12; Romans 3:26).

Truly our God is an awesome God...unchanging, eternal, unlimited in power, in majesty, in knowledge, in wisdom, in love, in mercy, and in holiness. But we are very much like the Israelites who, even after seeing God display His power and love repeatedly, doubted both His love and power as they came face to face with each new trial in their lives (e.g., Numbers 13-14). May God help us to honor Him with dependence and trust in Him through the next “crisis” we face, for He is a “very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Apakah salah mempertanyakan Allah?

Yang menjadi soal bukanlah apakah pantas bagi kita untuk mempertanyakan Allah, tapi dengan sikap apa – dan dengan alasan apa – kita mempertanyakan Dia. Pada dirinya sendiri bertanya kepada Allah tidaklah salah. Nabi Habakuk bertanya kepada Allah mengenai waktu dan cara pelaksanaan rencana Allah. Bukannya ditegur, Habakuk justru dijawab dengan sabar, dan sang nabi mengakhiri kitabnya dengan nyanyian pujian kepada Tuhan. Banyak pertanyaan diajukan kepada Allah dalam kitab Mazmur (Mazmur 10, 44, 74, 77). Semua ini adalah jeritan dari mereka yang teraniaya, yang sangat mengharapkan campur tangan dan keselamatan dari Allah. Sekalipun Allah tidak selalu menjawab pertanyaan kita dengan cara yang kita ingini, dari bagian-bagian Alkitab ini kita menyimpulkan bahwa pertanyaan yang tulus dari hati yang sungguh-sungguh diterima baik oleh Allah.

Pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang tidak tulus, atau pertanyaan-pertanyaan dari hati yang munafik adalah merupakan soal yang berbeda. “Tetapi tanpa iman tidak mungkin orang berkenan kepada Allah. Sebab barangsiapa berpaling kepada Allah, ia harus percaya bahwa Allah ada, dan bahwa Allah memberi upah kepada orang yang sungguh-sungguh mencari Dia.” (Ibrani 11:6) Setelah Raja Saul tidak menaati Allah, pertanyaan-pertanyaannya tidak dijawab (1 Samuel 28:6). Adalah berbeda sekedar ingin tahu mengapa Allah mengizinkan peristiwa-peristiwa tertentu dan secara langsung mempertanyakan kebaikan Allah. Meragukan adalah berbeda dari menanyakan kedaulatan Allah dan menyerang karakter Allah. Dengan kata lain, pertanyaan yang jujur bukanlah dosa, tapi hati yang pahit, tidak percaya atau memberontak, itu adalah dosa. Allah tidak takut dengan pertanyaan-pertanyaan. Allah mengundang kita untuk menikmati persekutuan yang dekat dengan Dia. Ketika kita “bertanya kepada Allah” itu harus dari hati yang rendah dan pikiran yang terbuka. Kita dapat bertanya kepada Allah, tapi jangan berharap untuk mendapat jawaban kecuali kalau kita betul-betul tertarik pada jawabanNya. Allah mengetahui hati kita, dan mengetahui apakah kita dengan sungguh-sungguh mencari Dia untuk menerangi kita. Sikap hati kita adalah yang menentukan apakah benar atau salah untuk bertanya kepada Allah.