Blogging Towards Sunday, July 28, 2013
Genesis 3:1-21 & Romans 8:28-39
Whether we call is violence, injustice, tyranny, war, draught, famine, natural disaster, cancer or an accident, evil exists. We can’t deny it. Evil makes no sense, by it’s nature it’s absurd and nonsensical. In his exile, following having stood against a dictator for justice famous author Victor Hugo wrote: “It rains on the ocean while the Sahara Desert is dying of thirst.” How do we believe that God is good when such evil things happen? If God is all-powerful, why doesn’t God stop the bad things from happening?
LOOKING AT GENESIS 3 | people of the problem
Genesis 3 tells the story of how sin is present in the world. Where did the serpent come from? Is evil or sin (missing the target God has set for creation) created by God?; or just in creation? Why does God not want them to eat the fruit? Why does the woman eat of the tree? What’s her goal? Why does the man eat of the tree? What does it mean that their eyes were opened? What’s the consequence for them of having open eyes? Does God curse them?; or do they suffer the consequence of their choice and actions? Is there a difference?
LOOKING AT ROMANS 8 | a call to live from hope
Romans 8:1-27 presents evil as the proof that creation is not yet fully achieved, that it’s an ongoing process. Judaism names this in that we live in between the 7th and 8th day of creation. The end of evil has dawned in the sunrise of the resurrection of Christ. We are thus more than conquerors. Often named a favorite scripture of many, how do you find these verses encouraging today?
Questions for wondering and exploring:
- How do you struggle to believe that God is good?
- What answer does the Bible give to that question? What answer have you heard in your life?
- How do you live from hope? How do you long to do so?
CAPC Oakland 