"Can evil people be lucky?" A conversation with a friend.
Hey brother!
Thanks for the email. Great
questions. Let me respond to your email in blue. . .
but anyways, I have some questions.. Been
trying to figure out how to word it.. You have said in the past everyone gets
the same blessings. there is no choosing by god. everyone gets life, sunlight
etc. Well, kinda’. Jesus said in Matt 5:45 that
the Father sends the “sun” and the “rain” on the righteous and
unrighteous. That is, God, to some degree, takes
care of people who love Him
and those that don’t. Jesus’s point is that we, too, must take care of those
who don’t love us. So, to be clear, not “everyone gets the same
blessings,” as you said in your email, since the Bible never says that (some
people get healed of sicknesses, others don’t…some get demons removed, others
don’t…etc.). Therefore, God sustains
people in the Laws of Nature equally, but not everyone receives the
same “blessings.”
Ive always heard, Give yourself to god,
devote your life and he will bless you with everything you need, job, money. .. I believe you have heard that. Praise
Jesus, you’ve never heard that from me! :) This is a big topic but I will only
say a little bit. I know this kind of awful, erroneous theology is being
preached and taught in many areas of the Church at large. It’s simply NOT true
that we will receive everything we need. There are Christians around the globe,
right now, that are starving to death. God doesn’t miraculously drop food from
Heaven. He wants us humans to take care of them. And, since we don’t, they are
dying. Moreover, Christians can go without jobs for years. Of course,
Christians die in car wrecks and as cancer victims each day. All of these
people “needed” healing and protection! Therefore, I find this statement to be
true about God’s provision (based on the Bible): If God wants you to have it, then
you will. And no matter
what, we shouldn’t worry about, or worship, our money or “stuff.” Keep a
laser focus on living just like Jesus in the reign of God and let the consequences
be left to God.
well, hmmm, lets see.. not good with
wording my thoughts. have too many thoughts at once I think. Lets say this.. I
know a person, someone I grew up with, he is married, 5 kids, Good job,
make very good pay. He doesnt follow god, he rarely goes to church, He
lies alot, cheats, steals and is unfaithful to his wife .. Yet, seems to always
have the best luck with everything, seems nothing but good always happens to
him. Everything always seems to go his way. is it just Luck? does he still get
blessing even though he lives life with major sin? I hear you brother! But, come on
bud—this guy’s not “lucky” at all! He sounds like he has no character, no moral
core, and no saving relationship with God! This is guy is to be very pitied! He doesn’t sound lucky or blessed at all. It sounds
like He’s headed for a terrible judgment by God! It reminds me of what the
Psalmist says in 37:
1 Do not fret when wicked men seem to
succeed! Do not envy evildoers!
2 For they will quickly dry up like grass,
and wither away like plants.
3 Trust in the LORD and do what is right!
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity!
4 Then you will take delight in the LORD, and
he will answer your prayers.
5 Commit your future to the LORD! Trust in
him, and he will act on your behalf.
6 He will vindicate you in broad daylight,
and publicly defend your just cause.
7 Wait patiently for the LORD! Wait
confidently for him! Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man
who carries out wicked schemes!
(Psa 37:1-7 NET)
Remember, to say someone is “blessed” in
the Bible often means something like, “favored by God.” This guy doesn’t sound
“blessed.” Why? Let’s think about this for a moment.
God rules over the universe by:
(1) special acts called “miracles”;
(2) communicating with people through the
Holy Spirit to do certain things called “inspiration”;
(3) the Laws of Nature (e.g., physical
forces like gravity – like if I don’t jump off a roof my legs won’t get broken;
and biological mechanisms – like if a man and woman have sex, they are likely
to have children);
(4) various “laws of life” in various
spheres like money, relationships, etc. (e.g., If I get an education and have a
good job interview, then it’s likely I will receive a job. If I work hard, it’s
likely I’ll stay at my job and my pay will increase. Or, if I practice good
communication and act trustworthy, then my marriage will likely be healthy.
Etc….)
See my point? Any Satan worshipper, Buddhist,
atheist, rapist, pedophile, etc. will have “success” in getting married, having
kids, and having a job if they follow the Laws of Nature and the “laws of life”
properly. Receiving these kinds of things aren’t miraculous gifts from God.
(Now, I DO believe that God can give these things, and when He does, I would
consider that a “blessing.” But that is the exception, not the rule.)
So, at this point, I really want to encourage you to think very clearly about Jesus in
the New Testament and what He teaches considering being “blessed.” You and I
must understand and implement the teachings of Jesus. We must never ever
substitute what our society
says is “successful” with
what God declares is “successful.” Sometimes they are the same; usually they
are not the same. We must let Jesus’s
values be our values and make what He taught the only, entire measure of
success! Notice how Jesus never once says that getting a job or having children
has anything to do with being “blessed” by God. Go read Matt 5-7 again and see
if anything Jesus says in that text sounds like your friend. If not, then that
man isn’t “blessed” at all. He’s just obeying the Laws of Nature and following
(to some degree) the rules of life and having success. That’s all. His
spiritual condition sounds incredibly glim. He needs Jesus!
Now, I certainly can relate to what I think
you’re feeling: “It’s not fair! This guy shouldn’t be having success at all
because he’s rotten to the core!” And with that sentiment, I completely concur!
What do we do then? How do we deal with those feelings towards other people? We
tell God about our feelings. We talk about them with friends. We process the
emotions. And ultimately, we don’t let our feelings dictate our behavior: we obey Jesus, who said to
demonstrate love to the righteous and the unrighteous because the Father
demonstrates care for everyone (Matt
5:43-48; also see texts like Romans 12). Of course, loving the
unrighteous involves praying for them, taking good care of them, and
talking about Jesus with them.
when there is people, I would say like me, who lots of
times, what ever is the worst that could happen does. Like murphys law "
anything that can go wrong will" then times it by 2.. Im not saying I have
a horrible life. Im happy with what i do have, Wife, Family who we all love
each other, I have a job, and car. and 3 annoying dogs.. that I love even
though they annoy me. I read your last blog "Im a christian because it
makes me happy" I understand that Life is unfair, and even if we
love god, live in his way bad things will still happen. In case i confused you
on what my question is.. I guess , is there just some people that are lucky
and some unlucky? do you beleive in luck? I’m sure you know what I’d say about
this now (after that last long rant). Technically, no—I don’t believe in “luck.”
I believe that if you obey/follow the Laws of Nature and “laws of life,” you’re
very likely to have success. Otherwise, God either inspires a person to offer
someone a job, house, pay raise, etc. or God does a miracle of some sort. (Can
God inspire a non-Christian
or perform a miracle for them? Yes! He does it all the time
in the Bible.)
also , I watched the Video on your blog by
Nabeel Qureshi.. was awesome.. I have a couple of muslim friends who we always
joke about each others faith, even though we are playing.. we are also kinda
bashing on each other on what we beleive each others faith is. I really want to
show him this video. Great! I
think Nabeel’s testimony is excellent (e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaYR4G7oRiw) If
I were you, I’d certainly recommend the video. If he bites, then perhaps you
can offer to watch a video that he
suggests. It’ll show you’re open-minded and might start a great
conversation!
Keep it up brother! If I can help in any
way more, let me know.
DP
