As I’ve shared before, blueprint theology is a lie. This basically is the thought that God makes everything happen, good and evil. Another word for this is determinism. This hollow and deceptive philosophy is gaining traction among Calvinist streams of the Church. The truth is Satan by his free will, steals, kills and destroys (John 10:10). I think most Christians know this but on a deeper level asks this much too popular question. Here are three reasons why the question, “Why Does God Allows Suffering?” is the wrong question.
- Free Will. Consider the verse revealing the destruction that the free will of Satan and the free will of humans cause when not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus: “But the one who indulges in a sinful life is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God was revealed was to undo and destroy the works of the devil.” Human’s and Satan’s free will debunks the blueprint model. God is never to blame for sin, evil and suffering. “Why does God cause or let suffering happen?” is the wrong question. The pertinent question is “How am I going to let Jesus redeem what Satan and human destroys?” He’s ready to. His blood shed on the cross makes all things new! Here’s another chunk of wisdom concerning this. “There are some people who ruin their own lives and then blame it all on God.” (Proverbs 19:3) God is NEVER to blame. Satan and sin destroys lives. God blesses you and gives you life.
- Blueprint Theology Debunked. I’ve been on a modern western kick watching The Ranch and Outer Range. I’m not sure if it’s my roots because I’ve always called myself a city boy. More and more I’m thankful for the exposure in my life to the country. You know I’m passionately against Calvinism and it’s false teachings. I’ve written about this particular one here before as it has seeped into all Christian culture and now to the point that nonChristian culture has this false view of God that Greg Boyd calls blueprint theology. In the last episode of Season One of Outer Range, the main character played by one of my favorite stars from the Goonies, Josh Brolin goes through a quite extensive faith journey in Season One and concludes with this false statement of faith’ “God is everything good and God is everything bad.” I can not type passionately enough that this Calvinistic blueprint framing of God is UNBIBLICALLY THE FALSE VIEW OF GOD!!!! He is 100% good!!! If you want to see how good God is, LOOK AT JESUS!!!
“He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)
“And He (Jesus)is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Hebrews 1:3)
(I share more about this in a sermon from Ojai, CA posted here.)
- God is 100% good! It’s time to be clear among your daily existing spheres of influence and proclaim HOW GOOD GOD IS!!! I pray in Jesus Name, Calvinist leaders and authors will repent of their teaching of determinism which is God determines EVERYTHING including evil. (I realize these men have biblical teachings too aside with this. But biblical teachings mixed with false teachings are still false teachings) John Calvin popularized the pagan concept, determinism. Proof-texting is used picking verses here and there taken out of context to create this false Calvinistic framework that did not even exist until the 1500s which is a very modern teaching. Consider Isaiah 5:20, “Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.” The Early Church taught how good God is. You and I are commissioned to do this too as it impacts how the lost world sees God!!! If Christians hear and believe this false view of God it affects the world. We see it in Hollywood. Then, like this example, they are spreading this false view of God on a much larger scale! Christians need to deeply consider why the world is hearing and believing the false view of God that He even makes evil happen discounting the works of Satan, by his free will.
Like I’ve shared with you before, I’m here proclaiming one of my life’s messages…Jesus is good, Satan is bad. Jesus gave you victory over Satan through His bloodshed on the cross!!! But Jesus shares the difference between Him and Satan better than I can: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10). God did not give me cerebral palsy. He redeemed it by His power flowing through my weaknesses. God did not give my step dad who was like a dad to me terminal cancer. God did make good out of something bad and my dad became a Christian before he passed away.
To the degree that Christ followers are passionate about the truth of the goodness of God is the degree to which they will want to share His goodness among their daily spheres of influence. Have you heard God portrayed in an unChristlike way? Comment below. How does this article mobilize you to communicate the Good News Of Jesus differently than you’ve done before (Comment below)? This ministry is passionate about mobilizing Christ followers in sharing the goodness of God. If you’d like to support this mission, click and start your monthly giving. Then we will send you a complimentary autographed copy of Weak Is The New Strong:
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