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Genesis and the Fall
Today we have yet another sad reminder of the fact that we live in a fallen, cursed world: News that 32 people have been murdered (and 15 injured) at Virginia Tech.
The shooter is believed to be among the dead. University President Charles Steger was quoted as saying that the shootings are “a tragedy of monumental proportions.”
Although this marks the worst school shooting incident in U.S. history, sadly it is not the first involving the loss of several lives. In 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
When such terrible acts occur (and sadly, random violence is occurring more frequently these days), they become the major topic of conversation on news and talk show programs. Quite often, church leaders are asked by reporters to give an explanation as to how someone can believe in a loving God when we see such tragedies happen.
Sadly, when it comes to what people would call “natural evil” (e.g., earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc.), I’ve heard many Christian leaders on television make statements such as: “We don’t know why such things occur—we just have to have faith—and we just have to trust God.” When it comes to “moral evil,’’ such as a person shooting fellow human beings, I’m sure most of these leaders would say that it was because of sin. However, if really pushed, many (just like the secular world), would not take all of Genesis 1–11 as literal history.
There’s an inconsistency here in taking Genesis literally to accept sin to explain moral evil, such as the shootings at Virginia Tech, but not taking Genesis literally in their acceptance of millions of years of “natural evil” before man (e.g., death, violence, catastrophe, and extinction of animals).
At Answers in Genesis, we have written articles (and books) dealing with this often-asked question of how a good God can allow all this suffering and evil. We have posted a booklet on understanding a God of love in the face of the death and suffering around us.
You see, when we accept Genesis as it was meant to be taken—as literal history—then we understand that death, disease, and violence are intrusions into this world, and that they occurred after Adam was created. Paul tells us in Romans 8:19–23 that the whole of the creation is groaning because of sin.
So, it’s not God’s fault that there is death and violence in the world—it’s humanity’s fault, because we rebelled against our Creator. Certainly, the shooter at Virginia Tech has to answer for his own sin. However, we still have to recognize that we now live in a fallen world where we have just a taste of what we really asked for in Adam, when the head of the human race disobeyed God’s instruction not to eat the fruit of one particular tree. In a real sense, we are all responsible for the death and suffering we see around us.
It’s also important to understand a concept that AiG presents in the book How Could a Loving God …? We read there:
Only the person who believes in God has a basis to make moral judgments to determine what is “good” and what is “bad.” Those who claim God does not exist have absolutely no authority upon which to call something right or wrong. If God doesn’t exist, who can objectively define what is good and what is bad? What basis could there be to make such judgments? The atheist has no basis upon which to call anything good or bad. They can talk about good and bad, and right and wrong—but it’s all relative, it’s all arbitrary. What’s “good” in one person’s mind might be completely “bad” in another’s.
Of course, from a biblical perspective, God must have morally good and just reasons as to why He allows bad things to happen. For instance, Christ’s death on the Cross was an evil event, but God allowed this for a wonderful purpose: to redeem sinful human beings.
We live in an era when public high schools and colleges have all but banned God from science classes. In these classrooms, students are taught that the whole universe, including plants and animals—and humans—arose by natural processes. Naturalism (in essence, atheism) has become the religion of the day and has become the foundation of the education system (and Western culture as a whole). The more such a philosophy permeates the culture, the more we would expect to see a sense of purposelessness and hopelessness that pervades people’s thinking. In fact, the more a culture allows the killing of the unborn, the more we will see people treating life in general as “cheap.”
I’m not at all saying that the person who committed these murders at Virginia Tech was driven by a belief in millions of years or evolution. I don’t know why this person did what he did, except the obvious: that it was a result of sin. However, when we see such death and violence, it is a reminder to us that without God’s Word (and the literal history in Genesis 1–11), people will not understand why such things happen.
There is another important lesson we need to be reminded of in the context of suffering and death in this world. In Luke 13:4–5, Jesus said: "Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Jesus was reminding people that every person will one day die, and that they need to be ready! Those who were killed by this tower in Luke 13 didn’t know that when they arose that morning, it would be their day to die. The Lord Jesus, in saying “unless you repent,” was reminding everyone that they needed to be sure they were ready to face eternity.
This is the most important lesson for all of us to consider during this tragic time in American history, and to be reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:9: That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Australian Ken Ham is founder and president/CEO of Answers in Genesis in Petersburg, Ky.
By Ken Ham |
April 18, 2007; 8:38 AM ET
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Wiccan,
You had me there for a second... :-)
Posted by: Phantom | April 21, 2007 1:32 PM
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Phantom-
In the Wiccan theology the Summerland is the place souls go to after death and before rebirth. And I am of Irish descent; I'll get a deep tan only when all my freckles merge! :-)
Posted by: wiccan | April 20, 2007 1:23 PM
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Wiccan,
For the eternal deep tan...? :-) At least that's what I think your play of words is about...?
Russel D,
Hmmmm, ok...good luck to you.
Look people, ultimately we're concerned for the state of your souls. Jesus Christ died for all and we need to spread the Gospel to all. That is what drives most believers.
Posted by: Phantom | April 20, 2007 5:36 AM
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Phantom:
No offense, but your God's "rules" suck big time.
As for me, I am going to the Playboy Mansion. BOOYAH!
Posted by: Russell D. | April 19, 2007 10:00 AM
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Phantom-
I'm going to the Summerland.
Posted by: wiccan | April 19, 2007 9:46 AM
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Wiccan,
Anyone dying without Jesus Christ goes to hell.
Posted by: Phantom | April 19, 2007 2:42 AM
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Here it is again......violence, death and destruction comes from the wicked unconscionable acts of human beings who think they are all knowing on this journey called life. The idle mind is the devils playground. People don’t seem to understand that good and evil (God & Devil) are forces of nature, energy that moves all human being as part of creation. But of course the all knowing mortals will try and convince you that it is all hocus-pocus and being primitive simply because they can not explain these things away and put them in a theory box of their linear thinking. I would say let your soul guide you to some light and understanding.
Posted by: Freevoice | April 18, 2007 10:03 PM
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Amazing that the first two comments were from bunko artists, whose livelihood is based on conning the gullible out their life savings.
Posted by: jimbo | April 18, 2007 9:58 PM
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Phantom-
So I take it that you believe that Liviu Librescu, a hero in anyone's book, is now roasting in hell because he wasn't Christian. Once again, what a revolting theology.
Posted by: wiccan | April 18, 2007 7:35 PM
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Ken Ham's article is a well balanced and brilliantly illustrated article. It is unfortunate that the truth offends, as I have seen from the reactions of all of you. I say this respectfully: if you can't handle the truth then don't read these postings.
What happened at VT is a tragedy of monumental proportions! As someone from another country I was personally terriby affected by 9/11 and still today I battle to watch the footage of that day. It is the same in this case; since I am a Pastor that ministers to students and our church is literally on the campus, I work with students daily. I went to campus yesterday and I felt unsafe. The argument here is that you never know WHEN you're going to die. It may happen on your death bed from old age after a long and productive life, from a terminal illness in your prime, or, it may happen that you are robbed of your youth and future by a senseless act such as this. In dealing with students I have counseled HIV postive 18 year olds, I have gone to suicides of 19 and 20 year olds who just cannot handle the pressure. I've had to inform parents of their young, healthy children's passing due to actions that could be prevented. But, these actions weren't and another young life is snuffed out senselessly. You never know when your appointed time to die is. You need to make right with the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That is the truth, and the truth offends.
I do not mean to offend at this occasion. The wounds are raw and will be a long time coming before they're healed enough to at least carry on with a normal existence. But, this is a time as is EVERY other time to remind people of our mortality. We are mortal human beings but our souls live forever. Choose Jesus Christ and eternity. He is your comfort, your refuge and your strength. He is your Saviour!
Posted by: Phantom | April 18, 2007 4:48 PM
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In Response to LaFred: Who said it was an apple?
Also, it's not necessarily the fact that he partook of the fruit. It is just the fact that he was given a choice. Only one tree not to eat from and you just couldn't stay away. Just as is so much in this world You have a choice to serve God or mammon.
Posted by: Lee | April 18, 2007 4:32 PM
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Thousands of years of human suffering as payback for eating an apple? Even I, atheist that I am, knows that this is bad. What a joke your God is.
Posted by: lafred | April 18, 2007 4:27 PM
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Concerned:
Yea........I don't think that is it, but whatever helps you sleep at night my friend.
Posted by: Russell D. | April 18, 2007 1:58 PM
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What happened in VT was really hard for most of us to take, my hearts goes to the families of the victims...
A lot of people asked why God let this happened? same thing on 9/11, people asked where is God at that time?. The only thing I can come up with this answer is that our schools, federal buildings even our own home, we kicked God out of these places and now we are going to ask where is God and why He let these tragedies happened? People kicked God out of this country long time ago. Careful what you asked for....
Posted by: Concerned | April 18, 2007 1:35 PM
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You know, Mr. Ham, your post makes me recall what my mother used to say. "Christianity is a beautiful religion, and it's a damn shame Christians don't practice it more often."
You're saying that any one of those children who were not "saved" by your Christian definition are now burning in hell. What a revolting theology.
Posted by: wiccan | April 18, 2007 1:20 PM
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Mr. Ham,
If you actually believe what you wrote you are crazier than the demented VT shooter.
I hope for your sake that you are only propagating these doctrines in your capacity as President/CEO of your religious corporation (oxymoron?) to increase its revenues.
If you really believe your statements you are a deeply disturbed person.
Posted by: Norrie Hoyt | April 18, 2007 1:11 PM
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"Only the person who believes in God has a basis to make moral judgments to determine what is “good” and what is “bad.” Those who claim God does not exist have absolutely no authority upon which to call something right or wrong. If God doesn’t exist, who can objectively define what is good and what is bad? What basis could there be to make such judgments? The atheist has no basis upon which to call anything good or bad. They can talk about good and bad, and right and wrong—but it’s all relative, it’s all arbitrary. What’s “good” in one person’s mind might be completely “bad” in another’s."
I was immediately struck by this paragraph. This is not the kind of thinking an enilghtened mind should have. I am an atheist and I know what is right and what is wrong. God doesn't dictate anything for me. That is a very false statement made by you Mr. Ham
Posted by: Russell D. | April 18, 2007 11:10 AM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential.
Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency.
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