Just the other day I was having a discussion with a friend, an atheist. We were going over that well-worn territory “Either God is not all-powerful or He is not good”.
It’s a tired argument, but it doesn’t stop some people from trotting it out now and again. But here in Luke 13:1 – 9, Jesus makes a comment about just that.
Word has just reached Jesus and the Disciples about the latest atrocity committed by the Romans – Pilate has had a group of jews murdered as they sacrificed, their blood profaning the altar in as deep a way as can be imagined.
What is interesting here is that the disciples immediately seem to have begun speculating on what these people did to be so treated. And like my atheist friend, everything is seen in terms of God’s judgement. The attitude is similar to that seen in this cartoon:
The problem is that it assumes that everything that happens in this world must take place according to a program, a list of events that God has pre-ordained. That is what it means for God to be all-powerful, right?
Maybe. But then again, maybe not.
The paradox of predestination is that God’s ultimate aim was for people who would love Him. And for this to mean anything, those people need to have free will (after all, what good is love from something that is only following its program?).
But freedom is a risk, and what God is risking is that some people will abuse their freedom.
I can remember a youth group game which made this point quite graphically – half of a group of kids were handed rolled-up newspapers, and were told to form a circle around the other half, and they were given ten seconds to use their newspapers. Naturally, they used the newspapers to beat the living tar out of the other kids. Nobody told them to do that – they could have used the newspapers any way they liked! – but abuse was the natural reaction.
Humans do that. We’re selfish and violent, and it’s in our nature to ignore God and to hurt each other.
Jesus, typically, cuts through all the bull and keeps things very simple – Bad stuff happens. It’s not a judgement, it’s just stuff that’s part of living in a sinful world. And also typically Jesus, He sees through to the heart of the matter and points out that, just like all other bad things that happen, this should be seen by the people as a call to repentance.
He finishes with the parable of the tree – the tree has failed to bear fruit, and the owner wants it cut down – but the gardener says that he’ll give it one more year, and give it the absolute best treatment. Then if it still fails to bear fruit it will be cut down.
We are that tree, and we need to recognize that God’s patience will not last forever. We have a limited time to respond to Him.
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