639AFC092906
This is one of those things that constantly circulate around the Internet – usually without much change – because it is clever and because it makes a good point. Did it really happen? Possibly, possibly not, but does that matter? It is a parable illustrating the conflicting interactions between World and Spirit, Age and Youth, Time and Eternity. I’m sending it to you today, because it seems to me that we need to think about these things more often.
This parable is one of the best illustrations of the application of Proverb 15:1 I have ever seen: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. I hope I can remember that the next time someone’s “point of view” pokes my on one of my hot-buttons!
Did God Create Everything?
This is a really great answer to a question you may be asked or have asked. Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?
A University professor at a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with this question. “Did God create everything that exists?”
A student bravely replied “Yes He did.”
“God created everything?” the professor asked.
“Yes sir, He certainly did.” the student replied.
The professor answered, “If God created everything, then God created evil. And since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then we can assume God is evil.”
The student became quiet and did not answer the professor’s hypothetical definition. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, “May I ask you a question, Professor?”
“Of course,” replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, “Professor does cold exist?”
“What kind of a question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?”
The other students snickered at the young man’s question.
The young man replied, “In fact, sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 F) is the total absence of heat; and all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.
The student continued, “Professor, does darkness exist?”
The professor responded, “Of course it does.”
The student replied, “Once again you are wrong, sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”
Finally the young man asked the professor, “Sir, does evil exist?”
Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course, as I have already said, we see it everyday. It is in the daily examples of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.”
To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.”
The professor sat down. The young man also sat. They stayed like that for a while longer, smiling at each other. After a while, the professor turned to the class and asked, “Anyone else have a question?”
Beloved, think about your faith. Think about how God has given you everything you need to know Him, to see Him, to love Him, and to worship and serve Him. If you have the absence of something good in your life, it probably isn’t because of the presence of something bad. That’s what Satan would like for you to believe. You are created in God’s image. Use everything He gave you when he created you. Anything you leave out creates an absence in your ability to live as you were created to live. You choose. God gave you 100% of you and 100% of Him in Jesus. Think about that, then sit back and smile at God, because He’s smiling at you.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
639AFC092906
This is one of those things that constantly circulate around the Internet – usually without much change – because it is clever and because it makes a good point. Did it really happen? Possibly, possibly not, but does that matter? It is a parable illustrating the conflicting interactions between World and Spirit, Age and Youth, Time and Eternity. I’m sending it to you today, because it seems to me that we need to think about these things more often.
This parable is one of the best illustrations of the application of Proverb 15:1 I have ever seen: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. I hope I can remember that the next time someone’s “point of view” pokes my on one of my hot-buttons!
Did God Create Everything?
This is a really great answer to a question you may be asked or have asked. Did God create everything that exists? Does evil exist? Did God create evil?
A University professor at a well known institution of higher learning challenged his students with this question. “Did God create everything that exists?”
A student bravely replied “Yes He did.”
“God created everything?” the professor asked.
“Yes sir, He certainly did.” the student replied.
The professor answered, “If God created everything, then God created evil. And since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then we can assume God is evil.”
The student became quiet and did not answer the professor’s hypothetical definition. The professor, quite pleased with himself, boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said, “May I ask you a question, Professor?”
“Of course,” replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, “Professor does cold exist?”
“What kind of a question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?”
The other students snickered at the young man’s question.
The young man replied, “In fact, sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 F) is the total absence of heat; and all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat.
The student continued, “Professor, does darkness exist?”
The professor responded, “Of course it does.”
The student replied, “Once again you are wrong, sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn’t this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”
Finally the young man asked the professor, “Sir, does evil exist?”
Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course, as I have already said, we see it everyday. It is in the daily examples of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.”
To this the student replied, “Evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.”
The professor sat down. The young man also sat. They stayed like that for a while longer, smiling at each other. After a while, the professor turned to the class and asked, “Anyone else have a question?”
Beloved, think about your faith. Think about how God has given you everything you need to know Him, to see Him, to love Him, and to worship and serve Him. If you have the absence of something good in your life, it probably isn’t because of the presence of something bad. That’s what Satan would like for you to believe. You are created in God’s image. Use everything He gave you when he created you. Anything you leave out creates an absence in your ability to live as you were created to live. You choose. God gave you 100% of you and 100% of Him in Jesus. Think about that, then sit back and smile at God, because He’s smiling at you.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
