As a Christian, from time to time I make statements about what God does and the motivations behind His actions. Maybe you do the same. In doing so, we must take care that our statements match biblical principles. Otherwise, we might be guilty of blaspheming God, or at least presumptuousness.
A person who interprets a situation in a way that explains God’s role becomes a mouthpiece for God. If we act as such a mouthpiece, we have a huge responsibility. We must make sure we are accurately reflecting God’s principles and purposes. If we are wrong, we might face judgment.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)
For example, a friend of mine said that, after the tragic death of his wife, some Christians told him that God brought about this death in order to make him a better person. Therefore, as he logically interpreted their statement, his lack of being a better person was the reason for his wife’s death, making him at fault for the tragedy.
Can their assumptions be accurate?
It is true that God has enacted corrective measures to halt bad behavior, such as when King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband’s demise. To correct David, God caused the death of the baby who was born to David and Bathsheba. Does this mean that all tragedies are the result of someone needing to be corrected? Of course not. Witness John chapter 9:
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3)
The disciples assumed that this tragic situation had to be the result of someone’s sin. Yet, Jesus contradicted that assumption.
Job’s “comforters” employed the same false assumption. They told Job that the deaths of his children came about because of his own sins, that God was trying to correct him.
Eliphaz said, "Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you, That He enters into judgment against you? Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquities without end?” (Joh 22:4-5)
Yet, God directly rebuked Eliphaz – It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” (Job 42:7)
Unless we know of a specific sin in someone’s life and we know with certainty as a prophet of God (like Nathan rebuking King David) that God is correcting that sin through use of a tragedy, then we should refrain from making such a presumptuous statement.
Simply put, we shouldn’t presume to speak for God unless we are stating a biblical principle that relates to the situation at hand. God wants us to speak truth about Him, and accurate principles are provided throughout the Bible. On the other hand, if we speak falsehoods about Him, we are not only doing damage to God’s character, we are putting ourselves in the place of the false prophets and setting ourselves up for possible corrective wrath, a dangerous place indeed.
In the case of tragedy, it is often best to show love, weep with those who weep, and keep our presumptions to ourselves. Tragedies are wounds that need comforting salve, not a dose of acid that comes from a presumptuous Eliphaz wannabe.
A person who interprets a situation in a way that explains God’s role becomes a mouthpiece for God. If we act as such a mouthpiece, we have a huge responsibility. We must make sure we are accurately reflecting God’s principles and purposes. If we are wrong, we might face judgment.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)
For example, a friend of mine said that, after the tragic death of his wife, some Christians told him that God brought about this death in order to make him a better person. Therefore, as he logically interpreted their statement, his lack of being a better person was the reason for his wife’s death, making him at fault for the tragedy.
Can their assumptions be accurate?
It is true that God has enacted corrective measures to halt bad behavior, such as when King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband’s demise. To correct David, God caused the death of the baby who was born to David and Bathsheba. Does this mean that all tragedies are the result of someone needing to be corrected? Of course not. Witness John chapter 9:
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. (John 9:1-3)
The disciples assumed that this tragic situation had to be the result of someone’s sin. Yet, Jesus contradicted that assumption.
Job’s “comforters” employed the same false assumption. They told Job that the deaths of his children came about because of his own sins, that God was trying to correct him.
Eliphaz said, "Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you, That He enters into judgment against you? Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquities without end?” (Joh 22:4-5)
Yet, God directly rebuked Eliphaz – It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” (Job 42:7)
Unless we know of a specific sin in someone’s life and we know with certainty as a prophet of God (like Nathan rebuking King David) that God is correcting that sin through use of a tragedy, then we should refrain from making such a presumptuous statement.
Simply put, we shouldn’t presume to speak for God unless we are stating a biblical principle that relates to the situation at hand. God wants us to speak truth about Him, and accurate principles are provided throughout the Bible. On the other hand, if we speak falsehoods about Him, we are not only doing damage to God’s character, we are putting ourselves in the place of the false prophets and setting ourselves up for possible corrective wrath, a dangerous place indeed.
In the case of tragedy, it is often best to show love, weep with those who weep, and keep our presumptions to ourselves. Tragedies are wounds that need comforting salve, not a dose of acid that comes from a presumptuous Eliphaz wannabe.
