WHY
DO THINGS HAPPEN AS THEY DO?
Often when a tragedy or some
other unpleasant event takes place, we hear someone say,
“There’s a reason for everything!” Actually, it would be
more correct to declare, “There is a cause for everything,”
which is obvious. To use the word “reason” in this
manner is to indicate that what took place was necessary or
appropriate. Many who commit a hideous crime will then attempt
to justify their action. The Apostle Paul spoke of those who
slanderously accused him of saying, “Let us do evil that good
may come.” He responded concerning those slanderers, by
declaring, “Whose damnation is just” (Rom. 3:8). It is
never justifiable to do evil.
The expression,
“There’s a reason for everything!” implies that God has
predestined everything to happen in the way that it does. This
reminds me of the words of Doris Day’s song, “Whatever will
be, will be!” But this is a more fatalistic approach to
life, rather than believing that God predetermined everything
to happen as it does. Neither of these approaches is the
true answer to why things happen as they do. Since man is a
free moral agent with the mental ability to decide between
alternatives, he is responsible for his action and the
consequences thereof. The Heavenly Father predestined the means
for mankind’s eternal redemption (I Pet. 1:18-20), but did not
pre-program us as one would a robot.
In the garden
of Eden Adam and Eve were
given the choice to obey God and enjoy the blessings thereof or
eat the forbidden fruit and reap the effect (Gen. 2:15-17). The
children of Israel were given the chose to worship the true and
living God, or the false gods created by man and reap the
consequences for doing so (Joshua 24:14-21). The Son of God
invites us to come unto Him (Matt. 11:28-30). You and I
individually make the chose as to whether or not we will obey
the gospel and faithfully live the Christian life (Acts 2:36-41;
2 Pet. 1:5-11).
Man who commits murder was not
destined by God or fate to be a murderer. He did not have to
turn out that way. Therefore, we should refrain from making the
statement, “There’s a reason for everything!”
--Dub Mowery
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