Articles

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