Every year about this time...as we get closer to the Memorial of our Lords death and Ressurection and what it means for us, there is always this nagging question deep inside me that I just cant shake. Some have hinted on it a few times on other forums but no one can seem to come up with an explanation that makes any logical sense. The question is "Why does mankind continue to suffer after christ has already paid the ransom?" Man has been suffering almost from the moment he was created. And needless to say, that suffering has gotten progressively worse through out each generation as God's word said that it would 2Tim3:13. But why, after the ransom has already been paid and delivered to God more than 2,000 years ago... a ransom price paid in full and not partial, has Jehovah continued to permit the on going suffering of man? Some say its to prove to the angels and all intellegent creation that rebelion against God is futile. Others say that each of us have to answer the challenge as to weather we will choose to serve God faithfully or not. And last but not least, its to prove the Devil a liar. Im not convincedn because the Bible already acknowledges the Devil is a liar; it does not have to be proven. Am I really expected to believe that an unimaginable super entity with unmatched- unimaginable-incomprehensible super power...feels he has something to prove? An intelligent, all powerful, all knowing intelligent being that all creation... great and small, seen and unseen depends on for their very life....that this same entity feels that he has something to prove??? I just dont see it. This what I understand. Adam and Eve screwed up...BIG. And through their actions, they sold us into captivity of sin and death, therefore a ransom is required to pay the price demanded to release us from such bondage. What I dont understand is why after the very same ransom was paid in full....that mankind is still held captive to sin and death? Below I pasted a simple definition of the word Ransom from a google search that I did and this is what came up. ran·som [ran-suhm] Show IPA noun 1. the redemption of a prisoner, slave, or kidnapped person, of captured goods, etc., for a price. 2. the sum or price paid or demanded. 3. a means of deliverance or rescue from punishment for sin, especially the payment of a redemptive fine. verb (used with object) 4. to redeem from captivity, bondage, detention, etc., by paying a demanded price. 5. to release or restore on receipt of a ransom. 6. to deliver or redeem from punishment for sin. I find it interesting that in a situation in which a ransom price is demanded for a child or loved one, once such demands have been met, the release of the child/loved one is immediate....or at least with no delay. If christ satisfied the ransom price demanded, why are we still held captives? This all I have time to express. I have things I gotta get done today. I look forward to reading your thoughts and feelings about the matter. I will express more of my own when I return.
Hello Gabriel, I understand you feeling the way you do, I was feeling this way last year just before my brain surgery, and the side effects I'm still having to deal with. I often look at the starving children and those abused and think "why does all of this take so long, how much more suffering will we have to endure?" But then I try to be rational and try to see it through spiritual eyes and not imperfect human ones. I guess it all boils down to bible prophesy, I don't think time frame came into the equation at the creation and fall of mankind, apart from the day in which they would die for eating the fruit. When Jesus gave up his perfect life in heaven and came to Earth to die for mankind, I doubt that he even knew the time frame in which faithful men would be saved from the great tribulation that was to befall us. I do believe that this time frame has aloud the Angels in the heavens to see the full potential of what evil can produce and the depths of depravity which can exist when one chooses to leave the true God Jehovah. It has also given them time to appreciate what not having Jehovah's love can bring, as they were only previously use to the pure light and never imagined what being cut off from the glorious brightness could bring. If an Angel had never been placed in a position to look after Adam and Eve they may never had even been tempted to eat of it's fruit. But it only took one Angel to try and destroy Jehovah's vision, he would have to make sure that this situation would never ever arise in the hearts of any Angel ever again. I also hate to see the suffering Gabriel, but I really don't think we have that long to go, lets just be happy that Jesus past that test with flying colours and the reward is so great . Can you imagine how Jesus himself feels right now, he too is waiting for that great day of Jehovah. Shikinah
Hi Gabriel: The name Gabriel means “strong man of God†or “able bodied man of Godâ€. I don’t really know you Gabriel, but I have read most of your posts in the past. In those posts I see a man who has strong faith in God, which is definitely a good trait to have at this time. Keep cultivating and nourishing that faith and you will one day soon know the answer to your own question today. You have endured personal tests as well that have helped to “steel†your faith and your faith has endured. You are living up to your name. Why God has allowed this system of things to go on so long is a complex question. I would not attempt to answer it in it’s entirety in this reply, but hopefully, I can give you the Cliff’s notes of my answer. When Jehovah God created Adam and Eve, it was his expressed will that they ‘be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth’. 27And God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.28Further, God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.†Genesis 1 Since it was Jehovah’s expressed will that they do that, he would not step in and interrupt the carrying out of that “expressed willâ€. You and I and many, many others can sure be happy that Jehovah did not choose to interrupt this activity or we would not be, would we. But, even though he would not step in and “cut short†the carrying out of his expressed will for Adam and Eve, he set in motion the plan for the salvation of all of Adam and Eve’s children. Had he “cut short†that plan in August or September of 1955, I for one would not be counted among those of Adam and Eve’s offspring that would have benefited from Jehovah God’s plan of Salvation. I dare say you would not be holding the lucky pebble either my brother. There is more of course to the story, but I hope that this will at least give you some answer to your question. Paul tells us some very comforting words when he says…†16Therefore we do not give up, but even if the man we are outside is wasting away, certainly the man we are inside is being renewed from day to day.17For though the tribulation is momentary and light, it works out for us a glory that is of more and more surpassing weight and is everlasting;18while we keep our eyes, not on the things seen, but on the things unseen. For the things seen are temporary, but the things unseen are everlasting. 2 Cor. 4 We are very close to the end of the time when Adam and Eve would have fulfilled God’s command to “be fruitful and fill the earthâ€, less the 1000 year Kingdom period, so it will not be much longer. Keep building your faith and the faith of your family and very soon your prayers for the completion of Jehovah’s expressed will in this regard will be complete and we will continue our healing under the loving wings of our Saviour and King through the Kingdom of God. frank
Hi Gabriel, you may not believe it, but God indeed has something to prove, something He regards infinitely more precious than His very life, namely His name, or reputation of being fair and just in His showing of love for ALL His creatures. I realize that it is not easy to appreciate just how important this issue is for us at present, but how much do you really treasure your OWN integrity? Yes, most people are ready to sell it for even the slightest temporal advantage. So how would you like to live in a world where all moral values were negotiable? Well, you are living in it right now, and from what I can discern, you are not very happy with it, and rightly so. To make matters worse though – or better, depending on your point of view – Satan will soon replace the present ‘wicked, lawless System of things’ with his ‘righteous’ New World, where ‘selfish’ and ‘divisive’ nation states will be done away with in order to unite mankind under the incoming administration of ‘tolerance’ and ‘inclusiveness,’ as a glorious alternative for all those despising the old fashioned YHWH and His divisive love of righteousness. So now is the time to get sorted in your heart, because it will draw you during the coming hour of opportunity towards whatever you have treasured up in it during your life time. We are really suffering for our own reputation as well as that of our God, if we choose YHWH - and if you are not passionate about that, the alternative is just around the corner.