Truth Magazine

By Hoyt H. Houchen

Question: Please explain Isaiah 45:7 where God says, “I create evil. ” Does not only good come from God?

Reply: We read in Isaiah 45:7: “1 form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.” This verse raises the question: did God actually create only good?

God’s original creation was very good (Gen. 1:31). Also, we are told that God “cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man” (Jas. 1:13). Since God is moral (sinless), moral evil is contrary to His very nature. God, then, does not create moral evil.

In what sense does God create evil? The NASB translates Isaiah 45:7: “The one forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all this.” The word rendered by the NASB, “calamity” is the Hebrew word rah, which basically means “evil” (either moral or misfortune evil). God is addressing Cyrus (v. 1), the Medo-Pqrsian king who was later to “subdue kingdoms.” Specifically, he would capture Babylon because of the wickedness that prevailed in that city. God was using Cyrus as His instrument to inflict this punishment. The prophecy was uttered more than a hundred years before Cyrus was born, but it was all literally fulfilled. So, in view of the meaning of the Hebrew word in the verse, and the context of the verse, the word “evil” which God creates refers to the calamities as punishment upon wicked nations. God, therefore, does not create moral evil, but calamities or misfortunes come upon man as a result of his sin (see Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 5:12; 6:23; Jas. 1: 14,15).

There are instances in the Old Testament when God brought calamity upon people as a result of their moral evil or wickedness. Because of wickedness, God destroyed the earth with water, sparing only Noah and his family (Gen. 6:5-8). God afflicted the Egyptians with ten plagues because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 7-12). God smote the Philistines with a great discomfiture and tumors while !he ark of the covenant was among them (1 Sam. 5:9). Hell is created by God for those who are disobedient to His will (Matt. 25:41; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 21:8; etc.) These are examples of evil which God created – calamity, adversity, misfortune – all punishment as a result of moral evil. He did not create the moral evil. God created man a free moral agent. When man violates God’s moral law, it is man, not God who is responsible for moral evil.

In 1 Samuel 16:14, we are told, “Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.” This verse has posed a problem for some in that they assume that this is a cause of moral evil coming directly from God. But actually, Saul’s sin broke fellowship with God, and God allowed the evil spirit to trouble him. Again, this serves as an example of the evil consequences that come upon those guilty of sin or moral evil. The same truth is illustrated again in Saul’s case (1 Sam. 18: 10). God is the author of moral law and He is also the author of consequences which follow because of the violation of that law (1 Jn. 3:4).

Not all physical disasters today such as floods, tornados and earthquakes are due to sin (Lk. 13:1-5). Christians suffer in such calamities along with the wicked. Neither is it to be supposed that all suffering or affliction is the result of sin (see Jn. 9:2). In fact, Christians may suffer affliction as a means of chastisement (Heb. 12:7-9). Persecution is an example (2 Tim. 3:12). Chastisement of Christians should motivate them to greater faith. We all suffer misfortunes in life – illness, disappointments, loss of loved ones and many more, but the Christian looks forward to heaven where none of these exist. Men do often blame God for consequences which result from their moral evil.

A simple solution is not always found for the problem of evil in the world, but we do know that God does not create moral evil and we can always be assured that whatever God does is right and in harmony with His moral character (Gen.18:25).

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 4, p. 101
February 19, 1987

By Jimmy Tuten

Introduction:

A. Matthew 5:8; 6:20-21; 12:33-35 – The thought content of these passages is:

1. The religion of Jesus Christ is a “heart religion.” But it is not the “heart felt religion” of Pentecostalism where assurance of salvation is based on how one feels, rather than what the Word of God teaches (Rom. 8:16-17).

2. All obedience to God must come from the heart and God is not pleased unless the heart is right with God.

3. What the Bible teaches about the heart and what men think about it are poles apart. It is vital that we know what the Bible heart is.

4. In the New Testament the heart stands for the entire inner life: the capacity of a person to feel, think, and resolve, with emphasis on thinking and willingness.

B. Churches of Christ have been accused of having a heartless religion. Such is not the case. The thesis of this lesson is to demonstrate this point.

Body:

I. The word “heart” in the Bible means mainly the center and source of the whole inner life (F. Wilbur Gingrich, Lexicon). In the heart:

A. Sin is committed (Matt. 5:28).

B. Forgiveness is granted (Matt. 18:35).

C. Condemnation is felt (1 Jn. 3:20).

D. Thought is formed (Mk. 7:21).

E. Speech is born (Matt. 12:34-37).

F. Obedience is given (Rom. 6:17).

G. Doubt (Mk. 11:23), decision (2 Cor. 9:7), deception (Jas. 1:26), belief (Rom. 10:9), sorrow (Jn. 16:6) and assurance are all affairs of the heart.

II. Members of the body of Christ walk by faith and not by fleshly feeling (2 Cor. 5:7). Our true heart felt faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), and our heart is attuned to God’s Word. Our feelings are the result of our faith, and not our faith the result of our feelings. Christians believe in “heart felt religion” the way the Bible teaches it. Not the kind the denominations espouse.

A. “I feel it in my heart” is no more a standard to determine salvation than saying “I feel in my heart that my bank balance is correct,” “I feel in my heart that this board is 6 feet long,” etc.

1. The reason: this is subjective and subject to change depending upon the person, “experience, ” etc. One needs an objective standard in all fields.

B. The Bible says you cannot trust your feelings when it comes to salvation (Prov. 28:26; Jcr. 10:23; Prov. 14:12).

C. We are to trust in God (Prov. 3:5), for He has given Scripture to make one wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15; 2 Pet. 1:3).

III. What is the heart that must be converted? A thing is known by what it does, i.e., a farmer farms, a teacher teaches, etc. The major functions of the heart may be classified in four groups; from these one can learn what the heart is that must be changed.

A. It has an intellectual process (thinks, Matt. 9:4; Heb. 4:12; – reasons, Mk. 2:8; – understands, Matt. 13:15; – believes, Rom. 10:9-10).

B. It has emotional processes (loves, Matt. 22:37; despises, 2 Sam. 6:16; – rejoices, Psa. 33:21; – suffers anguish, 2 Cor. 2:4; -may be stolen, 2 Sam. 15:1-6).

C. It has the process of will (a will that purposes, Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:7; – determines, 1 Cor. 7:37. This is the process of the will).

D. It has the process of conscience (pricked, Acts 2:37; – cut, Acts 5:33; – condemns, 1 Jn. 3:20-21).

E. When one thinks of the heart he must take into account all of these things.

IV. What can happen to my heart?

A. It can be stolen (2 Sam. 15:6).

B. It can be hardened (Ex. 7:15).

C. It can go from a person (2 Kgs. 5:21).

D. It abides with a treasure (Matt. 6:24).

V. The condition of the heart.

A. In early life it is pure (Matt. 183; 19:14).

B. When sin enters the heart, it is poisoned, i.e., the intellect is clouded, the emotions are corrupted and the will is paralyzed. In this state the heart is:

1. Evil (Gen. 6:5; 8:21).

2. Deceitful (Jer. 17:9).

3. Corrupt (Eph. 4:18).

C. We are responsible for this and we must change the heart (there is no salvation without a change of heart, Matt. 5:8; 1 Pet. 1:22; Jas. 4:8).

VI. How is this change of heart brought about?

A. The intellect is changed by testimony (God affects this with evidence that produces faith (Jn. 20:30-31; Rom. 10:17). Illustration: An attorney labors to change the minds of a jury with reference to his client. He wants the jury to think, reason, understand and believe that his client is innocent of the charges against him. Therefore he sets before the jury testimony which he considers necessary to convince them and to cause them to have a desired attitude toward his client.

B. The emotions are changed by loveliness, i.e., by God’s love (Rom. 5:8; Jn. 3:16; 2 Cor. 8:9). Illustration: When a young man tries to win the affections of a young woman, he does not resort to intellectual arguments. He shows his own affections and does things for her.

C. The will is changed by motives (goodness of God, Rom. 2:4; – fear of judgment, Acts 17:30-31. These are powerful motives inducing obedience). Illustration: Parents place motives before their children to induce obedience. A drunken father and/or husband may be won back if the proper motives are placed before him.

D. The conscience is changed by fight-doing (Active faith must follow understanding what God has done through Jesus, His Son, Jas. 2; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 4:17). Illustration: A man who has mistreated a fellow man (if he is honest and knows how God feels about it) can never have peace of mind until he has done what he can do to correct it.

Conclusion:

1. Hebrews 4:7, “Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

2. The story is told of a young woman who was greatly distressed because she could not “experience” a change of heart. Someone pointed out to her that her heart had already been changed, with the exception of her conscience, i.e., she already believed in Jesus, had a tender feeling for Him and wanted to serve Him. She needed to act on the desire to serve Him by obedience. Like the Eunuch of Acts 8 her biblical “heart-felt” action would rejoice. She too could go her way rejoicing!

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 4, pp. 106-107
February 19, 1987

By Irven Lee

“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42,43). This is a clear word picture of a sad situation. These many rulers were almost certainly among the better educated and more highly respected citizens in the land. They were men of influence, and they loved their chief seats too much to risk offending the Pharisees, which was the strictest sect among the Jews (Acts 26:5).

The Pharisees coveted the praise of the chief rulers, also (Matt. 23:1-7). Each group was happy to have the praise of the other. It was a matter of you praise us and we will praise you. You scratch my back and I will scratch yours! Was not that prize a vain thing? They paid a great price to obtain it. The chief rulers would not confess their belief in God’s Son. They pleased men rather than God.

There was no way to confess faith in Christ without facing the ugly sarcasm and hate of the Pharisees. The ninth chapter of John tells the story of Christ’s healing a blind man. That grateful man took his stand in defense of the One who had healed him, and his wisdom was evident in the answers to those who reviled him. His parents were like the many chief rulers who believed. They showed no gratitude to the One who had given sight to their son who had never seen.

“His parents answered them, and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now seeth, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. These works spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him” (John 9:20-23). They were not as ignorant as they professed they were. They refused to express confidence in and gratitude for the One who had done so much for their son. This seems to be an incredible thing. What will some people do to win the praise of men?

The threats of the Pharisees and other prominent Jews had its desired effect. Many bowed before them and did not stand for their convictions. How many other such men were there in Israel in those days who were very quiet about their beliefs? None knows, but there must have been many like the parents of the blind man and the chief rulers to which reference was made. If they had boldly proclaimed their faith in Christ the eyes of many others might have been opened through their influence.

There was some basis in the mind of Christ for selecting Peter, James, John and others to be apostles. They were not highly educated or socially prominent men (Acts 4:13). They did have some preconceived ideas about the kingdom that hindered their understanding of the mission of Christ (Matt. 20:20-28). Our Lord selected men who could be rebuked without turning back (John 6:66). They could hear truths that shocked them without losing faith (Matt. 19:23-25).

Jesus could say to the apostles: “Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear” (Matt. 13:16). The god of this world had blinded the eyes of some (2 Cor. 4:4). They could not see because they would not look, and they could not hear because they would not listen. Preaching to people like this is somewhat like casting pearls before swine (Matt. 7:6; 13:15). Being willing to do the will of God has something to do with our ability to understand it. “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (John 7:17).

Nineteen hundred years ago there were men who would not pay the price to boldly teach the truth. Are there such people in America today? When men go out to sow the word, do they find the wayside soil, the shallow soil, and the thorny ground, as well as the good soil? Can there be any doubt? There must be many that know better than their behavior would indicate. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). Paul was not ashamed of the gospel because he knew the power and love it involved (Rom. 1:16). Timothy was one of the truly great men of that first century, but he was warned not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord or of the persecuted saints (2 Tim. 1:8). If Paul needed the prayers of saints that he should speak boldly as he ought to speak, and if Timothy needed to be warned, surely we must need the same (Eph. 6:19,20).

“And, behold, there was a man Joseph, a counselor, and he was a good man, and a just . . . who also himself waited for the kingdom of God” (Luke 23:50,51). Joseph and Nicodemus gave our Lord’s body honorable burial. That must have taken courage on that day when the Christ had been mocked, scourged, and crucified by the mob, but what of Joseph’s record before. He had been a secret disciple for fear of the Jews (John 19:38)! Joseph is mentioned as being rich and honorable and, on this special day, as being bold. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John mention Joseph’s good deed in the matter of the burial of the body of Christ. Think how much more beautiful the word picture would have been if he had been a bold friend of the Christ while He lived rather than a secret disciple in those days.

Could we find men who are honorable counselors among the more liberal churches who realize that the praise of men is a dominant force among them? Would they like to stand with us if it did not entail being called an “anti” or some other such unpleasant name. Please, come on out of the darkness and stand in the light for the sake of your soul, your family’s welfare, and for the influence you could have on your neighbors. Love would cause you to obey (John 14:15,21,23).

It is still true that those who would live godly lives in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Men are needed who will do the work of an evangelist and endure the affliction that follows the good work. If you teach the truth as it is in Christ you will be called a legalist, a bigot, a trouble maker, and such, and you will be regarded as being narrow, but you will please God.

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 4, pp. 99-100
February 19, 1987

By Daniel W. Petty

“A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones” (Prov. 14:30, KJV). When the Wise Man exhorted, “Keep thy heart” (Prov. 4:23), he was encouraging us to keep ourselves free from evil thoughts and improper attitudes from which all sorts of sinful conduct proceed. A “sound heart” is one that is free from such corruptions as greed, evil desire, resentment, or pride, and is therefore healthy. The heart that is free from envy (“passion,” NASB) is sound in the sense of being at peace with itself. Another good translation is “a tranquil heart” (NASB). There is a connection here noted between tranquility or soundness of heart, and good physical health. Whether the writer of the proverb was speaking entirely metaphorically (e.g., “a sound heart is [like] life to the body,” etc.) is debated. In any case, experience certainly teaches that people who are torn apart from within with envy or resentment toward others are not happy or healthy people; it is to them “rottenness to the bones.” And it is a sin sickness of the soul that can destroy us.

The Hebrew word qinah is found 46 times in the Old Testament, and may be translated “envy,” “jealousy,19 16 zeal.” The New Testament uses two words, primarily, to denote the concept of envy or jealousy. Zelos occurs in its various forms about 28 times, and means “zeal,” “jealousy,” or “envy.” Phthonos is found about ten times as “envy” or “jealousy.” These two Greek words are joined together by Paul in Galatians 5:20-21.

An interesting difference between zelos and phthonos is that the former word is sometimes used in a good sense. In John 2:17, Jesus quoted Psalm 69:9 to say, “Zeal for Thy house will consume me.” Here it referred to His passionate, jealous concern for the temple and its worship. Paul testified of the Jews that they had “a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). The Corinthians were noted by Paul for their exemplary zeal in giving, which had stirred up the Macedonians (2 Cor. 9:2). R.C. Trench says, “When zelos is taken in good part, it signifies the honorable emulation, with the consequent imitation, of that which presents itself to the mind’s eye as excellent” (Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 87). As used in this nobler sense, zeal is “that active emulation which grieves, not that another has the good, but that itself has it not; and which, not pausing here, seeks to supply the deficiencies which it finds in itself” (Trench, p. 88).

But zelos is most often used in Scripture to denote that baser passion of jealousy, into which that “active emulation” has degenerated. “Jealousy” and “strife” often are found together as fitting partners (Rom. 13:13; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20). That good which we see in another has become a symbol of resentment, competition, and even enmity.

Phthonos, “envy,” is always used in a bad sense. Vine defines it as a “feeling of displeasure produced by witnessing or hearing of the advantage of prosperity of others.” The distinction, Vine explains, between “envy” and “jealousy,” though very slight, is “that envy desires to deprive another of what he has, jealousy desires to have the same or the same sort of thing for itself.”

The condition of heart we are defining is therefore that feeling of indignation, resentment, or bad feeling that may result from pride, selfish ambition, covetousness, or inordinate competition. We all know what jealousy is because we were all children once, and jealousy is certainly a childish trait. Siblings naturally are jealous of one another, and parents know of the difficulty of trying not to give one child any apparent advantage over the others. Parents also know that as children grow to adulthood, they should learn to overcome such childish jealousy.

But such attitudes continue to linger in us even as adults. Uncontrolled, they are often the cause of the breakdown of marriages, of strife between Christians. The ugly monster of jealousy manifests itself because of some physical or material advantage of others; so-and-so makes more money, etc. It appears because someone was not included in a social activity. People are jealous because of someone else’s talents or abilities, because a good idea was somebody else’s, or because others get to have the “say-so.”

There are many examples of jealousy found in God’s word, and they illustrate what the consequences of this uncontrolled passion can be. Cain killed his brother because he was jealous that the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but not for his own (Gen. 4:4-5). Joseph was the victim of his brother’s jealousy, and was sold into slavery (Gen. 37:11; Acts 7:9). Joshua begged Moses to restrain Eldad and Medad from prophesying in the camp of Israel, because of his jealousy (Num. 11:26-29). It was for envy that Korah led his rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and met his unfortunate fate (Num. 16; cf. Psa. 106:16). Jealousy toward David became an obsession with King Saul, driving him to hound David in efforts to kill him (I Sam. 18:8). The chief priests of the Jews delivered up Jesus to be crucified “because of envy” (Matt. 27:18; Mk. 15: 10). Paul was driven from Antioch of Pisidia and Thessalonica as a result of the jealousy of the Jews, as they observed the crowds of people coming to hear the gospel preached (Acts 13:45; 17:5).

Jealousy and envy are not proper attitudes for Christians (Rom. 13:13). Paul classes envy among all sorts of unrighteous behavior which is more fitting for those with a “depraved mind” (Rom. 1:28-29). The church in Corinth was guilty of jealousy and strife, and Paul rebuked them as a bunch of immature, spiritual babies. Their behavior was of a carnal or fleshly nature. Paul was forced to deal with them harshly because they refused to put away such childish, unspiritual behavior (1 Cor. 3:1-3). As children of God who are led by the Spirit, we are to put away such attitudes as jealousy as works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20-21). As imitators of the love of Christ, we must learn that jealousy is not consistent with true love (1 Cor. 13:4).

The “wisdom from above” tells us that “jealousy and selfish ambition” only causes “disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:13-18). The person who is “wise and understanding” knows that “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” is a “lie against the truth” and the source of disorder, strife, and conflict. The Wise Man wrote, “Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood, But who can stand before jealousy?” (Prov. 27:4) “And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel” (James 4:2). At the heart of many a doctrinal controversy there is also “envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions” (1 Tim. 6:4). The Apostle Paul expressed his fears that at his arrival in Corinth he would find “strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances” (2 Cor. 12:20). Would he be afraid to visit many congregations today?

We hate to admit it, but some preachers are apparently motivated by jealousy or envy of others. The same thing existed in Paul’s day: “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will” (Phil. 1:15-16). What a shame it is when something as beautiful as the gospel message, and as noble as the work of preaching it, is tarnished by a jealous pride or selfish ambition that resents the God-given talents of other ministers of the gospel, or belittles and tears down the good work that others have done. The jealous attitude needs to be purged from the hearts of many Christians, and some preachers ought to lead the way.

We will eliminate thoughts of jealousy (“envies,” 1 Pet. 2:1, KJV) from our hearts as we grow in Christ. “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Pet. 2:1-2). The word of God can heal sin-sick hearts, if we will apply its teachings to our lives, “being not forgetful hearers, but doers. . . . “

Guardian of Truth XXXI: 4, pp. 112-113
February 19, 1987