“How can a merciful God allow such evil things to happen?” We hear this often and so need to look at things from the Divine Perspective – a view referred to by the inspired writers of the Bible as God’s “foreknowledge” (1 Peter 1:2; Romans 8:29). This means that God knows the destiny of every human being.
The New Testament doctrine of Predestination (pre: “before” and destino: “I determine”) is based on the fact that God knows the future; and because of that He also knows the decisions we make that determine our destiny.
In spiritual terms, God not only knows those who have come to faith in Christ but also those who will be finally saved in the Resurrection. Not every new Christian continues to the end; many leave along the way. But those who remain will arrive at their heavenly destination in time.
The choices we make in life determine whether we who are “called” are also “chosen” – nothing is inevitable except the consequences that result from the choices we make. ” Many are called but few are chosen,” because the “many” choose to reject the King’s invitation and the “few” choose to accept it (Matthew 22:14).
A sudden influx of Gentile converts into the church at Antioch raised the question of whether or not non-Jewish believers ought to be circumcised to assure their salvation. The church elders sent a deputation, led by the apostles Paul and Barnabas, to Jerusalem to get a ruling on the matter.
After Paul and Barnabas reported on their first missionary journey, a vigorous exchange of views took place. The Apostle Peter drew the meeting’s attention to the fact that God had made no difference between Peter’s Jewish party and the Roman Cornelius and his household – “purifying their hearts [of the latter] by faith” (Acts 10:44-48).
James, an elder in the church at Jerusalem, summed up the feeling of the meeting. He quoted the prophecy of Amos, which said that God would “raise up” the tabernacle of David, which had fallen into disrepair – “that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things.” (Amos 9:11) James ended his summation with the key words: “Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning.” (Acts 15:17, 18) “Upon whom my name is called”? How could God identify with non-Jews? The answer is that He foreknew the future; He had know the end from the beginning.
Is it right for believers to call God’s name upon non-believers when they pray? If it is, we ought to proclaim God’s name over those who need to be saved; and since Jesus died for the sins of the world, which includes everyone. The NT Greek word translated “called” in Acts 15:17, refers to “putting a name upon”, “attaching a name to”, “naming a person after another person”. God’s foreknowledge of those who, in time, will belong to Him enables Him to speak of them as already belonging to Him. Future believers are known to Him long before they come to know Him; they are His before they are born.
James reached this conclusion at the Jerusalem meeting. It had been called to establish the status of the many non-Jews who had come to faith in Jesus Christ. James extrapolated the principle in Amos 9:11 and applied it to the question (an exposition of the verse would have required its future application). We are known by the Lord’s name: “Do not (the rich) blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called?” (James 2:7)
The Jews at Corinth rejected Paul’s message that Jesus was the Christ, so Paul preached to the city’s Gentile majority, “and many of the citizens of Corinth, hearing him, believed and were baptized. The Lord spoke to Paul in the night in a vision. ‘Be not afraid, but speak, and do not hold your peace: for I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.'” (Acts 18:8-10)
Since Paul had only recently arrived in Corinth, the “many people” to whom Jesus referred were yet to be saved; however, Jesus spoke of them as his people. “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” Implicit in these words is that those whom God has foreknown belong to Him before they respond to the Gospel. If God actively invokes his name upon them, why does not Acts 15:17 end in the active voice, “upon whom I have called my name” rather than the passive voice, “upon whom my name is called”?
It’s really a matter of who is calling. Some New Testament scholars take the easy road by translating, “Who call upon my name.” While this is valid, it lacks the depth of meaning in the King James Version’s – “On whom my name is called.” Jesus the Bridegroom spoke of his Bride (the Church) in anticipation of his return, when he will take her to himself. Until then he proclaims his love over her in no uncertain terms (Ephesians 5:25-32).
We too should proclaim the name of Jesus Christ over those whom we love. The NT Greek word for “confession” means: “to say the same thing.” Knowing that it is not the will of God that any should perish, but rather that all should come to the knowledge of the truth, it’s time we called God’s name over our unsaved loved ones by naming them and claiming them.
“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified (set apart) by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: otherwise, your children would be unclean; but now they are holy.” What if the husband or wife or child who is “set apart” for salvation – is on the Invitation List – rejects the offer of salvation? “But if the unbelieving departs [from the marriage], let him depart. A brother or sister [in the Lord] is not under bondage in such cases: but God has called us to peace. For how do you, wife, know whether you will save your husband [through your Christian example and fervent prayers]? Or how do you, man, know whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:14-16)
God knows what decision the unbelieving partner will make – whatever their decision will be. God’s foreknowledge does not determine the matter – the partner’s decision does! Nor does God’s foreknowledge of the outcome excuse the believing partner from praying – maybe a little more prayer will be what makes the difference.
As for why God allows terrible things to happen in the world, isn’t it time we stopped asking God this question and started asking ourselves why we do the things we do. In a perfect world bad things would not happen to good people. But we do not live in a perfect world. When Jesus returns, he will establish a perfect world. But sadly, you will not live in it, should you reject his invitation.