Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous. [Proverbs 13.21]
Here is just one more confirmation in the Bible that reveals that blessings are the reward of righteousness and that trouble is the reward of sin.
And yet, se we still have the audacity to make statements to the end that God randomly uses trouble to "grow" us. Trouble is for sin. Blessings are for obedience.
The problem with my statement above, as I have said so so many times is that the indictment upon most of us is monumental. Based on the troubles most of us face, we should be repenting all the time!
So, what is wrong with repenting all the time?
The only thing wrong with repenting all the time is twofold. First, repenting all the time doesn't make us happy - and God wants us to be happy right? Yeah, we better be careful with that theology! Second, repenting all the time should be a sign to us that we are obviously not doing things right, but also that our methods of preventing sin should be reviewed!
Troubles tell us that we are doing wrong. It is that simple. What is complicated are the religious doctrines man has surmised that make trouble out to indicate anything differently!
I have troubles. I have sin. I need to repent. As much as necessary, I need to repent and stay repentant until my troubles subside. That'll keep the congregation happy, huh? Yeah, not so much.
But what makes God happy? Then there's that...
Father, I know you do not turn away a broken heart and contrite spirit. Forgive me for being so self-centered and even more so for being so self-righteous concerning the troubles in my life.
4 comments:
Is trouble always because of sin?
Did not Jesus Say in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." And there are many allusions that there will be troubles because of the word.
And consider the story of Job.
Maybe I am not properly understanding your intenet?
John 16.33 - the trouble Jesus speaks of is persecution - altogether different than trouble as defined in Deuteronomy 28 resultant to disobedience...
Job - need to understand that Job had to repent in the end... Repentance is the prescribed response to sin...
Troubles should be differentiated from persecutions. Believers (true believers) will indeed be persecuted. The trouble Proverbs mentions is one and the same as the curses described in Deuteronomy 28.
It has been a long process to understand this... Hope you can at least see my intent.
I think I see where you are at with this. I can certainly say from personal experience that sin does result in trouble. Job did have to repent in the end but that was for how he dealt with his troubles. Hs trouble started as a test by Satan allowed by God. And in the end he got back everything twofold. And sometimes troubles come as the sin of others. This is a very narrow fence to walk. Because someones child gets cancer who has sinned? Remember the blind man in John 3
And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
I am not saying that sin does not cause trouble it does. I am saying though that not all trouble is due to personal sin.
These are all topics I have addressed since 2006 in this blog. I don't have all the answers, but I have genuinely sought to let the Bible answer my questions instead of popular religious beliefs as published in endless volumes of commentaries. I accept the fact that some disagree with the conclusions I draw here, but I challenge all to see what the Bible says without regard to the opinions, interpretations, or speculations of others - including myself! I want to know God through a direct relationship with Him, not through what others say about Him. I hope this encourages you to journey on!!
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