THE GOD LESSONS-PART I

Mark 10:18"And Jesus said unto him, why call you me good? None is good save one-God"Rom3:10-18There is none righteous, not even one. There is none that discerns. There is none that seeks out God. All have turned aside; together have become useless; there is none that does kindness, not so much as one. A sepulchre opened is their throat. With their tongues have they used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth of cursing and bitterness is full. Swift are their feet to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes" Rom8:28"We know further that unto them who love God, God causes ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD...."2Cor5:17-18"So that if anyone is in Christ there is a new creation. The old things have passed away(the idea of good things/bad things), Lo! They have become new. THE ALL THINGS MOREOVER ARE OF GOD." Lk13:1-4"Now there were present some in that very season bringing tidings to him (Jesus)concerning the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And answering he said unto them-Suppose you that these Galileans had become sinners beyond all the Galileans because these things they have suffered?No! I tell you, but except you repent, you all in like manner shall perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew them-suppose you that they had become debtors(sinners)beyond all the men who were dwelling in Jerusalem> No! I tell you, but except you repent, you all in the same way shall perish.John5:14 (Jesus healed the man at the pool in Jerusalem)"After these things Jesus found him in the temple and said to him-See! you have become well-no more be committing sin, lest some worst thing befall you."John8:11(to the woman caught in adultery)"....be going your way. Henceforth be sinning no more" John9:2-3"Rabbi! who sinned, this man or his parents that blind he should be born? Jesus answered-neither this man sinned nor his parents. But (it happened because...)that the works of God should be made manifest in him"(at this time)

The question is asked,"why do bad things happen to good people?" The scripture answers the "good people" part of the question emphatically-there is none good; not even one. Only God is good. Christians are supposed to be good, but their so-called goodness is not them, but the good spirit who indwells them, for Jesus himself rejected the idea that he himself was good; how much more so the christian?

The general rule for the mass of mankind including those pro-fess-ers who say they are and don't, is "bad things happen" because of sin.(see also Pro1:20-32) The true christian however, is different. This is where the example of Job comes in.

Job1:1"A man there was-in the land of Uz-
Job his name-and that man was blameless
and upright and one who revered God and
avoided evil"

There was nothing "wrong" with our brother Job. He just had not had his faith tried yet and he had a smidgin of fear, witnessed by his reason for praying for his grown sons and his statement, "that which I greatly feared has come upon me". In all of his trial the record says, "he sinned not with his mouth". His wife did however, for she said,"Are you still holding fast your integrity?Curse God and die!" Then Job straightens her out-"As one of the base (foolish-ignorant)women speaks are you speaking? Blessing shall we accept from God and misfortune shall we not accept? (Job2:9-10)

"Bad things come to good people" to remove from them their dualistic outlook; so that they might see through or beyond good and evil and be restored to the consciousness of Adam before Eve's deception.