Barry Bennet on his post raised a profound question that captures what most people have been thinking. He asked; “Did God Allow It?”
According to Barry Bennett, “the predominant theology of Christians today, when faced with life-changing circumstances, is that “God allowed it.” After all, “God is in control” and “in everything, there is a purpose.” Sadly, none of this is accurate and has left the Body of Christ paralyzed, misrepresenting God to others, and cooperating with the work of the enemy.”
He further pointed out that today we are hearing that God “allowed” a virus to attack the world for some mysterious reason. Some say that the virus is meant to bring men to repentance. This begs the question, why does it say that Jesus sent the church into the world with the Good News? Why doesn’t it say that He sent viruses into the world?
Let’s look at the word “allow.” “Give (someone) permission to do something.” When some say that God allowed the virus, they are saying that God gave permission for the virus to do its damage by killing thousands around the world. God has become the perpetrator or an accessory to mass killing. If a man was behind the genocide of tens of thousands, he would be considered a criminal worthy of imprisonment or death. But if its God, it’s OK.
Is God “allowing” (giving permission) to abortion, sex trafficking, cancer, slavery, hurricanes, child abuse, and every other horrible thing that we see in the earth? No.
Go back to the Garden of Eden. God “allowed” Adam and Eve to eat of every tree of the Garden. He did NOT allow them to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He forbade them from eating from that tree. That tree was the revealer of man’s heart. Man chose the words of a serpent over the instructions of God. God didn’t allow evil in the earth. Adam did. God had given the earth to man and had to honor man’s choices. Evil is not from God. Evil came from Adam who chose to be independent of God.
God has not allowed abortion, sex trafficking, cancer, slavery, hurricanes, child abuse, and every other horrible thing. In fact, He sent Jesus to redeem us from evil and equip us to overcome it. What God has allowed is for us to be born again, carry His Name, be filled with His Spirit, walk-in His covenant, use His promises, His gifts, and the keys to His Kingdom. We have His authority. We can bring healing to the sick, freedom to the oppressed, peace to the storms of life, and we can share a message of life from the dead. God has given us His permission.
The evil in the earth is not His will. He is not using it for His glory. He wants to use His children for His glory, but most are attributing evil to Him and slandering His Name.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17). Culled from Barry Bennet.
Evans Akpo 