# The Hidden Counsel of His Will



## Scott Shahan (Mar 12, 2006)

I don't get it. The decrees of God. Why would He will for His revealed will not to be done. He is not the author of sin but He decrees it, permits it, ordains it, allows it. Prayers for reconcilation were answered with a no. The adultery that my wife committed was sin, the divorce that she filed was sin, did not have the biblical grounds for such action against me. The cohabitation and fornication that followed is sin. The remarriage is a sinful union, the iniquity that is passed down to my six year old is sin. The severance of my relationship to my son is sinful and damaging. The states divorce laws are unbiblical and undermine God's institution of marriage, the state trampples upon it which is sin. All of this evil was allowed and permitted by Him. It was and is His Sovergn will, His revealed will was not done, but His will was done, because He is in complete control of everything that happens and that will ever happen. The Lord's foreknowledge saw me getting married taking my vows 5 years ago and at that same time also saw the adultery, divorce ect... Why?????? Why not say yes to your on revealed will?????Why allow my son to experience this great evil?????Why allow Satan to destroy my family????????? For after all you have complete contol of Satan!!! Who is tempting my wife to commit adultery satan is and who is in control of satan? The Lord is!!! Why allow us to get married and have a son to then just destroy it by the hidden counsel of your will?????


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## Contra_Mundum (Mar 12, 2006)

Scott,
Are you seeking counsel from your pastor? Is he able to assist you? Do you trust him to guide you through these depths? Does he have a sound grasp of God's sovereignty? If the answers to these questions is "No" then you need to seek one out.

I'm telling you this, because you "read" like someone who is feeling desperate, and tempted to lash out at God. And I would spare you that added difficulty. The counsel you can get off an impersonal computer screen should be supplemental to the flesh-and-blood counsel of a knowledgable friend and guide.

My giving you advice is like a doctor trying to diagnose and treat a patient by telephone.

Why did God let _them_ rip MY heart out some years ago? I don't know all the reasons, but I do know that time and trust gives you perspective that you lack when you are in the middle of the trial.

If you give up on holding to the knowledge that God has good, morally sufficient reasons to permit these things to be; that he intends to purify his children, gain victories through and over opposition, and punish the wicked in their rebellion--if you give this up, where are you? What are you left with? An impotent, handwringing god? A callous god? No god?

Why did God let Joseph's brothers have their cruel way with him? See Gen 50:20. Why did God let Job, David, Lazarus, and many others suffer? Why did God let Christ suffer? Though each one is different, the ultimate reason in each case is: "For his own glory." Can you submit to that? When you cannot see anything else but the blackness, can you say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him"?

Why did God let the Corinthian church go through a melt-down? In part it was to keep one man, Paul of Tarsus, from getting proud. Was it worth all the griefs in various Christian's lives to keep this one guy from getting puffed up? _What makes him so special?!?_ In retrospect we see how God's will blessed the church, even down through all history.

And we have no right to say, "Well, maybe there was a better, easier, less harsh way of doing the same thing." If we don't know that there was, what gives us the right to question the Knower of Everything? And Scripture teaches us that God infallibly aims always for the optimal combination of Glory and Good.

I greatly hesitate to say this last thing, but if you thought you might benefit from some exposition of the book of Job, there is an overview of it here: http://www.faith-pca-akron.com/sermons_by_pastor_buchanan.htm in 4 sermons (scroll down page if you do not see)

I hope some of this is helpful. I hope you are strengthened in your faith in this trial. I hope you see God superintend your son's spiritual well-being through the valley of the shadow, that you may rejoice in his amazing provision, and see your son a triumphant trophy of his grace.

[Edited on 3-21-2006 by Contra_Mundum]


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## Robin (Mar 12, 2006)

Dear Scott,

First, I heartily agree with Rev. Bruce. If it's at all possible, seek out the counsel of a trusted pastor or "elder"...and yes, get on-board with the whole-counsel of Job's book. You need to know that your anguish and questions are NOT new to the Christian Faith. There are good answers (although -- you may not find "emotional satisfaction" in some of them.) ???

Here are some audio sermons on Job (note the ones at the top of the page.) They are from a series at my church.

http://www.christreformed.org/real/index.shtml?main

I know the pain and sorrow of injustice, too. Not meaning to be glib here...one important thing you are missing is the "primary and secondary" causes that are governed by God's sovereignty. Yes, God controls all things -- but as Scripture teaches, He is not the author of evil. The best place to begin to understand our pain is with God's pain and the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Notice something fascinating....

Acts 2:22-24 Peter declares that it is God who planned and delivered up his own Son to be crucified AND yet it was the fault of wicked men:

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-- this Jesus, *delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God*, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Scott, it's a complex and deep subject - the category you're questing into is the doctrine of "Providence." Take a stab at hearing some Job sermons for now. Get back here if you're unable to connect with a local pastor. (For that would be the best thing.)

There is hope. The God of the Bible is up to bigger things than we can detect outside of His Word. 

Human suffering matters to the Almighty. God came down and "got into the mix" of human suffering, sin and death. His sufferings qualify him to speak to ours - he has much to say about our suffering, btw.

In Christ,

Robin

PS. Something else to ponder...IF God is not in control of all things - even man's evil choices...what makes him God? Why should we worship him? This is a more worrisome predicament, I think. Meanwhile, God keep you as you struggle.


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## Puddleglum (Mar 12, 2006)

Scott,
I can't answer your questions. And if I thought I could, I'd be being a hypocrite, because I've got my own, which, while coming from different situations, end up questioning the same things. 
But I would like to add a huge "ditto" to what Robin & Bruce have said - go talk to your pastor or an elder. Please. 
There's a verse in Isaiah 53 that goes something like "it pleased the Lord to crush Him [Christ]" . . . sometimes, when I'm in the middle of questioning God, I'm reminded of that. It doesn't answer my question - it just adds another question (how could God be pleased to do that to His Son?) - but somehow that additional question is quieting.


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## Scott Shahan (Mar 14, 2006)

42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 "œI know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 "˜Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?´
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 "˜Hear, and I will speak;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.´
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
and repent [1] in dust and ashes."

I have no business telling the Lord how to run His universe. Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [1] for those who are called according to his purpose.
Thanks for the sermons. Job's faith is indeed amazing.


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## Robin (Mar 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Scott Shahan_
> 42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
> 
> 2 "œI know that you can do all things,
> ...



"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" ----- Job

r.


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## Scott Shahan (Mar 21, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Robin_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Scott Shahan_
> ...




I have thought about this verse often, have experienced it, I think the most painfull human experience is a crushed spirit, because it cuts right to the core of a persons being. Experiencing this tremendous evil has definitely shaken, rocked the foundation of my faith. I have survived its blow because of the Grace of God, His Mercy, and His Faithfulness, Christ's VICTORY over sin. 
There is nothing fun or pleasurable about experiencing evil. Sin always hurts people. The Lord is the healer of broken hearts, I know the Lord understands about betrayal, and rejection. It dosen't feel good; it hurts. It truly must pain our Father's heart when we betray Him in ways that we can. The Lord is beginning to walk me down the path of forgiveness. Forgiveness isn't easy, the Lord is working on my heart. If one dosen't forgive, one will remain bitter. And bitterness will desrtoy one's life. John Owen said I believe it is in volume 6 'mortification of sin' "Either kill the sin or the sin will kill you".
The storms of life come into everyone's life no one is an exception, fortunately my house was built on the ROCK!!
Blessings to you saints of the most High.


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## Me Died Blue (Mar 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by joshua_
> Be sin or sin will be killing you-great quote from Owen. He has too many great quotes.



I think you forgot an important word there, Josh! 

Scott, as others have said, I would first and foremost encourage you to talk with a pastor or elder who has something to offer you on this issue. But to the extent that communication between lay believers through a means like the internet can sharpen the iron on both sides, here is something I wrote in an earlier thread awhile back on how we may understand how many events that seem either negative or insignificant actually work for God's glory and our good in real life:



> _Originally posted by Me Died Blue_
> God may use a person's death by murder as the means to provide an opportunity for re-unification of that person's split family. Also, two people might speak to each other at a funeral who otherwise would not have, and the Gospel is shared and and accepted, and the new believer finds his church home through that person who initially presented the Gospel to him at the funeral. Or perhaps me losing my temper in public causes something to go through an observer's mind that God uses for a specific reason in their life that day or in another person's life through something they say as a result of their reaction to my sinful anger - and I might never even know He used it that way. If God were to take a close relative or friend from me, perhaps it would teach me to truly make Him my full delight and strength in a way I otherwise would not have at the time. Or perhaps a young woman being raped makes her value her sexuality for the first time, so that she does not just go out and waste herself, which she otherwise would have done. Perhaps the death of an unregenerate soul is part of what God uses to make the family agree to try out church with some believing friends, and they hear the Word and some are converted - or perhaps they are not converted, and instead profess an even further rejection of the Gospel, and God uses their rejection to encourage a believer observing the situation who was feeling discouraged and that she had it so bad, but seeing the family's bitter rejection of the Gospel makes her realize how much she really has in Christ. Perhaps a fatal accident on the highway that someone passes while driving makes him want to call his wife just to check on her, and it turns out that she is in trouble and he called just in time, and God had a specific purpose for her in continued living that He did not have for the person who died in the accident. Or God may use a parent being drunk their child's whole life to give that child extra strength and boldness that that will need in their coming years for challenges they will face - or perhaps even just one single event that was in a person's subconscious will have a similar effect on something they do someday that turns out to be significant.
> 
> I could literally go on and on all day off the top of my head. The point is that there are so many countless ways in which God can use all of life's situations, major events and seemingly minute, unnoticed details for the ultimate greatest possible good of His people and likewise for His glory, whether we realize them or not - in fact, since there are so many possibilities, we almost certainly do not even realize most of them for what they are at the moment, or even ever. But we are told in Scripture that they are all working as such, and as I hope I have showed above, there are literally countless ways in which God can accomplish that through such events - and furthermore, those examples I gave were only situations right off the top of my imperfect, sinful, finite, human mind; so how much more can God actually accomplish through every detail of life?


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## Scott Shahan (Mar 24, 2006)

Chris,

It is tough to experience this kind of sin and know that the Lord ordained it. He has His reasons for it; I like Job in the early chapters of the book do not see the later chapters. My vision is limited to this space in time, down the road looking back I will probably have better clarity and understanding of why it had to come to pass. I have been in contact with my pastors from day 1, and they have been very patient with me, and a great help. 

[Edited on 06-07-2006 by Scott Shahan]


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