Who are you, to challenge GOD ?
Let God be True It seems that man has great difficulty in learning that God is not man (Num. 23: 19). God does not think like man and is not characterized by man's traits (Isa. 55: 8, 9). Another lesson man seems unable to learn is the regal authority that God possesses. Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28: 18). One of the stronger statements relative to God and man was made by the apostle Paul: "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Rom. 3: 4). God is true, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6: 18). When there is a conflict between what God and man has said, God is to be considered true and man a liar. Consider these comments regarding Romans 3: 4: "God’s words shall be accomplished, his purposes performed, and all his ends answered, though there be a generation that by their unbelief go about to make God a liar. 'Let God be true but every man a liar;' let us abide by this principle, that God is true to every word which he has spoken, and will let none of his oracles fall to the ground, though thereby we give the lie to man; better question and overthrow the credit of all the men in the world than doubt of the faithfulness of God. What David said in his haste (Ps. 116:11), that all men are liars, Paul here asserts deliberately…. All men are liars, compared with God" (Complete Commentary, by Matthew Henry). Having biblically established the veracity of God, let us notice some specific areas in which there is a disparity between what God has said and in what man says. God has said that sin is sin. The Bible does not glamorize or rationalize sin. Sin is presented as terrible. Sin alienates man from his God, is deceiving, and enslaving (Isa. 59: 1, 2; Heb. 11: 25; Jn. 8: 32). The end result of sin is spiritual death and ruination (Rom. 6: 23). Notwithstanding what God has said about sin, man often apologizes for sin. "Sin is just a result of man's fallen nature, transmitted to him by Adam," we are told. Hence, man cannot really help sinning. If man could not help but sin due to an overpowering corrupt nature that God has imputed to man, then man would not be held responsible for sin, but he is (cp. Matt. 3: 5 ff.). Man would have us believe that sin is defined by the contemporary society and that sin only involves gross injustices toward mankind. Sin, God says, is lawlessness or acting without the authority of God's word (I Jn. 3: 4, see the American Standard Translation). Sin is degrading and will keep those sinning from heaven. "Mortal" and "venial" are terms that man applies to sin, in an effort to maximize and minimize sins. Situation ethics advocates: "How shall we respond to the question whether extramarital sex is always wrong? Or even paid sex? Women have done it to feed their families, to pay debts, to serve their countries in counterespionage, to honor a man whom they could not marry. Are we not entitled to say that, depending on the situation, those who break the Seventh Commandment of the old law, even whores, could be doing a good thing, if it is for love's sake, for neighbor's sake? In short, is there any real 'law' or universal weight? The situationists thinks not" (Situation Ethics, by Joseph Fletcher, pg. 146). Man has an eternal soul, God says. Man will continue to exist for an eternality, either in heaven or hell (Matt. 25: 46). The materialist would have us believe that when the wicked die, their soul ceases to exist. "…The human soul does not have immortality and incorruption but dies with the body" (Things in Which it is Impossible for God to Lie, pg. 147). God said, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…" (Rev. 14: 11). To the converse, the saved shall bask in the bliss of heaven forever (Rev. 21, 22). Man often only looks on the physical and tangible. However, there is the "inward man" (2 Cor. 4: 16 ff.). God say
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Let God be True It seems that man has great difficulty in learning that God is not man (Num. 23: 19). God does not think like man and is not characterized by man's traits (Isa. 55: 8, 9). Another lesson man seems unable to learn is the regal authority that God possesses. Jesus possesses all authority in heaven and earth (Matt. 28: 18). One of the stronger statements relative to God and man was made by the apostle Paul: "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Rom. 3: 4). God is true, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6: 18). When there is a conflict between what God and man has said, God is to be considered true and man a liar. Consider these comments regarding Romans 3: 4: "God’s words shall be accomplished, his purposes performed, and all his ends answered, though there be a generation that by their unbelief go about to make God a liar. 'Let God be true but every man a liar;' let us abide by this principle, that God is true to every word which he has spoken, and will let none of his oracles fall to the ground, though thereby we give the lie to man; better question and overthrow the credit of all the men in the world than doubt of the faithfulness of God. What David said in his haste (Ps. 116:11), that all men are liars, Paul here asserts deliberately…. All men are liars, compared with God" (Complete Commentary, by Matthew Henry). Having biblically established the veracity of God, let us notice some specific areas in which there is a disparity between what God has said and in what man says. God has said that sin is sin. The Bible does not glamorize or rationalize sin. Sin is presented as terrible. Sin alienates man from his God, is deceiving, and enslaving (Isa. 59: 1, 2; Heb. 11: 25; Jn. 8: 32). The end result of sin is spiritual death and ruination (Rom. 6: 23). Notwithstanding what God has said about sin, man often apologizes for sin. "Sin is just a result of man's fallen nature, transmitted to him by Adam," we are told. Hence, man cannot really help sinning. If man could not help but sin due to an overpowering corrupt nature that God has imputed to man, then man would not be held responsible for sin, but he is (cp. Matt. 3: 5 ff.). Man would have us believe that sin is defined by the contemporary society and that sin only involves gross injustices toward mankind. Sin, God says, is lawlessness or acting without the authority of God's word (I Jn. 3: 4, see the American Standard Translation). Sin is degrading and will keep those sinning from heaven. "Mortal" and "venial" are terms that man applies to sin, in an effort to maximize and minimize sins. Situation ethics advocates: "How shall we respond to the question whether extramarital sex is always wrong? Or even paid sex? Women have done it to feed their families, to pay debts, to serve their countries in counterespionage, to honor a man whom they could not marry. Are we not entitled to say that, depending on the situation, those who break the Seventh Commandment of the old law, even whores, could be doing a good thing, if it is for love's sake, for neighbor's sake? In short, is there any real 'law' or universal weight? The situationists thinks not" (Situation Ethics, by Joseph Fletcher, pg. 146). Man has an eternal soul, God says. Man will continue to exist for an eternality, either in heaven or hell (Matt. 25: 46). The materialist would have us believe that when the wicked die, their soul ceases to exist. "…The human soul does not have immortality and incorruption but dies with the body" (Things in Which it is Impossible for God to Lie, pg. 147). God said, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…" (Rev. 14: 11). To the converse, the saved shall bask in the bliss of heaven forever (Rev. 21, 22). Man often only looks on the physical and tangible. However, there is the "inward man" (2 Cor. 4: 16 ff.). God say
Isaac Sandifer Jr.
Cleophas Reaves Jr.
