C.S. Lewis Quote: The Problem of Pain

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis is an intellectually stimulating book.  In it he does not so much seek to prove the existence of God but to reconcile His good, perfect character with the painful experiences we face during life on earth.  C.S. Lewis was once an atheist but reason compelled him to abandon that view.  He was no fool.  In the introduction to his books, he says this:

"There was a man born among these Jews who claimed to be, or to be the son of, or to be "one with", the Something which is at once the awful haunter of nature and the giver of the moral law.  The claim is so shocking - a paradox, and even a horror, which we may easily be lulled into taking too lightly - that only two views of this man are possible.  Either he was a raving lunatic of an unusually abominable type, or else He was, and is, precisely what He said.  There is no middle way.  If the records make the first hypotheses unacceptable, you must submit to the second.  And if you do that, all else that is claimed by Christians becomes credible - that this Man, having been killed, was yet alive, and that His death, in some manner incomprehensible to human thought, has effected a real change in our relations to the "awful" and "righteous" Lord, and a change in our favour.

To ask whether the universe as we see it looks more like the work of a wise and good Creator or the work of chance, indifference, or malevolence, is to omit from the outset all the relevant factors in the religious problem.  Christianity is not the conclusion of a philosophical debate on the origins of the universe:  it is a catastrophic historical event following on the long spiritual preparation of humanity which I have described.  It is not a system into which we have to fit the awkward fact of pain:  it is itself one of the awkward facts which have to be fitted into any system we make.  In a sense, it creates, rather than solves, the problem of pain, for pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we have received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving."  (The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis, pg. 11-12)

I have never heard anyone curse evolutionary process, but I have heard many people curse God - a God they do not even believe in.  Darwinian evolution is a mindless, purposeless, random process without remorse.  Our depth of feeling, consciousness, freedom of the will, and ability to reason must have come from a feeling, conscious, purposeful, intelligent Source.  I believe the scriptures, the order of nature and the universe, the testimony of information crammed into every self-replicating cell, the conscience, and reason work together to confirm that God did indeed create all things.  The more we learn through the sciences about the deep complexity of the seemingly simplest things reveals there is more to life than Darwin ever imagined.

Those who believe life on earth just happened should have absolutely no complaints about anything.  What are rights without established morality?  There is no force greater than man to appeal to, and no one cares!  Living is no different than dying.  Everyone has been dealt a hand by no one.  Everything is arbitrary.  There is not even any true justice, for right and wrong is at best a construct fashioned in each person's mind.  Yet even the suggestion that there is a God is enough to make blood boil with hatred.  Why such an emotional reaction over something a person believes to be false?  C.S. Lewis is right.  The only way pain can be a problem for you is if you believe there is a God who is good, an all-powerful Being who has the power to end your pain should He choose.  It is a "problem" reconciled through the revealed Word of God and His infallible character.  Otherwise, shaking your fist against the "injustice" of your life or pain is an empty exercise.  Take your issues up with Random Chance, not that he ever checks his inbox.

Your Shield and Exceedingly Great Reward

Abraham was a man who believed God, and his faith was accounted to him as righteousness.  As he walked in obedience to God's directives, he had many opportunities to grow in faith.  One of these time is after his brother's son Lot was taken captive by four kings who had just defeated five other kings.  Genesis 14:14-15 says, "Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵ He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus."  From a military viewpoint, Abraham faced long odds - he and his 318 trained servants against four victorious kings!  God granted Abraham a most improbable victory and recovered all as we read in Genesis 14:16:  "So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people."

The next chapter begins, "After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." (Genesis 15:1)  Place yourself in Abraham's position.  He did not live in a castle with thick walls or a state-of-the-art security system.  He did not have an army or military-grade weapons.  He could not dial triple zero or 9-1-1!  He had no motion lights affixed to his tent, no locks, bunker, or moat filled with crocodiles.  Abraham lived in a tent with his family!  All his possessions were out in the open without any of the security we are used to.  Having just defeated and plundered four kings, needless to say Abraham didn't make any friends.  He was a target, a sitting duck for an enemy ambush.  Or was he?

Abraham didn't need to be afraid because God was his shield.  Abraham, his family, and goods were in the safest of hands!  I'm sure Abraham thought to himself later:  "I wonder if pursuing and destroying those kings was the best idea.  Then I gave a tenth to the King and Priest of Salem Melchizedek, and returned all the spoil save what my men ate to sustain themselves.  Was that the best course of action?"  God did not leave Abraham in doubt but spoke comfort and promises to him.  God was his shield and exceedingly great reward.  God was all he needed.  God would take care of fulfilling His word that Abraham would have a son though his wife was barren and he was old.  Abraham's future was secure in God, and God was all he needed. 

May this be a good reminder to us when we face insecurity and an uncertain future.  If Abraham's God is your God, He is your shield and your exceedingly great reward.  He will protect you and bring to pass what He has promised.  He will never leave or forsake you.  Instead of giving place to fear and doubt, resolve to be strong and courageous as you trust God.  Take to heart the words of Christ in Matthew 6:30-33:  "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

When God Says "No"

Few of us pray to God hoping He will say "No" to our requests.  But like every good parent, our Heavenly Father knows when to say "No."  Can you imagine what life would have been like as a kid if every time you asked for something your parents said "Yes?"  I doubt such a parent could possibly have any respect from their children.  Because of immaturity and limited vision, kids desire all sorts of things that would ruin them.  A loving parent will do what's best for their kids, even if kids don't want the best for themselves.

Scriptures demonstrates time and time again that God said "No" to many of His faithful followers.  After Moses sinned in Meribah, he begged that God would allow him into the Promised Land.  God sternly told him no and forbade Moses to bring up the subject again (Deut. 3:26).  King David desired to build God a house, but God told him no.  When David's infant son was sick and he prayed and fasted for seven days before God, asking that his son might live, God said no.  The child died according to the word of Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12:18).  King Rehoboam desired to re-unite the kingdom under his rule and sought to fight against Jeroboam.  1 Kings 12:24 says, "Thus says the LORD: "You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me." Therefore they obeyed the word of the LORD, and turned back, according to the word of the LORD."  Just because God answers "No" does not mean our prayers are a waste.  God has heard and answered us according to His divine wisdom.

God says "Yes" but He also says "No."  It can be difficult for us to understand why God would ever say no to our requests.  Sometimes we find it impossible to grasp the things God chooses to allow.  The temptation grows to stand in judgment of God, a grave sin.  In those times we must firmly fix our feet upon the everlasting promises of God, recalling His character as revealed through scripture.  God is good.  All He does is right.  He is trustworthy and true.  He does not change.  Isaiah 55:6-9 says, "Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ⁸ "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. ⁹ "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  Let us not be as foolish children who become angry when their loving parent tells them "No."

Even when God says "No" we can take heart that our prayers have been heard.  Did you know there are prayers that will always be answered with the affirmative?  2 Corinthians 1:18-21 says, "But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me, Silvanus, and Timothy--was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. ²⁰ For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. ²¹ Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God."  All the promises of God in Him are "Yes!"  He will give salvation to all who repent and believe (John 3:16, Luke 24:45-47).  He will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13).  He will forgive our sins (1 John 1:9).  When we pray according to His will He hears us and we can know we have what we have requested of Him (1 John 5:14-15).

When God says "No," recall to mind all the times He has said "Yes!"  If a parent says "No" a child does not doubt the love of their parent.  Let us refuse to allow our circumstances to cause us to question God's love for us.  Never forget sometimes it is through a "No" genuine love is best shown.

What About Drinking Alcohol?

During my reading this morning I came across Deuteronomy 29:6 when God spoke to His people:  "You have not eaten bread, nor have you drunk wine or similar drink, that you may know that I am the LORD your God."  This is an interesting connection.  God sustained His people with manna from heaven when they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.  They did not have access to wine or fruit of the vine and there was a purpose:  "that you may know that I am the LORD your God."  When I read this, it brought to mind a sermon delivered in 2013 by pastor Joe Focht called, "What About Alcohol?"  It is a great sermon that holds forth a biblical perspective on drinking:  it's not about how far we can safely go with drinking, but that we should labour instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Let me say that we have liberty in Christ to eat and drink whatever we want.  Personally, I take to heart the teachings given by Lemuel's mother in Proverbs 31:3-7 when she says, "Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings. ⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; ⁵ lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted. ⁶ Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart. ⁷ Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more."  Alcohol is a destroyer of kings and poor alike.  As a child of God, there is a crown and a throne in my future.  God has made me a king and priest unto Him, having purchased and washed me in the blood of Jesus Christ.  Therefore in my own life, I am convinced the drinking of alcohol has no place.  I was not always of this persuasion.  It needs to be a decision every Christian makes for themselves as convinced by the Holy Spirit.  Let everyone be fully convinced in their own mind, taking great care not to stumble others by the exercise of our liberty.

"Jesus drank wine!" some protest.  "Jesus made wine from water!"  Then others will quote Paul's words in 1 Timothy 5:23:  "No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities."  The context is more for medicinal purposes, not for social lubrication.  And how much is a little?  That's the big question for some.  A little wine can lead to a little more - with increased frequency.  Little by little a slide occurs.  Too much wine never draws a man closer to God but does the exact opposite.  Ephesians 5:18-21 says, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God."  Instead on focusing on how much alcohol is too much, every Christian ought to put into practice the exhortation given here by Paul.  We need to be filled with the Spirit, glorifying God with our speech, giving thanks for all things, and submitting to one another in the fear of God.  Like pastor Joe says, "To reach this generation...we don't need a church with a little bit more wine in them to get the job done:  we need a church that's got more of the Holy Ghost in them to turn the world upside down."

When you start breaking your own rules concerning alcohol, dear believer, you give place to the devil.  When you feel convicted about drinking; if you feel you need to hide the bottles from your spouse, kids, or parents; if you find you are leading a double life, beware.  Take care you do not cause others to stumble, be offended, or even weak in the exercise of your liberty (Romans 14:21).  It would be better for a millstone to be hung about your neck and for you to be thrown into the sea than to cause a little one to stumble.  Charles Spurgeon says on the subject:  "Drink first dims, then darkens, then deadens, then damns.  Drink injures a man externally, internally, and eternally." (Spurgeon's Proverbs and Sayings, Vol. 1, 140)  For me, the physical and spiritual implications of drinking far outweigh any physical benefit that could be possibly gained.  Praise the LORD for the freedom we have to glorify God, even sometimes by saying "No thanks."  All things done or avoided for God's glory will not be without eternal reward!