A Little Light Reading
Author: Chris Henderson, July 7, 2025
Originally published at www.restoreourfaith.com, 2018
Categories: Free Will, The Problem of Suffering
Originally published at www.restoreourfaith.com, 2018
Categories: Free Will, The Problem of Suffering
It happens to the best of us. We run out of ideas to say, out of illustrations, or out of anecdotes. Some call it writer’s block or a “senior moment.” We’ve all experienced that time when we just lose the words to express ourselves. This is especially true when trying to write something that will be presented orally. So what do we do then? Often, a person turns to the dictionary and begins reciting the definition of a topical word or phrase. Students in a public speaking class or young men learning how to prepare a sermon are often given this advice. But have we ever thought about the people who wrote the dictionaries? Who did they turn to and how did they draft a definition?
There are, in fact, times when it seems that the dictionary writers struggled with a particular definition. Take for instance, the word “light.” One lexicographer wrote that light is “that which illuminates.” Really…that’s the same as saying “light is that which gives light.” Another person defined light as “that which allows vision.” We can see (no pun intended) that when it comes to the word light, some dictionaries fumble all over themselves.
However, this is not true with the word “darkness.” Darkness has a very simple and direct definition; that being “the lessening or lack of light.” Additionally, light and darkness do not mix. Light dispels darkness but darkness does not dispel light. For instance, a room is dark until light is brought in and then darkness is dispelled. A person can bring light into a room but they cannot bring in darkness. Darkness only returns when light is extinguished.
It is probably obvious that with light I am alluding to God and His word. Likewise, darkness would be the absence of God. The apostle John eloquently wrote about this in John 8:12:
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me
will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (ESV)
More to the point, consider a customary argument made by atheists to explain why they reject God. Their argument usually goes something like this: “Since there is hunger, murder, wars, and savagery in the world, then God either does not care or He can’t do anything about it. Either way, He is not God.” The person who makes this argument does not consider or does not understand two basic concepts, those being the nature of light and free-will. Let’s briefly consider free-will and then return to the idea of light.
Free-will is an abomination to those holding to a post-modern world view. Philosophers, social-scientists, and psychologists, who adhere to post-modernistic beliefs, are increasingly intent on searching for and promoting supposed causes for all sorts of deviant behavior which they claim makes a person predisposed to act in a certain way, insisting that every deviant behavior is a natural biological condition and not a choice. Sadly, and more frightening, the same argument is beginning to be used to condone pedophilia. The intent is to show that the individual should not be held accountable to any sort of law or restrictions in regards to their behaviors since they simply “can’t help themselves.” These same social-thinkers cannot tolerate the notion of free-will since they do not want to concede that a person has the ability to choose whether or not to engage in certain acts. Of course, the ultimate aim is to discard any laws relating to morality and convince society that there really is no such thing as immorality.
The problem with this thinking is both elementary and decisive. There are simply too many examples of people who have had tendencies and urges to act in a certain way but have decided not to follow through on those feelings. People are not programmed to automatically act in a certain way.
The argument against the existence of God based on violence and depravation does not take into account free-will or any consequences of that will. The question is often asked, “Why do the just suffer in this world?” The answer is because of the actions of both the just and especially the unjust. As in the physical world, every action by a person (whether mental or corporeal) has consequences, which in turn acts as causes for further consequences. Eash impetus has a result. The actions of a wicked person often cause damage to others, including “good” people who have done them no harm.
Since there is free-will, and actions of wicked people often injure good people, God has three alternatives in dealing with the situation. First, He could limit the free-will of the wicked. He could simply prevent wicked people from acting. However, this would take away the free will of those individuals. Some people would be able to walk around and act as they please and others would be little more than robots. Obviously, this makes God a respecter of persons so this option is not viable.
Second, God could “wave a magic wand” and make everything turn out with a happy ending (like a 1950’s sit-com television show.) This is not an option either since it forces God to put a fake spin on sin and immorality. God cannot condone nor overlook sin, since by doing so would violate His holiness. God uses the consequences of sin as object lessons to help man understand the need for the Gospel and enjoining into a spiritual relationship with Him.
The only alternative is for God to allow man to have free-will and appeal to that will in hopes that those who choose to do so will respond and find a covenant relationship with Him that humanity so desperately needs.
Those who use hatred and oppression as evidence for no God do not consider that those doing the hating and oppressing are acting out of free-will and (like darkness) are operating with an absence of God, rather than by God’s approval. It is true that the Old Testament records times when God ordered that a nation should be destroyed. However, these instances are always predicated by the immoral actions of the nation in question. Never do the scriptures record a nation or peoples who try to live upright and justly reaping the vengeance of God. Again, there are consequences for all actions. When a person or people act in an immoral and ungodly manner, then those consequences related to punishment are referred to as justice.
God created man to take care of problems. He gave Adam and Eve directions to “tend the garden.” It is obvious that this meant much more than just pull weeds and prune trees. There is a famous Arabic saying that goes like this:
“I do not ask God why He allows unfairness to happen because I’m afraid
He will ask me the same thing.”
There are physical characteristics of light vs darkness. Light dispels darkness, light must be brought in so that darkness can be dispelled, and light must be maintained. God uses these characteristics to help us understand what He expects from us. As Christians, we are to be the light in this wicked world. We are the only true light much of the world will see.
Chris Henderson has served as an Elder for the New Antioch Church of Christ for the past 8 years. He holds several degrees in mathematics and mathematics education along with a degree in ancient history. He has been an instructor and writer of mathematics for 45 years working, teaching in high school through the university levels. He and Diane have been married for almost 46 years. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. Chris is a frequent Bible class teacher and has spoken for several congregations.