Question Text:
You know how they say that God will protect you and shower you with blessings once you trust in him. My question is that, there are so many people that are Christians that die horrible deaths, untimely deaths, etc.. So how come God’s protection is not there at these times?
There was a Muslim convert that I knew of that decided to, in spite of the controversies that his conversion had sparked, preach the gospel in Kashmir. He was shot during one of his sermons. If he was under the protection of godthen this should not have happened, and if you say that this was God’s will, then isn’t it possible for any of us, old or young, to die or suffer and any
point in time without any guarantee?
So even if I love God and trust him, it IS possible that I will lose lovedones and that I will suffer in the future, and that I may die a terrible and untimely death right? Isn’t that scary? And wouldn’t there be more fear in me knowing all these things?
Answer Text:
Thank you for your excellent questions.
Natasha, The Bible clearly promises that God will indeed protect His children as the apple of His own eyes. There are many promises which are crystal clear that angels of God watch over His children and protect them from all possible dangers. But there are at least two exceptions to it.
On two different occasions I did experience the mighty hands of God in my personal life. Both happened in road accidents. First was when I was driving in 1985, my Matador van was found to have a break failure when it was at 75 kms speed. A car was getting a tyre change on the road side and opposite came a heavy laden lorry at full speed. When I applied break, pedal went right in and my van would not stop. With nine of us in the van, I was not willing for a collision either with the repairing car on the road side or with the lorry coming from the opposite direction. And I turned completely left and came right out of the road. Who can believe what happened? My van came to a perfect stand still while the back wheel was still on the tar road!! Would you believe that a three month old child who was sleeping in the mother’s lap did not wake up nor any one knew that I had a break failure!! My hair pulls up even today when I think of it. Who can explain how my van came to a perfect stop when there was NOT EVEN ONE DROP of break fluid in the cylinder?
Another time in 2004 my Maruti Omni toppled in the ghat roads on the way down from Kodai Kanal. Driver broke his hand and I had to spend Rs.10k to get all the window glasses and other repairs for the van. Would you believe, I was sitting in the front seat WITH OUT a seat belt AND YET I DID NOT FALL DOWN!! The van was on the road with wheels on the side and I was still sitting straight in it!! How will you explain my experiences if God did not protect me?
Ok, now to your questions. It is true that many Christians DO suffer premature deaths and suffer in accidents by illness. Study the situation individually, we always have an explanation about it with out fail. While the Bible is clear that God protects His people, the Bible also tells us that on certain occasions He permits them to go through untimely deaths and accidents. Please read (1Co 11:30) “That’s why many of you are sick and weak and why a lot of others have died”. This verse clearly tells us that some of God’s children have premature deaths and suffer illness or accidents BECAUSE there was some thing in them displeasing to the Lord. They did NOT bother to live lives pleasing to the Lord and the Lord had to interfere in their lives so that they will NOT go to hell and suffer there. Please read (1Co 11:32) “But when the Lord judges and punishes us, he does it to keep us from being condemned with the rest of the world”. Natasha, you know that all Christians are NOT living perfect lives, don’t you? If a child of God commits sins God will punish him here and now and wont send hem to hell as the unbelievers because their eternal punishment was born by Christ on the Cross.
Then there is another reason. You mentioned about the Muslim convert being shot dead. It need NOT be that He was living an unacceptable life before God. Did you know that all the 12 apostles of Christ died cruel deaths like their Master and Lord? It is because the Bible says that only those who suffer with Him will reign with Him (2Tim.2:12). The Bible says that if you are called to suffer for the sake of Christ, it is a higher calling and it is NOT for every body. God chooses a few to suffer for Him in this world so that they can be with Him as rulers in the Eternal Kingdom.
Your fear it might happen to you is a possibility. But would you be rather comfortable on this earth for fifty or a hundred years and be willing to suffer for all through eternity?
Natasha, the only heaven for unbelievers is here on earth and you know how long they can enjoy it here and remember the ONLY hell for the followers of Christ is this earth. What will you choose if option is given to you? Surely, choice is yours and you need to make up your mind. But mind you, the call to suffering is NOT UNIVERSAL for all followers of Christ. It is only for the selected few. For example, if you are chosen to write the IAS exam, would you be happy or sad? And yet, preparing for IAS; is it an easy task? Would you think that the difficulties involved in the preparation period is any thing worth comparing to what comes after the result? The Bible says, (2Co 4:17) “And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble’. When the Lord calls some one for it, He also will give grace along. Read what Paul says in (Act 20:23,4 GNB) “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit has warned me that prison and troubles wait for me. But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God”. God bless!
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