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Did God send this virus into the world

fhansen

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How do we answer unbelievers who ask Christians, why our loving God would (allow or send) this microscopic enemy to reek such devastating havoc on the world.

There's a lot of disagreement among professing Christians on, whether God sent this virus or whether it was manufactured in a lab and sent out to be used as a weapon of war. Or whether it's neither of those and it's just a random quirk of nature.

I'm not claiming to know the exact origin, but I do believe that God is sovereign over all of His creation. And nothing happens apart from His predetermined will.

So even if it was created by someone will evil intentions, God still uses evil to accomplish His good purpose. I found this very hard to accept, until I realized that I was trying to conform God to my own image.

I can't think of the Bible passages right now, which say that God has only revealed a very limited amount about Himself to us at this time. But He will reveal a lot more in eternity so as hard as it is, we just have to keep trusting in Him.
Death, disease, corruption, pain, suffering, imperfection in general are already part of this world. We all suffer here to one degree or another; we all know-we'll all experience-both good and evil. As Christians we also know that God only allows evil, for now, because in the end He plans to bring an even greater good out of the mess. We know that justice will ultimately prevail, that every tear shall be wiped away, that evil will no longer be allowed to prevail, that sufferings are temporary, that death is conquered by eternal life, that this world is not our final, true home.
 
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Archivist

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So God is not the creator?
You want me to say that God created a virus designed to infect and kill people. Sorry, No.

I ask you again, did God put an iceberg directly in front of RMS Titanic?
 
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Dave L

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You want me to say that God created a virus designed to infect and kill people. Sorry, No.

I ask you again, did God put an iceberg directly in front of RMS Titanic?
So he goofed, and some things you don't approve of got away from him? How can you have faith in that?
 
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Archivist

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So he goofed, and some things you don't approve of got away from him? How can you have faith in that?
God didn’t goof. He doesn’t do that. What is happening is a part of this world.

I would appreciate an answer to my question.
 
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Dave L

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God didn’t goof. He doesn’t do that. What is happening is a part of this world.

I would appreciate an answer to my question.
Aren't you comparing him to.... say a guy who mixes bleach and ammonia in an orphan asylum? And when the kids start dropping over, he says, "well things sorta got away from me". I certainly didn't mean for that to happen? That's a real faith builder........
 
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Archivist

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Aren't you comparing him to.... say a guy who mixes bleach and ammonia in an orphan asylum? And when the kids start dropping over, he says, "well things sorta got away from me". I certainly didn't mean for that to happen? That's a real faith builder........
No, I am making no such comparison.

Still waiting for an answer from you.
 
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renniks

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How can things cause themselves?
You cause things every day. Every action has a reaction.
Does God cause some people to have same sex attraction, for example? Does God cause murderers to kill for pleasure?
We are all under a lot of various influences.
We choose which ones to listen to, and our actions cause others to react according to what they choose.

Now on to viruses:
They contain DNA or RNA that are found in all living things. This is packaged in a protein coat. Despite this, viruses are not usually considered living because they are not made up of cells and cannot reproduce by themselves.
Viruses vary considerably in their ability to cause disease. Many known viruses are not associated with disease at all.
Given our current knowledge of viruses, it is quite reasonable to believe that disease-causing viruses are descended from viruses that were once not harmful. It has been suggested that they have played an important role in maintaining life on Earth—somewhat similar to the way bacteria do.

The creation model predicts that degenerative changes can occur because mankind sinned and brought death into the world (Genesis 3)
It also predicts that adaptive changes could occur because God cares for His creation and intends for the earth to be inhabited.

This all gets quite complex, if you have studied anything about the genome, and so, on, but basically, the question at hand is whether illness and sin are connected. The New Testament rejects this (St. John 9:3).

I stand by my original analysis: a sickness causing virus is a corruption of something God created originally to be good.
 
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Archivist

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My answer is God doesn't create mistakes. Things are just as he planned.
An answer at last. So God planned to have all those people die when the Titanic sank. I presume that you think He also planned for all the deaths on 9-11 and in the current pandemic.

Very sad.

I don’t believe that God makes mistakes, but I also don’t believe that he causes disasters and pandemics. I think He was saddened when the Titanic sank, but He was there when the passengers knelt on the desk and offered prayers and when the band played Nearer My God to Thee. I believe that He was with the people trapped in the towers and with the firefighters who tried to rescue them on 9-11. I think He is with the people who have the virus today. Their families might not be in the hospitals with them, but God is.
 
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Bobber

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I respect your view.. However, we have different views of this.

I think God was well aware that the virus would arise.. I don't think He caused it... I don't think He made it and released it..

I think it is His will that it runs it's course... He allowed it..

I can accept that partially. Yes there was an allowance of God but sometimes there is an area where Satan as the god of this world makes actual demands and insists upon rights to do different things. See the devil's conversation about Job to God in Job 2:1-6 and in Luke 22:31 where Jesus said to Peter,

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.


On the other hand however....not like an open ticket with no conditions! Conditions and it's measure can also be effected by people on the Earth praying. I think there are times that what Satan meant for evil God can use it for good. Such doesn't mean God delights in seeing the degeneration of life (what we call a virus) plaguing mankind. His very LIFE can zap that disease into oblivion in a split second where it wouldn't even exist in the universe. But what about man? Where is he in all this. Are the nations of the world as a general rule even serving God? Psalm 107:10,13 is an interesting read.....

Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

So maybe God is looking at the Earth and listening? Does he hear the cry for mercy and healing? Or are we too busy watching Netflix? Not that I don't watch some TV but it might be high time to lift up our eyes and heads to heaven and invite him to be more the God of our lives? What do you think?
 
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Bobber

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An answer at last. So God planned to have all those people die when the Titanic sank. I presume that you think He also planned for all the deaths on 9-11 and in the current pandemic.

Very sad.

I don’t believe that God makes mistakes, but I also don’t believe that he causes disasters and pandemics. I think He was saddened when the Titanic sank, but He was there when the passengers knelt on the desk and offered prayers and when the band played Nearer My God to Thee. I believe that He was with the people trapped in the towers and with the firefighters who tried to rescue them on 9-11. I think He is with the people who have the virus today. Their families might not be in the hospitals with them, but God is.
And I can accept that. Part of man's rebellion is also their concluding that death is the END. They call it someone passed away as in they don't exist. God never looks at death of a human that way. It's really a pass-over.....going from one location to another. Sometimes people get mad saying why did God allow this one to die. The fact is if they've received Christ they're not dead at all. They're in a place that they'd never want to come back from.
 
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JacksBratt

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How well do you know your bible? It's found many times in the OT and all through the judgements in Revelation if you look for it.
The OT and Revelation are two very unique times in history.. I already stated that God used to punish the Hebrews... In revelation... which is mostly after the end of the days of grace.. times will be different again.
 
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JacksBratt

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Who is perfectly healthy? Never been to a Doctor? no medicine?
Really? I know some really bad dudes and they are jacked and healthy as a horse... I also know some solid Christian people that suffer from fribro, asthma, crohn's, diabetes, heart disease, migraines, mental illnesses, lyme disease and many other illnesses and states of poor health..

Sorry, your theory falls flat.
 
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ZNP

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Who built the gallows in the book of Esther, Haman or God? It would seem that Haman did, yet why would he build the gallows that would then be used to hang him? So if you say Human built the gallows you are right. If you say that all things are under God's sovereignty you are right. The same is true in the book of Job. Who caused all those bad things to happen to Job, God or Satan? Sure, it was Satan, but Satan was one of the "all things" that are under God's authority.
 
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YouAreAwesome

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Good point.

You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ 

Great we can be in agreement that Jesus only heals, loves, and cares. He even loves those pharisees so much that He challenges them to stop making life so difficult for little ones in the faith. Instead Jesus commands them to take care of people. It's quite a powerful hard hitting command in Matthew 25:44-45 for us all to help each other:

They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
 
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ZNP

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So if I see my child about to be given terminal cancer, and I allow it, I'm a good father?
I don't know about your child.

You asked about Job.

7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you [c]considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, [d]fearing God and turning away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the [e]Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your [f]power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.

The account is clear, Satan was only allowed to do what God allowed him to do.
 
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