Why there is Suffering (John 9:3)

 

Long ago, Hannah and Saul [not their real names] had a son who was blind -- even from birth.  This sad dilemma was confusing to them, and they often wondered why the Lord has visited this trial upon them.  In any case, the boy had to pull his own weight around the house, so he sat and begged for over 40 years. Though they themselves were not especially religious, they knew and understood the Lord's demand for righteousness.  They knew that the penalty of sin had fallen upon mankind, and that it was the Israelite's duty to keep the Law, as the righteous Pharisees taught.  There was a lot that was confusing about this, since the Pharisees didn't always seem to have a very straight conception of what was righteous, but in any case they quoted Moses a lot.  It wasn't encouraging to Hannah or Saul to know the demands of the Law, and they were not especially zealous to approach the Lord about this.  None of their prayers, when they made any, seemed to be answered.  In any case, this situation was something to fear -- and they did.

One year, however, a new prophet came through town.  He had the reputation of curing people, and some thought he was a prophet sent from God.  He did seem to be on the outs with the Pharisees, however, and there seemed to be "bad blood" between them.  The fact that Jesus seemed to have such a cavalier attitude toward the Pharisaical interpretation of the Law seemed irreligious to them.  In any case, one didn't know what it all meant.  Neither did it seem likely to them, from a distance, that Jesus would do anything more than add new and different burdens from those laid on by the Pharisees.

Then, this man healed their son.

 

Ashes to Righteousness

When Job and Isaiah saw God, they each gained profound moral insight about Him, and therefore about themselves.  

For Isaiah, it was the dirty mouth speaking from a dirty heart:

See Isaiah 6:1-8

For Job it was his presumption that he could understand the ways of God:

See Job 42:1-8

In each case, these self-accusations of weakness and depravity are regarded by God to be truth-speaking.  As a consequence, these men are immediately put into greater service to God:  Isaiah as a greater prophet, and Job as priest for his friends who have spoken so brazenly and self-confidently to Job about God's ways.

See:

42:1 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

² “I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
⁴ Listen, please, and let me speak;
You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’

⁵ I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You.
⁶ Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.”

⁷ And so it was, after the Lord had spoken these words to Job, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.

So, repenting in dust and ashes at the vision of God is the act of persons whom God calls righteous.

The Central Tenet of Calvinism

Both pro- and anti-Calvinists nowadays seem to agree that the Sovereignty of God is perhaps the central thread of what it means to be a "Calvinist."

I'm not sure that Calvin would say it that way.

As were all Augustinian and Paulinist followers of the doctrine of Christ, Calvin was a definite believer in the sovereignty of God in predestination to glory or damnation.  But it is my strong opinion, based on reading the Institutes, that Calvin would much prefer to give preeminence to the Goodness of God.

This helps deflect the claims of Remonstrants, "Arminians" and others that Calvinism is "Islamic."  ("Islam" refers to "submission.")  The accusation of an "Islamic" tendency is tied up with that quality of religion resulting from a God-view primarily calling for submission (regardless of my doom), to that quality of religion resulting from a God-view primarily calling for gratitude for his Goodness.