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mighty God (1 Samuel 30:6).
    Did Jesus come to help us understand why God never lifts a finger to help? No. Jesus came
    to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). In his name go and do likewise.

A word after

    This article made people angry for two reasons. Some were angry because I said God isn’t
    responsible for all the bad stuff that happens, and others were angry because they had been led
    to believe that he is.
    I shouldn’t be surprised that this article made people angry. I was angry when I wrote it. I
    was angry when I heard the awful stuff coming from my friend’s mouth. Of course, I wasn’t
    angry at him. I was angry at the devil who dares to keeps God’s children bound with such
    awful lies. I guess that’s the right sort of anger to have—anger at those things that hurt people.
    If so, then I was pleased to hear from a reader called Gigi:

    This article made me angry! I am angry at Satan’s lies which sadly are still being propagated
    by a number of churches. I am angry that from time to time I still catch myself believing
    these lies. Jesus wants us to have life and that’s the absolute truth!

    I couldn’t have said it better.
    In the article I said that the word sovereign is not in the Bible. However, it does appear in
    the New International Version almost 300 times since the NIV translators use “sovereign Lord”
    where others have “Lord God.” However, this interpretation of sovereign, meaning “God as
    supreme ruler,” differs from the modern usage which means “God is in control and therefore
    responsible for all the bad stuff that happens.” As we have seen, this interpretation is unbiblical
    and very bad news.

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    GRACE REMIX

    God is not responsible for all that happens to you, but he is redemptive. He takes the messes
    of our lives and works them into something good. This is especially true for those who respond
    to his love and call (Romans 8:28).
    Incidentally, one of the worst words in the Christian vernacular must surely be the word
    allowed, as in God allowed this bad thing to happen. That makes it sound like God gave tacit
    permission to the thief, the rapist, and the murderer. But if God allowed thieves to steal, they
    wouldn’t be thieves, would they?

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    5. What about Hebrews 10:26?

    I get asked more questions on Hebrews 10:26 than any other verse in the Bible. Evidently, this is
    a verse that troubles many people:

    If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no
    sacrifice for sins is left (Hebrews 10:26)

    Let’s take a quick survey. Put your hand up if you have lived a sinless life. Hmm. I don’t see
    any hands. I have been saved for decades and, to be completely honest with you, I cannot say
    my performance has been flawless throughout that period. I’m pretty sure I sinned this one
    time back in 1987…
    Ha! It’s easy for me to make jokes. I’ve been set free. I no longer mine at the pits of religion
    with condemnation. I’m drawing from the wells of salvation with joy.
    All jokes aside, Hebrews 10:26 is an oft-abused scripture. If you wanted to use this verse to
    scare people, there are a couple of angles you could take:

    1. You could use this verse to present a “balanced” view of God, like this: “He is a God of
    grace and he is a God of judgment. You need to love him and fear him for he’s a God of
    vengeance and a consuming fire. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living
    God.”
    2. You could also use this verse to preach works: “You will be judged according to the light of
    your revelation and those who have received the knowledge of the truth will be held to the
    highest standard. It’s time for judgment to begin in the house of God. If you fall away it is
    impossible to be brought back to repentance!”

    What’s the problem with these messages? If you listen to the first one you’re going to come
    away thinking that God is schizophrenic, at war with his own good nature.