Spiritual Education (MPhil)

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The sermon at church today was on Proverbs and friendship and developing the spiritual wisdom to see that friendship was valuable in our society, even and especially for example within a romantic context. True friendship should also be loyal. I attempted to find some relevant work.

The Problem of Evil (2003): Anglican and Baptist Perspectives: MPhil thesis, Bangor University

6. Suffering and Education

In Chapter 5, Suffering As Education, Woods discussed the seriousness of sin and how God could use this human problem for the education of his people. He mentioned King David’s sin of arranging a situation in battle for Uriah, husband of Bathsheba, that he be killed so David could then take her as his wife. After the murder took place, the prophet Nathan approached David and made it known that God was aware of the King’s sinful action. However, David seemed dulled to his own act of sin, at first, until Nathan made the King’s disobedience to God known to him. Woods stated: David’s problem lay in the idea that sin was serious for others, but not himself. He could become incensed over a man with great herds feeding a guest the only ewe of a poor neighbor (an account related by Nathan in order to awaken David of his sin), but had managed to remain quiet about his own affair with beautiful wife of Uriah–an affair that produced a pregnancy that required the death of the soldier Uriah whose duties in battle clearly eliminated him as father of the child. Woods (1974)(1982: 55).

This certainly is not a hard concept to understand. As human beings, are we not often somewhat blind to our own sin? At the time of sinning believers think that they are in error, but they are more concerned with obtaining that which they desire. Each person commits untold sin for which God must issue correction, especially if people are Christians, and within his everlasting plans. This type of correction may or may not be from God’s wrath, as discussed earlier, but it always seems needed for education. Christians must be subject to God’s laws, especially in spirit. Porter stated that King David was sorry for his actions once Nathan confronted him: David confessed his sin without any attempt at excuses. He clearly acknowledged himself as subject to God’s law, and never showed resentment towards Nathan for his frankness. He was assured by Nathan of God’s forgiveness, and that he would not die. Nevertheless his sin must be punished. Porter (1986: 382). When sinning, David probably thought he needed Bathsheba but, in reality, it was simply lustful desire, and thus after meeting Nathan, David knew his own guilt and was not resentful. Human sin is connected to human desire. Human beings desire things and often will break God’s law to have what is sought after. Often human beings want that which clearly should not be theirs, as in David’s case, but sometimes the desires seem quite just and normal, as in normal physical and mental health.

Today, our needs are often misunderstood. In the evangelical Christian church it is sometimes said that God will always meet our needs; however, there could be confusion with the concept of ‘always’. Let us not forget that there are Christians who are blind, or missing limbs for example. Both sight and limbs are basic human needs. Some realize this in philosophical terms, but often these people are living in lonely rooms and homes, away from the mainstream, so they may not be seen and/or experienced by many in the church. In reality, God does always meet what we see as basic human needs, or scientifically what can be deemed as basic human needs such as good health; however, what God promised, mainly, is everlasting life if we believe in Christ as Saviour, and judgement for all humanity.

In Philippians 4:19, Paul promises his readers that God will supply their needs in Christ. However, Martin noted that: "The precise meaning of will meet as a wish-prayer, not a statement of fact, is a helpful insight." Martin (1989: 184). The fact that Paul is waiting for God to supply the reader’s needs means there is an element of faith involved, and in matters of faith, God sometimes does not deliver as expected although he will meet the needs of his people in order for them to best serve him. God will meet the needs of the believer, mainly in the context of making it feasible for a person to complete his will for their individual life. This unfortunately, from a human perspective, leaves much room for suffering.

Yes, God loves his people, but he has knowledge of what must take place in a believer’s life in a more complete way than any human being could be aware of. He alone is omniscient. Woods discussed, not only suffering as education, but also for spiritual growth, faith, for God to reveal himself, to learn of the reverence for life, to benefit others, and to suffer without reason. These concepts mentioned by Woods can all be summed up as suffering as discipline, as God wills suffering for believers in order that they be better suited to perform his will. In James, Chapter 1, it mentions that various trials produce stronger faith and endurance that lead to a Christian being complete and lacking in nothing. Woods’ reasoning in his discussion on suffering is that God uses suffering as a way of disciplining a believer in order to prepare one for better subsequent service. As well, Woods noted that as Christians we needed to suffer in discipline as Christ did in obedience to God. "Self denial and pain are part of life, and a part of the calling of Him who suffered on the cross". Woods (1974)(1982: 108).

In his Chapter on Suffering Without Reason, Woods appealed to mystery and stated when discussing Job’s struggles that "he must be content being man, and must learn to live with the limited understanding of which man is possessed". Woods (1974)(1982: 118). I agree with Woods point concerning a human being having to accept limited knowledge in regard to why they suffer, but there are always reasons for suffering. God knows the complete reason, and if people are open to God’s spirit and analytical of their life, they may understand some of the reasons for their suffering, as God uses their pain for the greater good as the years go by. So, there is never suffering without reason, and that suffering is generally used by God for discipline, and sometimes punishment as part of that discipline.

MARTIN, R.P. (1989) Philippians, in Leon Canon Morris (gen. ed.), Tyndale New Testament Commentary, Leicester/Grand Rapids, Inter-Varsity Press/William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 

PORTER, L.E. (1986) 1 and 2 Samuel, in F.F. Bruce (gen.ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/ Zondervan.

WOODS, B.W. (1974) Christians in Pain, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.