Mohler on Two Ways to Question God

Are we allowed to question God? Albert Mohler's answer is "yes and no". He recently blogged about this age-old question when a caller to his radio program lamented the death of his young child. The caller is a believer, and wants to be an obedient follower of Christ. Then he asked Mohler "But, can we question God?"

Here are Mohler's answer, which I found practically useful:

It seems to me that the answer is both yes and no. Beginning with the biblical affirmation that God is omnipotent and omniscient, sovereign and ever-reigning, we start with the understanding that whatever comes to pass does so by the express command, ordination, or permission of the Father. Thus, the Creator is at all times responsible for his creation -- and for his creatures.

So, is it legitimate to question God?

Perhaps we should consider how God has revealed himself to us as Father. Considering a human father for a moment, we can recognize two different ways of questioning his ways. The first way would be to rest secure in his love and fatherly care, but to express confusion over his ways. Even the most faithful and trusting children wonder about their parents at times. What are they up to? Why did they make that decision rather than the other? What was the purpose of that action? As close as children are to parents, parents often perplex children by acting like adults. In this mode of questioning, the child never questions the father's love and faithful disposition, but does admit confusion -- and perhaps even disappointment.

The other way of questioning a human father is to question his character, his faithfulness, or the authenticity of his love. This is an altogether different mode of questioning. In this second pattern of questioning, the child questions the father's heart, not merely his actions and ways.

Now, move from considering these two different modes of questioning a human father to a parallel set of approaches to questioning our heavenly Father. It is not unfaithful to admit and to articulate a sense of perplexity and pain in observing the ways of God. There are times when we cannot offer an explanation of God's ways. At times, we cannot even detect any possibility of a purpose. We can admit this to ourselves, to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to our heavenly Father.

The other mode of questioning God, on the other hand, constitutes sin and implies unbelief. We cannot remain faithful and question God's own faithfulness. His love for those who are in Christ is beyond question. His character is a constant and his love never fails. He is not loving and gracious toward believers at one moment, only to turn into a malevolent deity the next. He never changes.

In this light, it would be sin to question God in this second sense -- the sense in which we might question whether God really loves us, or if He is really faithful to his promises. This is not the questioning worthy of a believer, but of an unbeliever.

Personally I have lots of questions to ask God. Things within my family, issues at work, challenges in the church, and a myriad of problems in this evil-ridden world. Now I know however that it is legitimate to question God just like a child who is both confused and curious to understand his parents. It's like saying, "Heavenly Father, I know you are sovereign and loving, but I am dumbfounded at the fact that such and such occured. What are you up to really? Why did you that? Isn't there a better way to get your will done in and through my life?"

I think such questioning does not put God in the dock. Or in the interview room. It merely reflects our intimate conversation punctuated by a belief that no matter what, He reigns supreme and no matter how, He cannot love us more and will not love us less.

Kedaulatan Allah dan Dosa

Beberapa waktu lalu saya berdiskusi dengan seseorang di sebuah milis Kristen tentang kedaulatan Allah dan penderitaan manusia, sebuah topik klasik yang tidak akan pernah usang dan kuno. Fatal, saya kira, orang Kristen yang tidak menerima kedaulatan Allah untuk hidup dalam realita dunia yang keras dan berdosa ini:

SC: Tetapi sebenarnya Tuhan tidaklah berdaulat penuh atas setiap hal yang terjadi di dunia ini. Tuhan tidak pernah menentukan seseorang untuk diperkosa, Tuhan tidak pernah menentukan terjadinya pembunuhan, Tuhan tidak pernah menentukan terjadinya perceraian.

Sen: Kalau begitu, hal-hal yg terjadi tersebut (pemerkosaan, pembunuhan, perceraian) di luar kontrol Allah? Kalau ya, berarti Allah tidak maha kuasa, karena ada kejadian yg terjadi secara random atau digerakkan sebuah kuasa lain, di luar sepengetahuan dan kuasa Tuhan?

SC: Menurut saya perkosaan, pembunuhan, perceraian dan semua hal yang diluar kehendak Allah terjadi karena dunia ini sudah jatuh ke dalam kuasa Iblis sejak manusia memutuskan untuk jatuh ke dalam dosa. Dari semula Tuhan tidak pernah menentukan kejahatan terjadi di bumi ini tetapi manusia yang memutuskan untuk jatuh ke dalam dosa sehingga Iblis mengambil otoritas yang Tuhan berikan kepada manusia untuk berkuasa di bumi ini.

Sen: Kalau gitu, Allah tidak punya otoritas (mutlak) dong di dunia ini. Implikasi kedua, Iblis lebih berkuasa ketimbang Allah ya?

Ketika ada Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Soeharto dan tiran lain muncul, itu berarti Allah tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa atas ulah Iblis. Kalau begitu, pengharapan macam apakah yg kita bisa miliki dalam Allah kita? Sungguhkah kita mau menyembah Allah yang selalu dipecundangi oleh Iblis? Saat peristiwa Mei 98 terjadi, dimana Allah? Apakah Allah mengasihi tapi tidak kuasa menghentikan peristiwa tsb karena Iblis menghendaki demikian?

Dua contoh diatas ekstrim. Tapi melukiskan betapa menyedihkan hidup kita (NO Hope!) kalau ternyata Iblis lebih tinggi otoritasnya dibanding Allah. Bgmana lalu kita dapat menjelaskan ayat Alkitab berikut dari Matius 10:29-30: "Bukankah burung pipit dijual dua ekor seduit? Namun seekorpun dari padanya tidak akan jatuh ke bumi di luar kehendak Bapamu. Dan kamu, rambut kepalamupun terhitung semuanya."

Kalau sesuatu yg remeh, spt burung pipit, saja hidupnya ada dalam kehendak Allah, apalagi puluhan juta korban para tiran dunia diatas? Kalau rambut kita terhitung oleh Allah (yg berarti tiap kali kita keramas, dan ada bbrp helai rambut rontok, itupun Allah tahu dan ada dalam kehendak Allah - sebuah penghiburan bagi orang botak !), apalagi ratusan wanita yang menjadi korban tragedi Mei 98?

Dgn demikian, satu-satunya opsi kita adalah menerima bahwa segala kejahatan dan dosa yg dilakukan manusia terjadi karena itu ada dalam rencana dan kehendak Allah. Dan bukankah ini diajarkan oleh Alkitab kita. Ada banyak contoh, tapi saya kira contoh yg paling ultimate adalah kisah penyaliban Tuhan kita yg dicatat oleh Lukas sbb: "Dia yang diserahkan Allah menurut MAKSUD DAN RENCANA-NYA, telah kamu salibkan dan kamu bunuh oleh tangan bangsa-bangsa durhaka" (Kis 2:23).

Jika kita tidak menerima opsi diatas, maka konsekuensinya
(1) kita menerima bahwa dosa terjadi diluar kehendak Allah.
(2) Dan kalau begitu besar tindakan dan keputusan manusia yg berdosa, berarti hanya sedikit sekali dong keputusan dan tindakan manusia yg ada dalam kehendak Allah.

Alkitab memberi tempat pada kedaulatan Allah dan kebebasan manusia sekaligus, tanpa berusaha untuk merekonsiliasi kedua kebenaran tsb. Dan itu sebab kita tidak perlu repot-repot melakukan itu (Ul 29:29). Yang jelas, Dia bukan the author of sin, karena manusia berdosa tetap diminta pertanggung jawaban kita nanti. Hal ini muncul jelas dalam kasus Yudas.

Sulit rasanya mengkalimatkan kebenaran lebih baik dari Charles Spurgeon:

Man, acting according to the device of his own heart, is nevertheless overruled by that sovereign and wise legislation ... How these two things are true I cannot tell. ... I am not sure that in heaven we shall be able to know where the free agency of man and the sovereignty of God meet, but both are great truths. God has predestinated everything yet man is responsible?