Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Timing

There are great mysteries in the Bible. The book of James talks about one of these. James tells us that God never tempts anyone to sin. Yet Luke wrote in the book of Acts, "For truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontious Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done" (Acts 5:27).

Wasn't it a sin to put to death the Son of God? And didn't Luke say God planned it all? How can James say God never temps people to sin? How can both James and Luke be speaking the truth? Don't they contradict one another?

The answer lies in understanding the nature of man and the knowledge of God. God knows man and what is in man (John 2:23-24). He knows all that has happened, all that is happening and all that will happen. He knew about the process of crucifixion before he created the world. He knew that man would turn away from him and hate truth. Knowing all of this, he sent his son at exactly the time when evil men would do exactly what they did to Jesus.

He did not tempt the people to torture Jesus, but he sent Jesus to be tortured that we might be saved.