glory revealed

Recently I watched a celebrity during a TV interview challenge the existence of God. One of his reasons for doubting God was that a good God would never put up with evil people. I never know how to answer that, but this morning I got something of a hint.

I was reading in Romans 9, that difficult passage about election, and I came to verses 22-24. They say, "What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?"

That's a great reason for God to tolerate evil people – to make the riches of his glory known to people who believe in him. God plans to wipe evil from this world and remake it anew, but he gives his chosen ones time to find him first, to get to know of all the great treasure that comes from a relationship with him. 

The hard part about this as a counter-argument is that it comes packaged with the thorny subject of election and predestination. I never know what to do with that. It seems like a doctrine better suited for discussion with believers than an argument to win souls. Likely the idea that God could save everyone but chooses to damn some would not be attractive to someone asking why he tolerates evil. Mercy is much more winsome than evil. 

This excellent but unpalatable answer is good for me to reflect on, though. It helps innoculate me against the kind of despair that caused so many to fall away from the church after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. It reminds me that God tolerates evil not because he isn't good, but because he is. He's good to those who put their hope in him. His focus is on the elect who haven't completed their journey yet; he will in his good time get to the others.

I hope someday that celebrity gets to see the truth about God. I've prayed for that, in fact. I'd love for everyone on earth to come to Jesus – I see the attractiveness of universalism. But neither this celebrity nor I get to decide how God should behave. As these verses say, God has chosen. In the end, that's enough for me.