One of the countless benefits of homeschooling is that parents can broach difficult questions with their children. Here are five cosmic questions and some reasons why God chooses not to answer them.
Five cosmic questions:
One: Why is there evil? We are told only this: Ezekiel 28:15 (ESV): “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.”
Two: Why is suffering necessary? The Apostle Paul wrote, “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24 NKJV).) and that “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17 NKJV).
Three: Why aren't we told about inter-dimensionality, though it obviously exists? Christ showed us in the Transfiguration and His ascension that it exists--but He never explained it.
Four: What's the deal with predestination vs. free will? Which is it? Theologian J. I. Packer gives a good introductory explanation of this issue: “…is not God’s power to fulfill his purposes limited by the free will of man? No. Man’s power of spontaneous and responsible choice is a created thing, an aspect of the mystery of created human nature, and God’s power to fulfill his purposes is not limited by anything that he has made. Just as he works out his will through the functioning of the physical order, so he works out his will through the functioning of our psychological makeup. In no case is the integrity of the created thing affected … But in every case God orders the things that come to pass. So, therefore, without violating the nature of created realities, or reducing man’s activity to robot level, God still `accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will’ (Ephesians 1:11).” (J. I. Packer, The Apostles’ Creed, Tyndale House Publishers, 1977, pages 27-28).
Five: Is God a triune God or is He one? “.. in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:19). Also: in Revelation 5:2 and 5 (ESV): “ `Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ … And one of the elders said to me, `Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’ "
Six reasons why He chooses not to answer:
One: The information would be useless to us, given our current limitations of time and space. It would be much like trying to explain to an ant what a grocery store cart is and what it is for!
Two: We may be asking the wrong question. For example, if someone were to ask, “Why does 2 + 2 = 5?” Our perceptions might be slightly off about everything. God waits to reveal our misperceptions until the next life, when we shall easily see and say "aha!"
Three: To answer one of our questions could open up a Pandora's box of way more questions that are far harder to answer, and that we are not ready for and have never thought of. Like a young child asking Mom and Dad, why do you sometimes close your bedroom door, and we can't come in? Further answers would not impact the child’s current life one iota.
Four: God is a self-revelatory God. He, alone, chooses how much of Himself to lend out. If we had not His word or His incarnation (both, via His own initiations) we would know nothing of God. Everything would be a mere hunch. In eternity He will stay out ahead of us in His presentation of Himself as much then as He has done now. Out ahead of us--forever. Imagine such magnificence and immensity.
Five: God is involved in executing 3D chess at all times because everyone's life is intertwined in everyone else's life. Every move He makes in our life affects scores of other people. Just like every chess move profoundly and immediately affects every move of the other player on the board. Our sovereign "lot" in life is complexly related to others' "lots." Only God could write this complex script. Even if we were given the opportunity to rewrite our life, would we even want such a job?! Would we be confident that we would write something better for ourselves? Seriously!
Six: He is often prepositioning us for something in the future that He cannot show us now. Like Queen Esther finding herself promoted to the status of a king's wife in order to later be in a position to advocate for the entire Jewish race when it was about ready to be annihilated. “ `Who knows but what you entered the kingdom for such a time as this?’ ” (Esther 4:14).
Conclusion: When it seems that God is distant or doesn't answer our prayers, it is good to remember that He is dealing with a world of unfathomable entanglement on every side. Only He knows how to walk it out for the betterment of the enter universe and of every one of His eternal believers. We shall yet praise Him! Forever!
