Death, Suicide and Euthanasia.

Until I experienced God through HIS Word and deed, I was fearful, apprehensive and didn’t desire death. But when I believed in Christ and became aware of the glorious life that awaited me, the fear of death vanished. Today, I welcome death anytime, for when I die I will be with my God forever. The fear of death is dead in my life (cf. Psalm 23: 4; Romans 8: 38-39; 2 Corinthians 5: 8; Philippians 1: 21-23), for death is the gateway to a glorious eternity with God.

While I was discussing with a very dear brother about the torment of evil and expectation of a joyous life, we hoped that the Lord’s second coming is imminent, for evil will be annihilated when HE returns in all HIS glory and splendor. So, death can be viewed as a transition from the evil world to a joyous eternity in heaven. If death doesn’t facilitate this glorious transition, then one hopes that the Lord would arrive soon to deliver us from evil and pain. If one fails to desire death from the perspective of a glorious eternal coexistence with God, the existential reality of evil could motivate the frail to die, as an escape mechanism from the pain of suffering.¹

This is the predicament of a suffering man who loses all his means and hope to live on earth. He desires death through suicide as a means of exiting the world of evil and torment. But, is suicide acceptable?

Imagine a world renowned artist painting before a large audience. He finishes the spectacular work of art, and the audience is fascinated. Following are two scenarios: in the first, the artist unexpectedly shreds the painting to pieces! The audience is greatly saddened. In the second scenario, after the art is painted, a man from the audience unexpectedly grabs the art and shreds it. This man is detained by the police.

In both scenarios, the fascinating piece of art is lost. In the first scenario, the art is shredded by the owner. None can complain, but for the fact that the world lost a precious work. In the second scenario, a man shreds the art without the owner’s consent. This being theft and destruction, the culprit is nabbed by the police.

The above illustration serves as an analogy of our life. God is the artist and our life is HIS art. God, being the creator and sustainer, is the owner of every life. As in the scenario of the artist shredding his art, there could be, at most, a feeble concern, when the creator God, the owner of every life, chooses to eliminate that very life HE created. However, if anyone else eliminates that life (through suicide or murder), he is an unauthorized eliminator, for he rebels against God (the owner of life), who alone possesses all authority to eliminate the very life that HE created.

I say this at length to affirm that suicide is a sin against God. God makes and takes life. HE has the sole authority over every life. When man commits suicide, he dethrones God, and sins against HIM. Aquinas teaches that suicide is a sin on account of three violations – nature and self love, community, and God. He states that our freewill (inclination to commit suicide) should submit to God’s authority, who alone can decide our exit from this world.²

Having said this, I believe that a Christian who commits suicide is not hell bound, since we are saved by grace through faith. My rationale for this fact has been presented in my blog, “Way to Heaven? Not By Works!” A man who commits suicide violates God’s will and expedites his journey to the other side of eternity. Therefore, a believer in Christ should not commit suicide, instead he should trust in God for deliverance during moments of excruciating pain.

“The timing and manner of a person’s death belongs ultimately to God (Eccl. 3: 1-2; Heb 9: 27),” writes Scott Rae. ³Although death is considered an enemy (1 Corinthians 15: 55-56), for Christians, death is a vanquished enemy. God gives everyone who believes in Christ, the victory through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary. Thus, it is mandatory that death not be resisted or expedited.

Let us look at physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.⁴ If a man is dying and his prognosis hopeless with any further treatment determined as medically futile, in general, he could be allowed to die. However, considering that man’s death is in God’s hands, removal of life support that leads to physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia could be problematic. Not every decision to terminate life need be morally acceptable. For example, removing the ventilator that provides breathing support to a recovering patient would be unethical. Thus, we need to think through physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, because our moral choices would either abide by or abate the moral values that protect the sanctity and dignity of life - the dying included.

One can posit the validity of euthanasia from the realm of mercy - as a justified end to needless suffering. But medical alternates are: to sedate the patient to sleep (unconscious state) or to relieve pain (which could even hasten the death of a patient, but as an unintended act).

Scott Rae states that euthanasia could be advocated from, among others, the perspectives of ‘utility’ – avoidance of a high cost medical care, and ‘Personal Autonomy’ – one can decide when to die as one can decide when to marry. ‘Utility’ can be questioned from the ill-advised future possibility of coercing a terminally ill patient to consent to euthanasia, and ‘Personal Autonomy’ can be disputed citing the fact that an individual has no absolute right over his life. (This theme has been discussed in my previous blog on abortion).

Scott emphasizes that the opponents of euthanasia conclude that euthanasia and assisted suicide amounts to killing an innocent person. Since elimination of life is God’s prerogative, they reinforce that human beings cannot play God by eliminating human life. But this argument will not be accepted by atheists, who do not believe in God. The opponents of euthanasia also emphasize the redemptive value of suffering (suffering equips a believer to comfort others who suffer). If suffering is good for one’s life, then one can argue against every medical care that eases suffering. But why shouldn’t medicine alleviate unnecessary suffering? A better reasoning against the redemptive value of suffering is the proximity of suffering to death. If suffering leads to death, then the suffering one cannot positively impact the one suffering. So the redemptive value of suffering diminishes.⁵

To conclude, all possible medical treatment should be offered to the dying if the treatment can potentially save him. But, postponing death is not the only solution because every life is valuable irrespective of its quality. The development of medical technology could extend one’s life span, but one should be cautious to not use expensive medical resources on treatment that is futile. Medical treatment should be withdrawn when it is no longer helpful to a dying patient or when the treatment is more burdensome than being helpful to him. “Even though death is rightly to be resisted through reasonable medical means, the Christian’s eternal destiny is beyond death. In that sense, death for a Christian is by definition a “good death” because it ushers him or her into God’s presence in eternal life,” says Scott Rae. 

May the strength and wisdom of God prevail upon those contemplating suicide and those applying medical treatment in seriously ill patients. May HIS pleasing and perfect will be done in each life. Amen.

Notes and References:

¹ Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Human Life as a Journey to God - 29.4, p208.

² Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, Living in the World – Moral Virtue - 64.6, p391.

³ Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, 3^rd Ed, p218, 2009.

⁴ Euthanasia is often termed, ‘mercy killing.’ It is a direct and intentional effort of a medical professional (e.g. through lethal injection of drugs) to help a dying patient die. (Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, 3^rd Ed, p214.)

⁵ Scott B. Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics, 3^rd Ed, p224-234, 2009.

(6) Thoughts pertaining to Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia have been extracted from Scott Rae’s work, ‘Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics,’ barring sporadic interposals of my thoughts.  

Being on Fire for the Lord

“Why am I not on fire for the Lord?” This cry of the heart makes room for introspection and spiritual growth. This is a cry that longs for more of God. But it is better to ask this question, than not realizing that we are to be on fire to serve the Lord.

Although we question our ineffectiveness in God’s kingdom, we should realize that by virtue of our belief, we are safe and secure in God’s presence, and that none can snatch us from HIS hand. We should plead with God to strengthen us, for spiritual growth is a process, not a onetime experience. This is a recap of the previous blog.

We suffer from comparisons! One reason we question our ineffectiveness, is due to the magnificent testimonies we hear of our brothers and sisters in Christ. These could be about experiencing God’s power through deliverance, healing, or other material blessings. Another reason is that we see others actively working in HIS vineyard, and our lives only seem mundane in comparison. Some of us may lead hectic lives where we would not have the time to serve God and HIS people through various ministries in church. This is fairly normal! However, it is wiser to introspect instead of succumbing to comparisons.

There are two sides to “being on fire for the Lord.”Consider the words of Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcey, “Gordon Allport, the great psychologist of religion, drew a distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic religion. Extrinsically religious people use religion for external purposes, like the politician who attends church to gain respectability or the person who prays for purely material benefits. But intrinsically religious people serve God without ulterior motive: They pray in order to commune with HIM and understand HIS truth; they give without any utilitarian calculation.” ¹

The Sermon on the Mount magnifies the heart of a man into a greater perspective in his relationship with God. Man cannot please God externally. Man’s external actions are a result of his heart’s disposition (Luke 6: 45b). Although man’s external actions are an outpouring of his internal being, some could fake an external without a truthful heart.

So there ought to be an intrinsic and an extrinsic fire. Intrinsic fire is to be on fire for the Lord from within our hearts. We are on fire when we possess: a deeper fellowship with God and a greater joy in intrinsic worship (not only inside the church, but significantly, outside the church). Extrinsic fire is in serving God and HIS people through the effective use of our spiritual gifts. (You could refer to my previous blog "Miraculously Blinded Church" for the list of spiritual gifts.) It is immaterial if one serves God from the forefront or from the background. Conventionally, extrinsic fire would manifest through:

·         Public prayers or attending prayer meetings.

·         Preaching / teaching biblical truths or attending bible studies.

·         Serving the underprivileged.

·         Defending our faith.

·         Use of our spiritual gifts.

However, those with deep intrinsic fire need not necessarily manifest an abundance of an extrinsic fire due to the complexities of their life. We need not be concerned about those whose difficult life situations deny them the privilege of serving in God’s kingdom through the church ministries, especially when their intrinsic love for God is stable and growing. There will come a time in their life when they can serve God through the local church.

In my opinion, intrinsic fire is more foundational to a successful Christian life than the extrinsic. If love for God, in our heart, decreases, then our separation from HIM increases. This situation should be overcome through prayer (and fasting) – pleading for God’s power to strengthen us to draw closer to HIM.

Conventionally, we are aware that to be on fire for the Lord is to possess:

·         …an immense desire for HIM (Psalm 73:25).

·         …an enormous love to know more of God through the Bible (Deuteronomy 6: 5-9).

·         …a sacrificial heart to obey the Lord and HIS commands (Romans 6: 16-18).

·         … a growing and an unshakeable faith and hope in HIM despite life’s situations (Romans 15: 13; Ephesians 6: 16 - ESV)

·         …a fullness of Joy (Psalm 16:11).This is not a constant joy for there will be times of pain and other responsibilities in this fallen world.

·         …a loving responsibility for our fellow brothers and sisters (Mark 12: 31).

In other words, to be on fire for the Lord is to live a life of constant worship of the living God. There could be ups (joy, without problems in life) and downs (pain) in one’s spiritual life, but the glorious truth is that we can win spiritual victories by the power of our Lord. Thus although the ‘low’ could be a momentary constant, that “low” will be perceived a ‘high,’ by the grace and power of our Lord, when we seek HIM with all our heart (cf. 1 Peter 1:6).

I submit an unconventional conclusion without corroding the conventional understanding. Looking into the church of Jesus Christ, we will observe Christians professing their greatness in the Lord. They are those who verbalize and vocalize their spiritual achievements (e.g. “25 people were baptized yesterday by me,” “I preached an anointed sermon,” “the prayer meeting I was a part of was so anointed” etc.). I do not think an anointed sermon, a powerful prayer, or an active service to the underprivileged, are sole manifestations of being on fire for the Lord.

Consider the gospels where the Lord emphasizes on the fruit the disciples ought to bear (Matthew 7:15-23; Luke 6: 43, 44). Let the passage on love also be in the backdrop of our minds (1 Corinthians 12: 31b-13). The “beatitudes” (Matthew 5: 3-12) and the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5: 22-23) are the foundations to the existential excellence of a Christian life. This is where I find the essence of being on fire for the Lord. We are on fire for the Lord if we adhere to the commentary of these sections that is found below:

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;

if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12: 3-21, NIV).

Amen.

  

References:

¹ Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live? p314.

Am I on Fire for the Lord? (Our Christian Identity)

At some point, these questions may have crept into our hearts: “How can I be on fire for the Lord, when I vacillate between hot and cold?” “I was excited when I gave my life to the Lord and felt I was on a spiritual high; I was constantly adoring and worshiping God. After a while, I felt my heart grow cold….” “Sometimes I feel I am on a spiritual high, and often I feel as if I am on a spiritual low.” Some of us may wonder why we at times read the Bible and pray earnestly, but slowly and eventually cease our Bible reading and praying. A [seemingly] defeated heart cries: “God’s sick of me. I can never be right enough for HIM. Even though I assert myself to make it right the next time, I fail once again. Why do I even go to the lengths of trying harder? I am disgusted with myself.”

“Who am I in Christ?” is the foundational cry of the believer’s heart in this context. The other foundational cry is, “Is God pleased with me despite my failures?” We question ourselves and seek God’s mind about us.

These are honest questions of a believer, but blame not the questioner for asking the question. This is an existential dilemma experienced by many. Let us realize that these questions are not an aberration but more or less common. Significantly, we must acknowledge our need to overcome this problem.

We should realize that our relationship with Christ will grow and mature into an unshakeable faith and love in HIM. Growth in faith and love is a process similar to a baby learning to walk. Crawling is the first step to walking, and then the baby walks with a support. After a while the baby walks without an aid but does fall. Slowly the baby gains strength in legs, the needed balance, and the confidence to walk steadily. Until this moment, walking is an intentional event in the life of this child. When the baby grows, walking transforms from an intentional to a default event. Similarly, we are growing in holiness in Christ.

Possessing the faith of the stalwarts in the Bible - Apostle Paul, the disciples, the faith hall of famers (Cf. Hebrews 11) - is an ongoing process. This is not an aberration but a part of our Christian growth. The failures and successes of Apostle Peter and other biblical stalwarts are well documented to encourage a growing Christian. Peter grew through his failures to what he became to be – a rock on which the church is built (Matthew 16:18).

The questions mentioned earlier suspect our position in Christ. We doubt who we are in Christ, and thus doubt exists in a believer’s life. Please listen to Os Guinness, “Picture a small boy frustrated with a jigsaw puzzle because he is certain that the pieces do not fit the picture on the box. We are like this when we doubt…But shake the pieces up a little, rearrange the one or two that we have put in the wrong place and everything changes. It is not the fault of the puzzle or the picture but the boy.”¹When we doubt ourselves, the temptation is to blame and mutilate oneself. “Oh I am unable to solve the puzzle, I am a fool!” could be the cry of the heart. This is not a remedy. The effective remedy is to seek help to complete the puzzle. We should acknowledge our inward need to be strengthened in God’s presence. The cry of our heart should be, “I need God’s wisdom, confidence and strength.”

Just as a sick man visits the doctor, we ought to take our weakness to our Heavenly Father. Os Guinness says, “Any unresolved doubt will tend to thrust us away from God, but our experience of his resolving our previous doubts should encourage us to come nearer. The first reaction of our hearts should echo William Cowper’s prayer, “Decide this doubt for me.””²

The questions we pose in search for answers do not eliminate us from God’s presence. God understands human heart better than man himself (1 John 3: 20; Romans 8: 26-28 - The Message). God’s grace and love for a believer is the believer’s assurance that he will not be rejected from God’s presence on account of these honest questions. Christ said it is impossible for anyone to snatch a believer from HIS hand (John 10: 28). So even as we acknowledge the need for strengthening, let us be assured that we remain to be the children of the living God. We are God’s own, so we will take our questions to the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, NASB). Os Guinness quotes Martin Luther’s prayer, which is very apt for this situation:

“Dear Lord,

Although, I am sure of my position,

I am unable to sustain it without Thee.

Help Thou me, or I am lost.”³

When in doubt, run to God. This song was originally sung in Tamil (one of the languages of the Indian subcontinent, and my native language). It reflects the heart of a believer who seeks God. May it be your prayer as well.

In my prayer I seek you (எந்தன் ஜெப வேளை உமை தேடி வந்தேன்) ⁴

In my prayer I seek you, LORD

Be gracious upon me – for

You are my fortress and refuge

I come seeking you, LORD!

Give me the grace to -

Interact with you always, Lord!

To listen to Your Word,

All through my life.

All through my life, LORD

I would be seated at your feet;

Listen to the tearful prayers,

Oh stream of Mercy!

I pray you may deliver all those

Who are in darkness and hopeless

Save us Oh my Jesus

Fervently we pray

Give me the spirit of intercession

To pray tirelessly

Remove all obstacles - for

I have come at the foot of the Cross.

We love the verse from the Bible that says we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2: 8-9). But let us also be equally aware of the verses preceding this verse. When God saved us, HE raised us up with Christ, and seated us with HIM in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6, NIV). A believer in Christ is seated with God in Christ in the heavenly realms. This is pivotal to the cognizance of our Christian identity. It is impossible for anyone to snatch a believer of Christ from God’s presence. If we desire to be on fire for the Lord always, we need to know and believe in this crucial truth.

I hope to conclude this theme in my next blog, but in the meantime may these verses strengthen you:

“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,

“And My servant whom I have chosen,

So that you may know and believe Me

And understand that I am He.

Before Me there was no God formed,

And there will be none after Me.

“I, even I, am the Lord,

And there is no savior besides Me.

“It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,

And there was no strange god among you;

So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord,

“And I am God.

“Even from eternity I am He,

And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;

I act and who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43: 10-13, NASB)

We are God’s own and HE will bless us. Amen.

References:

¹ Os Guinness, God in the Dark, p215. 

² Ibid., 216.

³ Ibid.

⁴ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CthmBCOJRGg

If God is NOT in Suffering

Let us think on the entailment of Godlessness in human suffering. What are my legitimate options if I am unable to believe in God during times of suffering? I use the word ‘unable’ to emphasize the overwhelming pain of the suffering heart. We should positively sympathize with those struggling to decrypt God’s presence in times of (arduous) suffering. Those who succumb to the incredible pain caused by their suffering, deny God’s existence.

            If man replaces God, then suffering is caused by mankind. Poverty, I postulate, is an imbalance in the distribution of financial resources, due to greed. The haves turn a blind eye to the have-nots. The poor shrink and the rich bloat. This is a tenable proposition. Again, if starvation is an outcome of the barrenness of land due to lack of rain, then one can posit concretization (building of concrete jungles) through deforestation as a plausible cause. This too is tenable.

            Man ought to be the cause behind a baby with birth defects due to parental negligence or an untimely death because of a drunken driver. These evils could be attributed to him exercising his freewill. But what is he free from? If someone is “free,” then we posit a restraining power. A young man may want freedom from his parent or a slave may want freedom from his oppressor. The parent and the oppressor are the restraining powers.

What do these powers restrain a man from? Parents restrain a child from being bad (which is good). An oppressor restrains the slave from escaping (which is bad). Hence, the restraints could be either good or bad. Man can choose to be free from either good or bad. Thus, a “free” man can liberate himself from good or bad.

            The moment we bring concepts such as ‘bad’ and ‘good’ (morality) into our domain, we should explain its cause. Who framed these moral laws? Since our postulation is Godlessness, society (man) frames its own moral laws. But one society executes convicts for armed robbery, whereas another imposes a lesser punishment. We need to decide which of these societies is right or wrong.

So we arrive at the realm of arbitration. A society sets up objective units to arbitrate opposing contentions. These objective units determine the innocent, the criminal, the winners, and the losers. Even in villages (where literacy is rare), a village council comprising of mature and credible people is established as an objective arbitrative unit. When man seeks justice/truth, he approaches the objective authority, whose sole purpose is to establish truth through impartial justice.

            This objective arbitrative unit ought to be a transcending authority. Primarily, it should transcend the contending parties, without sympathizing with either. But man is a vulnerable being. So the transcending authority need not be absolutely transcending, for it could fail to transcend corruption.

            When a man depends on his fellow being for justice, especially with the prevailing corruption, one can reasonably posit that justice need not be rendered to every individual. Justice often marries power, position, and prominence, leaving the poor and powerless divorced from justice.

Here the aspect of “Hope” needs to be considered if mankind is robbed of justice from fellow man. When one is at the receiving end of injustice, should he live with hope to receive justice one day, or should he be hopeless? When a man fails to receive justice, what is his assurance to receive justice later? When corruption is in full force, justice from a fellow man is not an optimistic anticipation, especially if he is poor and powerless. When man replaces God, hopelessness prevails.

            With man at the helm of affairs, justice and hope are uncertain. With God at the helm of affairs, there is justice and hope. This hope is an eternal hope where evil will be punished and righteous will be saved to coexist with God unto eternity (Revelation 20ff). If the Lord so ordains that I do not receive justice in this time and age (Cf. Hebrews11:35b-40), I am certain of receiving justice when HE comes in all HIS glory to judge mankind.

           

            Until now we hypothetically removed God from the helm and replaced HIM with man. Then we examined the situation to ascertain if man’s replacement of God answers questions related to suffering. The situation of suffering with man at the helm is worse. If I depend on man, then I am hopeless and robbed of justice. Hopelessness with man also posits that man is not “free” but is under the control of evil.

            There is a sense of duplicity in those who reject God (a transcending, objective, Almighty reality) but accept the presence of objective arbitrative units of men. On one hand, they reject God because of HIS supposed partiality (HE provides good to some and not to all), and impotency (HE fails to eliminate evil), but on the other hand they accept a man who is worse than God – partial, impotent, and susceptible to corruption. Those who are disappointed in God should also be disappointed with man (even with themselves!). Significantly, there is hope with God but only hopelessness with man.

            If we replace God with anything inanimate (chance), then the situation gets even worse. We are left with more holes and questions – the situation becomes more unstable and untenable. If God is at the helm, then God decides the birth of every man. If man rejects God, then his birth is a chance occurrence. When ‘chance’ rapes a man, he is abandoned into brutal obscurity, humiliation and indignity that he remains idiotically ignorant of the cause for his malady. This is a situation of greater hopelessness and indignity. This is a horrendous evil.

            It has already been emphasized that man can decide to liberate himself from good or bad. We have the intrinsic freedom to liberate ourselves from God or the devil. When we liberate from God, we fall prey (even innocently and ignorantly) to the schemes of the devil. A deluded man falls prey to the devil’s schemes. God gives man many chances to seek HIM, love HIM, and obey HIM willingly and lovingly. It is my prayer that we do not fall into the hands of the evil one, but willingly and lovingly fall into the loving and nail pierced hands of the Almighty God.

            Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Without Christ, we are hopeless. I therefore submit that suffering is more understandable and explainable with God. Amen.

Summary:

If man replaces God:

            Suffering caused by ‘man’ or ‘chance’

                       

If suffering caused by man, then Man is “free.”

                                    A ‘free’ man can liberate himself from ‘good’ or ‘evil’ (morality).

Man frames moral laws to establish justice/good (since God is replaced by man).

Man arbitrates/judges to ensure fairness/good (man sets up objective authority akin God)

Arbitration should absolutely transcend, but does not, for man is vulnerable (corrupt). So, man is unable to liberate himself from evil.

                       

Justice unrendered to man, since man unable to liberate himself from evil.

When justice is unrendered, man is HOPELESS, evil prevails, ‘good’ is nonexistent/partial.

Because justice and hope are consistently non-existent/partial, man is not ‘free,’ but is under the control of evil.

Therefore, when man rejects God, he is under the control   of evil.

                        If suffering is a ‘chance’ occurrence

           

Man is so hopeless that he cannot seek anyone or anything for answers. Man is robbed of dignity completely.

This is a horrendous evil, so evil prevails.

                       

If man replaces God, evil prevails, man is under the control of evil.

                       

Fallacies:

Man sets up an objective authority to establish justice/good, but rejects a good and a just God who is an objective authority. (Man does not want to yield control to God.)

Because of corruption/evil, man fails to provide justice consistently. (But he rejected God for the same reason - not providing justice consistently.)