When The Lord Asked Why

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

There are two occasions when the Lord asked“Why?” that stand out from all the rest.

Once it was to God He cried it and once to Saul of Tarsus. Once to the Holy One and once to the chief of sinners. Once He cried it from the shameful cross and once from His glory in heaven. In each case the name was repeated.

In Matt. 27:46 we find the first anguished “Why?” as He cried: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” The other is found in Acts 9:4, where He called from His exile in heaven:“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?”

These two questions represent the greatest riddles of history and yet strangely, one of them is the simple solution to the other! Why did God forsake His Son? You will find the answer when you ask why mankind, represented by Saul, forsook and even persecuted God’s Son. God’s action, in giving Christ up to die, was the antidote to man’s. Christ’s death was the remedy — the only possible remedy — for man’s sin. It was because of the utter unreasonableness of man’s sin that God, to save him, had to be more than reasonable.

Saul had led his nation and the world in rebellion against Christ, but this is just why, in infinite love, God chose him to become the great apostle of grace, telling the world that “Christ died for our sins.”

Hear him tell how he had been “a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” but how “the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant” (1 Tim. 1:13,14). Hear him say:

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting” (Vers. 15, 16).

Since the “chief of sinners” is now in heaven, there is hope for us all if we but trust in the Christ who died for us.

ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTE:

It is my belief far too many ask why of God far to frequently. A child asks why continually. A mature person learns, grows, and knows – and does not ask as often. Far too many in these times are to soft, to immature, to fearful not placing their faith and trust completely in the Holy Spirit – the Comforter which God and Jesus Christ provided after the Lord’s ascension into heaven to serve at the right hand of the throne of God.

If we are to be more Christ-like than let us only ask why at times when it makes sense in our spiritual lives and not due to some minor travail; us being selfish and ignorant and thinking because we are professed believers we are not to suffer, experience pain, loss, or need to rely upon God completely.

Want to know why? Because He is God. He is our Father.

And just as an immature child crying without reason, throwing a tantrum, pouting, etc. – we need to learn it only gets better when we yield more and give more of ourselves to the Lord, and when we finally submit and obey. The complete Word of God. Not just select verses, or those which may jib with a denomination we belong to.

All of it.

Give all of ourselves unto the Lord our God.

Accept and obey all of God’s Word as His will and instruction in our walk; in the light, as we come out of darkness and disobedience as Saul of Tarsus did on that road to Damascus.

Also, none have any excuse. There is no excuse for not yielding unto the Lord and finally acknowledging His voice. If Saul, who condemned people to murder – brutal, intense, long, painful murder and other persecutions for their belief in Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus Christ the Lord – if Saul could be forgiven by belief, and justified by his faith than any sinner any place can be saved.

It is only a matter of will. Will they obey the voice of the Lord and obey His Word, the Holy Bible, and are they willing to yield their will, give up of themselves to serve God, Christ the Lord, and the Holy Spirit in every step of every day for the remainder of their earthly days?

Because when the door to the Gentiles is closed, and that day swiftly approaches, the wails and cries being raised up of “Why?” in the darkened hearts then bowed before the Lord will be as the sound of the mightiest wind ever heard. All in silence, for they dare not raise their hearts and heads and ask aloud, as they finally, albeit too late, accept the truth, accept Jesus Christ as Lord and King. For they will know within their hearts they waited too long, and will have an eternal “why?” to torment them in constant anguish and pain, eternal separation from all that is right, light, and true.

I realize this is not the popular way to address people in these anesthetized times, in these days of blindness, apostasy, false doctrine, and following the lies of the so-called politically correct New Age Movement and its permeation into every aspect of modern-day life. We even have so-called Christian ministers, pastors, and preachers telling folk’s there is no hell, and everyone gets to go to heaven.

But this is a lie. What they teach is unsound and false doctrine.

For the Bible is very clear – throughout – what the consequences are for unbelief, for refusing the truth, for denying God and Christ the Lord.

The only time the word “why” enters my mind is when thinking how so many can be so misled, and so many can go through life unbelieving, but then I know why and do not truly need to ask why.

Because of the sin and self-willfullness within us all. Because of the prince of this earth, that old dragon, the devil, confusing the hearts and minds of men and women and the men and women seeking pleasure, self-gratification, worldly temporary riches rather than the richness and treasure which is the Word of God and its source of the only really true things, the only true way to life, the only way to salvation, understanding, and an eternity where one does not have to ever ask “why?” in eternal anguish as so many, as the majority will.