The Temptation to Press Charges against God
Most likely, every saved individual reading this post has been tempted to “press charges against God.” Nearly all of us have been tempted to blame or accuse God. Sadly, many of us have given in to such temptation. The temptation to accuse God is twofold.
The Temptation from Within
The knowledge we have about God produces a very real temptation to accuse Him. You see, life is hard. When hard times hit, they hit hard. Sicknesses make us uncomfortable. Because of physical illness, we have sleepless nights. Some struggle financially. Others deal with the death of a loved one. None of these trials are easy.
When the catastrophe hits, we are tempted to blame God because of our knowledge of Him. We who are saved know two things about God. First, we know from God’s word that He loves us. Second, we know that God is omnipotent (all-powerful). Here is where the temptation lies. If God really loves me, and He has the power to stop a calamity from happening to me, then why didn’t He stop it? God knew that this that has come my way is hurting me, yet He did nothing to stop it, and we know that He could have! Every child of God must resist the temptation to accuse and blame God. We must remember that if God saw fit not to stop something, then He has a plan greater than we are able to see.
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
The Temptation from Without
The temptation to accuse God lies not only in our knowledge of God, but there is also a temptation from without.
In my previous post, I mentioned that we who have been justified enjoy two blessings. First, if you are justified, you cannot be condemned; second, if you are justified, no one can even bring charges against you.
However, there is someone who would love to bring you into condemnation and press charges against you. I am talking about Satan, whom the Bible calls in Revelation 12:10 “the accuser of the brethren.” Satan accuses us in two ways. First, He goes before God and accuses those who are saved. We see this clearly in the story of Job. Satan stood before God, telling God that the only reason Job served Him was because God had blessed Job so much. The devil accused Job to God. Second, the devil accuses God to those of us who are saved. We see this clearly in the garden of Eden. The serpent, speaking to Eve, asks her if she and Adam can eat of any tree in the garden. Eve replied that she and her husband could eat of any tree in the garden, except the tree in the middle of the garden. In Genesis 3:5, the serpent told Eve that the only reason God prohibited them from eating of that tree was because God knew that they would be like Him if they ate of it. In other words, Satan was accusing God of withholding something good from Adam and Eve. “God doesn’t want you to have this because He doesn’t want what’s best for you.” Satan accused God to Eve!
This is how the accuser of the brethren works. He goes before God, accusing us; then he comes to us, accusing God. Now, when the devil goes before God to accuse us, what does God do? From scripture, I know exactly what God does. Romans 8:33 says, “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” God does not allow the devil to press charges against you! Because you are saved by God’s grace, covered by His blood, any charges brought by the devil is immediately dismissed. God will hear nothing of it.
Now, let me ask you a question. When the devil comes to you accusing God, how do you respond? Do you dismiss it as God does for you, or do you entertain it? Do you stand up for God as He stands up for you, or do you listen to the devil’s accusations? Many of us blame and accuse God because the devil put those thoughts in our mind, but we do not stand up for God as He stands up for us. When Satan brings charges against God to you, dismiss them! That’s what God does for you!
