Response to the comments in my post, "True Heart Follow Up"

To the first question about my understanding of sin and other religions, I want to be sure I understand the heart of the question. When I think about the search for God, I think about how "spiritual" people of this culture are and how desparately they search for God. In no way do I mean to communicate that that is good enough. I fully believe that it is in Jesus, the Christ, that we find life and that those who reject Him reject God. That is not a blurry issue for me. The sincerity of search is important becuase I believe that God will reveal Himself to those who seek after Him and I know that I have more to say to someone searching than to someone that is closed off. That conversation can go on forever, but I think the question was if I figured the cross into my theology of salvation and the answer is an emphatic "yes!" If I missed the point please correct me.

Everything you said in your first comment (somethingtrendy) I think is right on. I think a clarification of what I mean when I say the Doctrine of God's suffering will shed some light. I do think that understanding that God suffers with us/for us is important. What I get a little frustrated over is when we get really nitpicky and worry about how and what part of Christ/God can and has suffered. My concern and what I would like to communicate is that the Lord weeps with me and that His heart breaks for mankind. What I am not really concerned about is whether part of Him suffers or not, or whether any part of the Spirit can suffer, or if His suffering is strictly limited to knowing that we suffering and responding to that suffering. Basically, I get frustrated when people insinuate that if God's heart breaks for us that He is less powerful and somehow less God.

Now to the meat in the 2nd and 3rd posts. I would agree with what was said in fatwrath's comment. At the same time I do not think that that challenges the work of the cross in any way. I would disagree that there can be no higher purpose in tragic situations like the one described, but I agree that it is not God's plan (and I would like to encourage a little more grace and gentler responses to peoples comments, I do not want to discourage anyone from posting for fear of a condemning response). Specifically, I have multiple friends that have had miscarriages and working through them has been tremendously difficult for all of them. I was drawn to the reaction one of these women had to the situation while struggling through it. It was simple, God intended us to live happily, joyfully, peacefully with Him in the garden. It was not God's plan for us to screw it up. While I believe He knew we would and understood the ramifications it would have, I do not think it was His desire. I do not think it is His desire for any pain or suffering to come to us. I think it is all a result of the fall and part of our plan, not His. Pain and suffering is a part of our rebellion that we bring on ourselves and we deserve MUCH worse than we get. I think God does mourn with us when He allows tragic things to happen in our lives. They may be part of the plan that He is working now, redeeming the garbage we give Him to work with, but I do not think it is ever HIS plan. We have done things that have forced His hand and He is working for the greatest, truest good. That is God's plan for us in my opinion. I do not believe He ever desired for His Son to have to die, but He loves us and that was the result due to our depravity and His glorious, merciful response.

Does the scandal of the cross legitimize suffering? I don't know. I don't think the cross makes tragedy make sense. I think it makes sense of how little suffering we face compared to what we deserve.