Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” It is generally held that this passage applies to those of us who would strive for righteousness, such that whatever plans we have toward that end, God provides the steps to take.
What about those who’ve turned their back on God, or ignored Him? What does God have in store for them? God has planned their steps too, but not the same steps God has provided for the righteous. They are peripheral to those who strive for righteousness, and a passage of the bible that applies to them, albeit indirectly, is Romans 8:28. That passage says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Under that passage, God establishes the steps of the evil, leading them to their deaths so they may do no further harm to those who are believers in God.
For instance, God had a good portion of Hitler’s troops driven deep into Russia, so they perished there in the cold, resulting in Hitler being greatly weakened so the Allies could prevail against him. It was for the sake of goodness that they perished. Under Romans 8:28, goodness prevails.
God created all of us, but does He know all of us? The Bible implies that he knows those who have striven for goodness. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Psalm 139:13-16 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
Would God spend such time creating individuals for the purpose of doing evil? He created everyone toward goodness, but when people turn away from Him or ignore Him, they are on their own, and will only come to God’s attention when it is time for them to die. The great Egyptians, who enslaved the Hebrews, are no longer around. The Roman empire, who, in their ignorance of the one true God crucified Jesus, is no longer around. Similarly, the Third Reich is no longer around. Their vestiges may become visible every now and them, but they end up being used for another of God’s purposes for the sake of the righteous.
Matthew 6:10 acknowledges God in saying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s Will goes toward goodness. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” Those who turn away or ignore the steps God has provided for them, for the sake of any goodness which may exist in their hearts, do so at their own peril.
What about those who’ve turned their back on God, or ignored Him? What does God have in store for them? God has planned their steps too, but not the same steps God has provided for the righteous. They are peripheral to those who strive for righteousness, and a passage of the bible that applies to them, albeit indirectly, is Romans 8:28. That passage says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Under that passage, God establishes the steps of the evil, leading them to their deaths so they may do no further harm to those who are believers in God.
For instance, God had a good portion of Hitler’s troops driven deep into Russia, so they perished there in the cold, resulting in Hitler being greatly weakened so the Allies could prevail against him. It was for the sake of goodness that they perished. Under Romans 8:28, goodness prevails.
God created all of us, but does He know all of us? The Bible implies that he knows those who have striven for goodness. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Psalm 139:13-16 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
Would God spend such time creating individuals for the purpose of doing evil? He created everyone toward goodness, but when people turn away from Him or ignore Him, they are on their own, and will only come to God’s attention when it is time for them to die. The great Egyptians, who enslaved the Hebrews, are no longer around. The Roman empire, who, in their ignorance of the one true God crucified Jesus, is no longer around. Similarly, the Third Reich is no longer around. Their vestiges may become visible every now and them, but they end up being used for another of God’s purposes for the sake of the righteous.
Matthew 6:10 acknowledges God in saying, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s Will goes toward goodness. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” Those who turn away or ignore the steps God has provided for them, for the sake of any goodness which may exist in their hearts, do so at their own peril.
