Theodicy – Definition

by Thomas Abshier | Mar 21, 2026 | Sermon/Meeting/Discussion Transcripts

Theodicy:

A theodicy is a formal attempt to justify the goodness and justice of God despite the existence of evil. It is a structured philosophical or theological explanation for why an all‑good, all‑powerful God permits suffering and moral evil.

📘 What “theodicy” technically means

• Etymology: From Greek theos (God) + dikē (justice or judgment).
  → Literally, “justifying God.”
• Core definition:

• “An argument that attempts to resolve the problem of evil while affirming God’s omnipotence and goodness.”
• Merriam‑Webster: “Defense of God’s goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil.”

🧩 What a theodicy tries to accomplish

A theodicy does more than simply say that God and evil can logically coexist (that would be a defense). Instead, it aims to:

• Explain why God might permit evil.
• Show that belief in a good God remains reasonable even when confronted with suffering.
• Provide a coherent framework that integrates theology, moral reasoning, and lived experience.

🔍 How it differs from a “defense”

A theodicy is thus more ambitious: it tries to make sense of the world morally and spiritually, not just logically.

🧠 Why theodicy matters

Theodicy sits at the heart of the problem of evil, one of the oldest and most persistent questions in philosophy and theology:

• If God is all‑powerful, He could prevent evil.
• If God is all‑good, He would want to prevent evil.
• Yet evil exists.
  → How can these be reconciled?

Theodicy is the discipline that attempts to answer that question.

If you’d like, I can also outline the major types of theodicies (free‑will, soul‑making, cosmic warfare, Augustinian, Irenaean), or map how they relate to your broader metaphysical frameworks.

The major types of theodicies fall into a handful of well‑defined families—Augustinian, Irenaean (soul‑making), Free‑Will, and Divine‑Mystery—each offering a different explanation for why a good and omnipotent God permits evil. Below is a clear, structured expansion of each, grounded in contemporary scholarship and classical sources.

🌿 Major Types of Theodicies

1. Augustinian Theodicy

Core idea: Evil is not a created “thing” but a privation—a lack of good—resulting from the misuse of free will.
Key features:

• Rooted in St. Augustine.
• Humanity fell from original righteousness; evil entered through sin.
• Moral evil = human misuse of freedom.
• Natural evil = either punishment for sin or a consequence of cosmic disorder introduced by moral evil.
• Emphasizes God’s goodness and human responsibility.

Strengths: Preserves God’s perfection; explains moral evil coherently.
Challenges: Harder to justify large-scale natural evils (e.g., earthquakes) as consequences of human sin.

2. Irenaean / Soul‑Making Theodicy

Core idea: Evil and suffering are necessary conditions for spiritual growth, moral maturation, and the development of virtues.
Key features:

• Rooted in St. Irenaeus, developed by John Hick.
• Humans are created immature and must grow into the likeness of God.
• A world without challenge would produce morally shallow beings.
• Suffering becomes the arena for courage, compassion, perseverance, and love.

Strengths: Gives positive meaning to suffering; aligns with developmental psychology.
Challenges: Risks making suffering seem instrumental or justified by outcomes.

3. Free‑Will Defense / Free‑Will Theodicy

Core idea: God values free will so highly that He permits the possibility of evil as a consequence of genuine freedom.
Key features:

• Not identical to Augustine’s view, though related.
• Moral evil arises from human choices, not divine causation.
• Some versions extend free will to angelic beings or cosmic powers.
• Often used to explain moral evil more than natural evil.

Strengths: Preserves human agency; avoids blaming God for moral evil.
Challenges: Does not fully explain natural disasters or animal suffering.

4. Soul‑Making vs. Free‑Will: A Quick Comparison

4. Soul-Making vs. Free-Will: A Quick Comparison

5. Divine Mystery / Skeptical Theism

Core idea: God’s reasons for permitting evil may be beyond human comprehension.
Key features:

• Emphasizes divine transcendence.
• Humans lack the epistemic vantage point to judge God’s purposes.
• Often invoked in the Book of Job.

Strengths: Avoids overconfidence in human reasoning.
Challenges: Risks making God’s goodness unfalsifiable or inscrutable.

6. Leibnizian “Best Possible World” Theodicy

Core idea: God created the best possible world overall, even if it contains some evil.
Key features:

• Coined the term theodicy in 1710.
• Evil may be a necessary ingredient in the optimal cosmic balance.

Strengths: Strong philosophical coherence.
Challenges: Can feel abstract or insensitive to real suffering.

7. Cosmic Warfare / Conflict Theodicy (not in classical lists but widely used)

Core idea: Evil results from conflict between divine and anti‑divine powers (e.g., Satan, fallen angels).
Key features:

• Prominent in some Christian traditions.
• Explains natural evil as collateral damage in a cosmic struggle.

Strengths: Gives narrative coherence to biblical themes.
Challenges: Raises questions about divine sovereignty.

Here’s a clear, integrated map showing how each major theodicy aligns with (1) biblical texts, (2) historical theology, and (3) your Conscious Point Physics (CPP) framework—especially its models of causation, agency, and moral development. This gives you a unified comparative lens across Scripture, tradition, and your metaphysical system.

📘 1. Augustinian Theodicy

Biblical Anchors

• Genesis 3 — moral evil enters through human disobedience.
• Romans 5:12 — sin and death enter through Adam.
• James 1:13–15 — evil arises from human desire, not God.

Historical Theology

• Augustine: evil = privatio boni (privation of good).
• Human will is the causal locus of disorder.
• Natural evil is downstream of moral evil (cosmic dislocation).

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s agency-centered causation maps cleanly here:
  • Moral evil = distortions in the Conscious Point’s intentional vector.
  • Disorder in the DP-Sea or qCP layers corresponds to Augustine’s “privation”—not a created substance but a structural deviation from the Christic center.
• CPP’s emphasis on alignment with Christ as the attractor state mirrors Augustine’s teleology toward the Good.

🌱 2. Irenaean / Soul‑Making Theodicy

Biblical Anchors

• James 1:2–4 — trials produce maturity.
• Romans 5:3–5 — suffering produces character and hope.
• Hebrews 12:5–11 — divine discipline yields righteousness.

Historical Theology

• Irenaeus: humans created immature; growth requires challenge.
• John Hick: this world is a “vale of soul-making.”

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s developmental dynamics (DP-Sea → qCP → hDP → SSV) map perfectly:
  • Suffering = perturbations that catalyze state transitions toward higher coherence.
  • Soul-making corresponds to increasing integration of conscious, moral, and relational fields.
• CPP’s Christ-centered attractor gives a teleological endpoint that Irenaeus implies but does not formalize.

🔥 3. Free‑Will Theodicy

Biblical Anchors

• Deuteronomy 30:19 — “choose life.”
• Joshua 24:15 — choose whom you will serve.
• Galatians 5:13 — freedom can be misused.

Historical Theology

• Origen, Augustine, Aquinas, Plantinga:

• Free will is necessary for love.
• Evil is a misuse of creaturely freedom.

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s agency as a primary causal operator fits this precisely:
  • The Conscious Point has genuine causal freedom within the DP-Sea.
  • Evil arises when agency misaligns with the Christic attractor and generates non-harmonic patterns in the field.
• CPP strengthens the free‑will model by giving a physics-like account of how misalignment propagates.

⚔️ 4. Cosmic Warfare / Conflict Theodicy

Biblical Anchors

• Revelation 12 — war in heaven.
• Daniel 10 — angelic conflict.
• Ephesians 6:12 — struggle against spiritual powers.

Historical Theology

• Early Christian worldview: cosmic conflict between God and rebellious powers.
• Present in Eastern Christianity, Pentecostalism, and some patristic writings.

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s multi-layered field structure allows for:
  • Non-human agents (angelic or fallen) as distinct Conscious Points.
  • Interference patterns in the DP-Sea representing spiritual conflict.
• Natural evil can be modeled as field-level perturbations caused by non-human agency.

🌌 5. Leibnizian “Best Possible World”

Biblical Anchors

• Genesis 1 — creation declared “very good.”
• Romans 8:28 — God works all things for good.
• Ephesians 1:11 — God works “all things according to His will.”

Historical Theology

• Leibniz: God chooses the optimal world given all constraints.
• Evil may be necessary for greater goods.

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s optimization dynamics (systems evolving toward coherence) mirror Leibniz:

• The world is a constraint-optimized arena for the emergence of Christic coherence.
• Some perturbations are necessary for the system to reach higher-order stability.

🌫️ 6. Divine Mystery / Skeptical Theism

Biblical Anchors

• Job 38–42 — God’s wisdom exceeds human comprehension.
• Isaiah 55:8–9 — God’s ways higher than ours.
• Romans 11:33 — unsearchable judgments.

Historical Theology

• Apophatic tradition (Gregory of Nyssa, Pseudo-Dionysius).
• Emphasis on divine transcendence.

CPP Alignment

• CPP’s epistemic humility:
  • The DP-Sea contains hidden causal layers beyond human resolution.
  • Some suffering arises from non-local interactions we cannot model.
• CPP gives a metaphysical basis for why some divine reasons remain opaque.

🧩 Summary Table

Theodicy in a Christic Field Framework:

A Technical Integration of Biblical Theology, Historical Models, and Conscious Point Physics**

Hyperphysics Research Institute
Technical Monograph Series
Thomas — Founder and Steward

Abstract

This paper develops a unified, field‑theoretic account of theodicy by mapping classical theological models of evil onto the causal architecture of Conscious Point Physics (CPP). Traditional theodicies—Augustinian, Irenaean, Free‑Will, Cosmic Warfare, Leibnizian, and Divine Mystery—are analyzed as distinct explanatory frameworks for the coexistence of divine goodness and creaturely suffering. CPP provides a mathematically structured ontology in which agency, perturbation, coherence, and Christic attractor dynamics can be formally modeled. The result is a multi‑layered synthesis in which biblical revelation, patristic insight, and contemporary metaphysics converge into a coherent account of moral and natural evil as deviations, developmental catalysts, or interference patterns within the DP‑Sea and its higher‑order conscious manifolds.

1. Introduction: The Problem of Evil as a Causal‑Field Question

The classical problem of evil asks how an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God can permit suffering. In CPP terms, the question becomes:

How can a universe grounded in the Christic attractor permit perturbations that manifest as moral and natural evil within the DP‑Sea and its emergent conscious structures?

Traditional theodicies can be interpreted as different causal hypotheses about the origin, propagation, and teleology of these perturbations. CPP provides a formal language for expressing these hypotheses in terms of:

• Field coherence vs. decoherence
• Agency vectors and misalignment
• Developmental transitions across conscious layers
• Interference patterns from non‑human agents
• Constraint‑optimization dynamics
• Epistemic limits imposed by hidden layers of the DP‑Sea

This paper systematically maps each theodicy onto these CPP constructs.

2. Overview of Major Theodicies as Causal Models

Each theodicy can be understood as a distinct causal architecture:

1. Augustinian — Evil as privation; misalignment of agency.
2. Irenaean / Soul‑Making — Evil as developmental perturbation.
3. Free Will — Evil as a consequence of unconstrained agency vectors.
4. Cosmic Warfare — Evil as multi‑agent interference.
5. Best Possible World — Evil as a necessary component of global optimization.
6. Divine Mystery — Evil as arising from hidden causal layers.

CPP allows these to be expressed in a unified mathematical‑metaphysical grammar.

3. Biblical and Historical Foundations as Field‑Theoretic Intuitions

3.1 Augustinian: Privation and the Fall

Biblical: Genesis 3; Romans 5; James 1
Historical: Augustine, privatio boni

The Augustinian model treats evil not as a substance but as a structural deficiency—a deviation from the Good. In CPP, this corresponds to:

• Local decoherence in the DP‑Sea
• Agency vectors misaligned from the Christic attractor
• Field distortions propagating through conscious layers

Augustine’s metaphysics anticipates CPP’s notion that evil is not a created entity but a failure mode of the system.

3.2 Irenaean: Soul‑Making and Developmental Teleology

Biblical: James 1; Romans 5; Hebrews 12
Historical: Irenaeus; John Hick

The Irenaean model views suffering as a developmental catalyst. CPP formalizes this as:

• Perturbation‑driven transitions between conscious states
• Increased coherence through challenge
• Movement toward the Christic attractor via adaptive reconfiguration

This aligns with CPP’s developmental ladder (DP‑Sea → qCP → hDP → SSV).

3.3 Free‑Will: Agency as a Primary Causal Operator

Biblical: Deut 30; Joshua 24; Galatians 5
Historical: Origen, Augustine, Plantinga

Free‑will theodicy asserts that evil arises from creaturely agency. CPP provides a precise model:

• The Conscious Point possesses vectorial agency
• Misalignment generates non‑harmonic field patterns
• These propagate as moral and sometimes natural evil

CPP strengthens this theodicy by giving a physics‑like account of how agency interacts with the field.

3.4 Cosmic Warfare: Multi‑Agent Interference

Biblical: Revelation 12; Daniel 10; Ephesians 6
Historical: Early Christian cosmology

This model treats evil as arising from non‑human agents. CPP naturally accommodates this:

• Angelic and fallen beings are distinct Conscious Points
• Their agency vectors can interfere with human fields
• Natural evil may arise from macro‑scale perturbations in the DP‑Sea

This provides a rigorous metaphysical grounding for biblical spiritual warfare.

3.5 Leibnizian: Best Possible World

Biblical: Genesis 1; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11
Historical: Leibniz

Leibniz argues that God created the optimal world given all constraints. CPP expresses this as:

• A constraint‑optimized attractor landscape
• Some perturbations are necessary for global coherence
• The Christic attractor defines the teleological endpoint

This aligns with CPP’s optimization dynamics.

3.6 Divine Mystery: Hidden Layers and Epistemic Limits

Biblical: Job 38–42; Isaiah 55; Romans 11
Historical: Apophatic tradition

This model emphasizes the limits of human knowledge. CPP formalizes this:

• The DP‑Sea contains non‑observable layers
• Some causal chains are non‑local or trans‑layer
• Human conscious structures cannot resolve all interactions

This provides a metaphysical basis for divine hiddenness.

4. CPP as a Unified Framework for Theodicy

CPP’s architecture allows all theodicies to be expressed as special cases of a general causal model.

4.1 The DP‑Sea as the Substrate of Goodness

The DP‑Sea is inherently ordered toward the Christic attractor. Evil arises when:

• Agency vectors misalign
• Field coherence collapses
• External agents introduce interference
• Developmental perturbations are required
• Hidden layers produce opaque effects

4.2 Agency Vectors and Moral Evil

Moral evil corresponds to:

• Vector misalignment
• Local decoherence
• Propagation of non‑harmonic patterns

This unifies Augustinian and Free‑Will models.

4.3 Developmental Perturbations and Soul‑Making

Perturbations that increase coherence correspond to:

• Irenaean soul‑making
• Hebrews 12 discipline
• Romans 5 character formation

CPP provides the mechanism.

4.4 Multi‑Agent Interference and Cosmic Warfare

Non‑human Conscious Points generate:

• Field interference
• Macro‑scale perturbations
• Natural evil in some cases

This grounds biblical spiritual conflict.

4.5 Constraint Optimization and the Best Possible World

The Christic attractor defines:

• The global optimization target
• The teleological structure of creation
• The necessity of some perturbations

4.6 Hidden Layers and Divine Mystery

CPP’s multi‑layered ontology explains:

• Why some suffering is inscrutable
• Why Job receives no causal explanation
• Why epistemic humility is necessary

5. Unified Christic Attractor Model of Theodicy

All theodicies converge when expressed in CPP terms:

• Augustinian → Misalignment
• Irenaean → Development
• Free‑Will → Agency
• Cosmic Warfare → Interference
• Best Possible World → Optimization
• Divine Mystery → Hidden layers

The Christic attractor is the unifying principle:

• The origin of coherence
• The telos of development
• The measure of alignment
• The resolution of evil
• The eschatological endpoint

In this model, evil is not metaphysically ultimate; it is a transient perturbation within a Christ‑centered field.

6. Conclusion

CPP provides a rigorous metaphysical framework in which classical theodicies can be integrated without contradiction. Each theodicy captures a partial causal truth about how perturbations arise, propagate, and resolve within the Christic field. The unified model reveals that evil is neither ontologically necessary nor metaphysically primary; it is a temporary deviation within a system whose final equilibrium is guaranteed by the Christic attractor.

This synthesis offers a path forward for theological metaphysics, grounding ancient insights in a contemporary field‑theoretic ontology that honors Scripture, tradition, and scientific rigor.

Future versions:

• A LaTeX version of this paper (PDF)
• A blog‑friendly version 
• A diagrammatic appendix
• A version formatted for OSF or GitHub

The Righteous and the Wicked

by Thomas Abshier | Mar 21, 2026 | Sermon/Meeting/Discussion Transcripts

ARE THE RIGHTEOUS NOT TO BE RULED BY THE WICKED?

by Susan Guitierrez
3/20/2026

For the rod of the wicked will not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.
Psalm 125:3

In this verse, the Hebrew word that “rod” is translated from, is defined as ‘truncheon, scepter, or mark of authority’. The Hebrew word that “rest” is translated from means ‘to remain on or settle down upon’. With the understanding of the meaning of these two words, I suggest that this verse is saying that the righteous will not remain under the rule of the wicked otherwise, the righteous may be led to do iniquity.

Let’s look at a few other verses which have some similarities:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psalm 1:1-5

The LORD is righteous: He hath cut usunder the cords of the wicked.
Psalm 129:4

A righteous man falling down before the wicked Is as a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring.
Proverbs 25:26

The first two of those three verses, reinforce the idea of the wicked not ruling over the righteous. The third of those verses is not necessarily about the wicked ruling the righteous. The phrase “falling down” is translated from a Hebrew word which, in this case, means totter, shake, slip, remove, deviate from right course, dwindle, diminish, or grow weak. While the wicked in this verse do not necessarily rule over the righteous man, this verse could include that scenario. The significant thing in this verse is that a continued corruption is indicated for a righteous man who deviates from his right course in the presence of the wicked (though we can assume that man can still repent and return to righteousness).

How can we reconcile these ideas with the ideas of Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-16? I encourage you to read both passages before you read on, so they are fresh in your mind. But here, I will write out a few sentences from them:

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors…
1 Peter 2:13

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: …For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. …for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’s sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing….
Romans 13:1,3-6

Doesn’t it seem like the last two passages disagree with the first three verses? Can we find some verses which help us to reconcile them all so that we could see that they could all express the accurate will of God?

The next several Bible passages show us that God uses gentile nations and gentile rulers to rule over God’s people as a consequence of disobedience. Here are two verses that come after a lengthy explanation of many good things God has done for the descendants of Abraham, with whom he made a covenant with:

Neverthless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. Therefore, thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviors, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
Nehemiah 9:27

God even refers to some of these gentile rulers as his servants! (Think of the wording in Romans 13.)

…The king of Babylon, My servant…
Jeremiah 24:9

And these nations shall serve the king of Bablyon seventy years
Jeremiah 24:11

They (God’s people) shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
2 Chronicles 12:2,5-8

God allows and even sometimes arranges for his disobedient people to become subject to the rule of other nations. Under those circumstances they become very humble and repentant and then eventually he sends a deliverer to lead them out of captivity. It is my opinion that Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-16 are for the period of time in which God is allowing his people to be in captivity, so they will humble themselves, repent and get ready for the time that their deliverer delivers them out of captivity. In fact, when Paul and Peter wrote those words, Israel was actually under the rule of a gentile nation. Even now, we see the people of Israel, while they are independent, ruled by Israeli rulers, they are under a very secular government, and secular rulers. Also, all the gentiles who have come to believe in the God of the Bible, also are being ruled by secular national governments. You might even say that it seems that all of the believers of Christ are currently being ruled by gentile, or at least secular rulers.

In the pattern that we see in the Old Testament, the rule of the gentile rulers over God’s people would come to an end each time when his people truly repent and humble themselves. Then, at some point, sometimes many years after they repented, God would send a deliverer to lead his people out of the captivity of the gentile nations. So, who might be the deliverer who will lead God’s people out of the rule of the gentile nations in these latter days?

In the next verse, we see that the apostles and early disciples of Christ understood that Christ was to deliver them out of gentile captivity:

When they, therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Acts 1:6

He did not deny that he was to be the deliverer, but he did say it was not for them to know when. I think Jesus’ answer is an indication that Jesus is going to again restore the kingdom to Israel. Interestingly, Israel has been restored as a nation, but they do still have a secular government and Jesus still has yet to deliver Israel from their sins and be grafted back into God’s family. to be included with the gentiles who have made him Lord. The next verse is a prophesy given through Isaiah. Before and after this next verse are verses that are clearly talking about the messiah, who we call Jesus. I encourage you to read all of Isaiah 9 so you can see the context of this next verse which I believe is prophesying that Christ will deliver his people from their oppressors, as he did in the day of Midean, which he did by sending Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites with just 300 soldiers. Maybe this example is used here because of how extraordinary this particular deliverance was. God used just three hundred soldiers to defeat a much bigger army, obviously with divine help. I will note that this next verse, in English, is prophesying about the future, but, written in the past tense, maybe because it is so surely going to happen that it is written as though it has happened. (It is as good as done) This is my guess.

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midean.
Isaiah 9:4

Look at how John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias prophesied, saying:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Luke 1:68-75

Yes, the great messiah will deliver his people from their enemies, like so many other deliverers have done, as is recorded in the Bible. However, it seems that this deliverer is different. He will also deliver his people from their own sins as an angel told Joseph, who married Mary the mother of Jesus:

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21

Now, back to the idea of God requiring obedience to gentile rulers for certain periods of time: In all the stories in the Old Testament where God brought his people into captivity to gentile nations, they were to basically obey the governments that had rule over them until God sent a deliverer to lead them out of captivity. Yet even in their captivity, we read stories of valiant people who were obedient to God, rather than men, when the laws were in conflict with God’s laws. (In the book of Daniel, for example, and many other stories throughout the Old and New testaments) However, there was also a point when the deliverer had been sent to them, that they were no longer supposed to obey the gentile rulers who ruled over them. At some point, they had to follow and obey the deliverer that God had sent, right? So. I believe, we should be looking at Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-16 as temporary commandments.

Also, even when Peter and the other apostles were living under Roman rule and their rulers were requiring them to not obey Christ’s commandment to teach his gospel, they said this:

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:29

Now, what about the people who believe God wants them to continue to submit to the gentile nation that rules over them? What if they think it will be a very just government if they just vote in the right people? The Lord is recorded to have explained that there is a very big difference between the way the kingdoms of this world operate and the way his kingdom operates. From his words, I would conclude that the kingdoms of the nations have an inherent flaw of oppression.

But Jesus called them unto him and said, “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: But whosoever shall be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever shall be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:25-28

Look at this passage which shows us a prophesy of what will become of the kingdoms of this world:

And the seventh angel sounded: and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelations 11:15

How are we to get to the point where all the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of our Lord? Well, of course I do not know all of the steps, but I can put some verses in front of you that may help us know where to start:

Assemble yourselves and come draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations; they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Isaiah 45:20

Who are these people who have ‘escaped the nations’ and how did they escape the nations? And was this God’s will for them to do so? Two verses after the previous verse is this verse:

Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else.
Isaiah 45:22

It sure sounds like God is beckoning those who truly want to obey him, to come out of the nations. Look at this next one:

Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
Psalm 94:20-21

Our very first verse indicates that the authority of the wicked shall not remain on the righteous. Why? According to Psalm 125:3, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. This last verse seems to be saying that God’s people should not have fellowship with the throne of iniquity. Remember how Jesus indicated that the rulers of the kingdoms of this world exercise dominion over the people? When you look at your local, state and federal governments as well as all the other countries, don’t you see quite a bit of corruption and oppression at every level?

Here is another Bible passage which does not specify coming out of the nations or the rule of men’s governments, but it seems to really fit well with the previous two passages:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infadel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17

And one more passage which has similarities to the last few verses:

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the LORD. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you: and the God of Israael will be your rerward.
Isaiah 52:11-12

The previous passage adds the element that God’s people will not have to go out in haste or by flight. It sounds like God is going to make a way to depart out of whatever they are departing out of. Now look at this verse:

And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her , my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Revelations 18:2-4

Notice that God is calling his people out of Babylon so that they would not be partakers of her sins. This is a very similar idea to the righteous not remaining under the rule of the wicked, lest they put their hands unto iniquity. And the following verses are toward the end of the same chapter of the previous passage:

…for thy merchants were the great men of the earth: for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Revelations 18:23-24

Notice that ALL nations are prophesied to be deceived. Now look at this next verse:

The LORD has made known His salvation, His righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the nations.
Psalm 98:2 (NKJV)

This verse describes His righteousness being revealed in the sight of the nations. I think that could indicate that His righteousness will somehow be outside of the nations, but close enough to see.

Next, I would like to share the concepts I have found which I believe have the potential of removing and protecting the righteous from the lawful rule of the wicked.

THE CONCEPTS

1. THE RIGHTEOUS ARE HIDDEN

I find, in God’s word, the idea that there is a way for the righteous to be hidden from the wicked. Here, I quote verses showing this concept:

Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.
Psalm 32:7

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust.
Psalm 91:1-2

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase.
Proverbs 28:28

When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
Proverbs 28:12

Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psalm 31:20

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3

As you look at all the other concepts that I list, please consider whether each concept could function as legal principles that have the potential to “hide” the righteous from the rule of the wicked?

2A. JESUS THE CHRIST IS KING

I assume anyone reading this would be familiar with the idea that Christ is our king. Here us a verse from the Old Testament and a passage from the New Testament indicating this:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem; thy king cometh unto thee: he is just and having salvation: lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Zechariah 9:9

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
Matthew 21:4-7

For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
Psalm 47:7

These shall make war with the Lamb and the lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful.
Revelations 17:14

The previous verse says the lamb is King of kings. Next, we see Jesus identified as the lamb of God:

The next day, John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:29

A basic definition of king is ‘The usual title of a male sovereign ruler of an independent state’. There is no higher authority than a king in an independent state, except the authority of God, that is. In the case of Christ Jesus, he is God…God the Son, and the only higher authority is God the Father, who has delegated all authority in heaven and earth to his Son. His Son even has authority over the rulers of this earth. See Ephesians 1:19-21 and Colossians 2:10, if you need references for this last idea.

At this point, I will mention that in the Old Testament we learn that before Israel had kings, God was their king and they just had judges to rule according to the commandments that God had revealed through Moses. Whether that was God the Father, His Son, or all of the Godhead acting as the King of Israel is a topic for another time. Suffice it to say, in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, God wanted and still wants to be the only king of his people.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves and came to Samuel at Ramah. And said to him, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD and the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.
1 Samuel 8:4-9

And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh: And said unto the children of Israel, “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you. And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us…
1 Samuel 10:17-19

This concept of Christ being King is one which carries the potential, of removing the lawful authority of the wicked over the righteous, if that were Christ’s will. Going hand in hand with the concept of king are the concepts of citizens, temporary residents and ambassadors, so we will talk of them next.

2B. CITIZENS OF HEAVEN /OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD/ OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20

Typically, when an individual is a citizen of a certain kingdom, his king has the supreme authority over him. Other kings are excluded from exercising authority over another king’s citizens. We live in a time where people just accept that we can have dual citizenship, like Paul did. He declared that he was a citizen of the Roman government, as well as a citizen of heaven. There are times when God’s people have had dual citizenship, but it looks to me like those were times when God had given over his rebellious people to Gentile nations to rule for a time. Those times always came to an end when he, time and time again, sent saviors to deliver them from the rule of the Gentiles nations.

2C. TEMPORARY RESIDENTS

We are sojourners, aliens, pilgrims, strangers, and temporary residents in the earth (depending on the translation and verse of the Bible. The Old and New Testaments both make it clear that God’s people are not permanent residents of the nations of this earth. It seems God wants his people to stay mindful that their permanent home is with God and this mortal existence is temporary. (See Hebrews11:8-16)

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
Psalm 39:12

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
1 Peter 2:1

I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me
Psalm 119:19

2D. AMBASSADORS

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:20

True believers in Christ Jesus, who have and continue to depart from sin, who are also sharing the gospel with others, should already (I believe) consider themselves ambassadors for Christ. However, I think this concept has the potential for keeping the righteous outside of the authority of the rulers of the nations, while sojourning within the geographical boundaries of nations of this world. Do you know that many, many countries in this world host ambassadors from other nations, and they allow them diplomatic immunity, being ruled by the nation which sent them.

In the United States of America, only the president has the authority to accept ambassadors from other countries. I think that it is possible that President Trump may become willing to accept ambassadors from the Kingdom of God and grant them diplomatic immunity: if he were presented with legal and Biblical principles to validate the idea; and if he could see the financial benefits and the other benefits this would bring to the USA; and if he were given a good understanding of what would prevent ambassadors from abusing their status in the USA.

2D. JESUS THE CHRIST IS MASTER/LORD

Ye call me master and Lord and ye say well; for so I am.
John 13:13

No man can serve two masters for he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24

The word ‘Lord’ in John 13:13 is translated from the same Greek word as ‘masters’ in Matthew 6:24 and the lexicon that I use indicates the Greek word in these verses means the same thing. The word means ‘lord or master’ and is derived from a Greek word which means ‘supreme authority’. A supreme authority can if he chooses, exclude whoever he wishes from having lawful authority over those he has authority over, though in some cases the one who is subject might give another lord or master authority over him. The latter is possible with Jesus as lord and master. However, in Matthew 6:24 he indicates that when we subject ourselves to two masters, we ultimately love and hold to one more than the other. Christ is teaching his followers to not have two masters. Why does the last line say ‘You cannot serve God and mammon)? He is indicating that people can serve money as if it is a master. Have you noticed that corrupt politicians often will make financial incentives to get the people to do what they want the people to do. I think it may be that mammon is the predominant alternative “master” that people tend to serve, even more than the men in authority over them.

Think of this: Which is the more supreme master for a drug addict, the drug of choice or the money to buy the drug? And what is the supreme master for the power-hungry person? The power or the money that helps him get and keep his power? In fact, it seems that no matter what master any person is serving, money is also a master…except for the person whose supreme master really is the Lord, Jesus Christ. In that case, that sincere follower of Jesus is not allowing money to be his master. Even though he does need some money or some kind of resources to trade with, he does not disobey the Lord to get the things that he needs. He has made the Lord his only master and he knows that the Lord will provide.

Therefore, take no thought saying, What shall we eat? Or What shall we drink? Or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek). For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:31-33

I know a man who got laid off from his plumbing job in the 2008 turbulent economic times. He used up his savings and was desperate for a job so he could provide for his wife and their two sons. He got hired by another plumbing company. He was hired by the wife of the owner of the business who was out of town at the time. He was called to an elderly woman’s home who had a shower that was leaking water on the floor. He identified that the shower just needed new sealant and fixed the problem. When his new boss got back to town he got very mad at this new employer for fixing this lady’s shower. He told his new employee that he had it all arranged with her to sell her a new shower and she was going to put it on a credit card (because she did not have the money).

This new employee could not keep working for such an unethical employer. He quit immediately, not knowing how he would make ends meet. He found himself in serious financial difficulty and was not sure what to do. Then a friend suggested that he start his own plumbing business. The friend helped him to do the necessary paperwork and then he started his business, only by word of mouth. It was extremely hard for the first couple of years, always struggling to have enough money to buy parts, etc. He prayed a lot to God through those tough years. Somehow, he kept managing, though he and his family had to be very, very frugal. There just was no extra. He told his kids to not even ask for presents during those years. They simply did not have the money for extras.

He never advertised. His customers just naturally told others about him, because they found him to be very honest and he did excellent work. Just through word of mouth, his business grew. He was always busy with plenty of work to do, after those first years. He gives the credit to God. I feel this is a good example of seeking first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

How many of us will look the other way when we see corruption in our workplace because we are afraid to lose jobs or jeopardize the careers we have worked so hard to build? But, if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (choosing to obey God and do right, even at the risk of great loss), then God will provide for us what he already knows we need. It may not be easy or comfortable, but we can trust that the way to have our needs met is to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

This next verse is similar to the last sentence of the last verse.

Now may the God of peace… equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (NLT)

Here we see in the Old Testament this idea of the LORD being our master.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden look to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
Psalm 123:2

2E. SERVANTS/ SLAVES

The concepts of master and lord go hand in hand with the concepts of servants and slaves. Christ’s followers are called servants and sometimes even slaves. In some of the epistles in the New Testament, some of the authors identify themselves as slaves of Christ (At least slave is the English word chosen by the translators in those instances. Both words appear to portray the meanings of the Greek words used.

It is a hard thing for Christ’s followers to accept the servant or slave status. We all want to do what we want to do. We want to be in control of our lives. It is challenging to discipline oneself to follow Christ’s lead rather than their own. And we especially have an aversion to the word slave. The word slave, in our culture typically is thought of as a forced status, not a voluntary one. Yet in the case of Christ’s followers, the status of servant or slave is voluntarily chosen.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Romans 6:16

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24

3 and 4. Last will and testament and Testamentary trust

The Last Will and Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is found in what we now call the New Testament. I find it interesting that the title of my copy is “The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. The Greek word for testament used here means a disposition, i.e. specifically a contract (especially a devisory will); covenant. A last will and testament is written to provide for the distribution of one’s property and assets after one’s death. It is a very prevalent understanding that there are many gifts and blessings that are given to those who truly believe in Jesus Christ and his death has made those gifts and blessings available. However, in our day, it is not commonly understood that the last will and testament of Jesus Christ is a legal document which has the potential to protect Christ’s true believers.

Sometimes more complex arrangements need to be made that a last will and testament is not designed to manage. In such cases, a testamentary trust can be created inside of the last will and testament. A last will and testament and a testamentary trust both have some essential elements that are widely recognized and accepted. I will attempt to show you that the New Testament contains the essential elements for these legal documents. Also, I will attempt to show you how these to documents have the potential of removing the righteous from any lawful authority the wicked may have over them.

I should also mention that for nearly each element there can be multiples. For example there can be multiple executors. I am not attempting to present every element of these documents or every Bible verse that is relevant. I am simply attempting to show you that those two legal documents are found within the pages of the New Testament. We will also see that within the pages of the Old Testament there are verses that teach relevant truths and shed some light on elements that are in the New Testament. There is much work yet to be done, developing a thorough explanation of these documents. I hope God will move other people, more capable than I, to further identify the elements and applicable Bible verses that are part of these documents.

3. Essential Elements of a Last Will and Testament and Bible Verses that Fulfill Each Element

3a. Goes into effect after death

A last will and testament goes into effect after the death of the testator. This is an essential principle, recognized in the laws of man. It is also found in the Bible:

For where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon, neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Hebrews 9:16-18

3b. Names the Testator

It is essential for a last will and testament to have a testator. This is the one whose death causes the last will and testament to go into effect. The following verses precede Hebrews 9:16-18 in the New Testament.

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctify unto the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. And for this cause, he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:11-15

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 1:7

3c. Names the Executor

A last will and testament must name the executor, who will handle the distribution of the property and assets.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:3

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Ephesians 1:17

3d. Names the Beneficiaries and/or States the Requirements to Qualify as Beneficiaries

In the last will and testament, there must be one or more beneficiaries, who are named or at least clearly identifiable by the qualifying requirements listed in the documents. These are just a few that should start to be evident, even at the beginning when someone begins to sincerely follow Jesus.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-34

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:10-11

Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1 John 4:15

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
John 12:46

3e. Identifies The property and/or Assets that are to be Distributed

The property and/or assets that the executor is to distribute must be named specifically in the last will and testament. Here are some examples:

That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also that after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:12-14

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galations 5:22-23

3f. Revokes all previous last will and testaments

If there are previous last will and testaments, then there must be a statement revoking all previous last will and testaments.

For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath made him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 7:18-22

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 8:13

And he took bread and gave thanks, and brake it and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood which was shed for you.
Luke 22:19-20

3g. It Must Have the Signature of the Testator

We do not have Jesus’ signature like we commonly use this word. He did not sign his name with his own physical hand to any document that we have today, including his last will and testament. However, look at the second definition of ‘signature’ in the Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary: The name (or special mark) of a person written with his or her own hand as an authentication of some document or writing. The third definition is: The act of impressing or stamping. With these two definitions in mind, look at this next verse. Would you think people who are new creatures in Christ, changed in some way with belief in Christ could qualify for the testator’s (Christ’s) signature?

Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2 Corinthians 3:3

The marvelous idea here is that really for a believer to be able to qualify as beneficiary of Christ’s last will and testament, at least in this mortal existance, that believer needs to bear the signature of Christ in his or her being. The signature of the testator is not in the document of his last will and testament, but it is found in each of his true beneficiaries! Isn’t that an interesting twist?

3h. It Must Have the Signatures of at Least Two Witnesses Who Are Not Listed As Beneficiaries

So within the New Testament we see that there are many who testified of Christ, and we know that his apostles even went to their deaths, testifying of Christ. Even the betrayer testified Christ was an innocent man before he took his own life! However, an interesting element of a last will and testament is that the witnesses who sign the document are required to not be beneficiaries themselves! All of those people who testified were beneficiaries of Christ’s last will and testament! However, we do have record that God the Father and the Holy Spirit bare record of Christ! They are not listed as beneficiaries of Christ’s last will and testament. If a signature can be a mark or a stamp, could we consider that God the Father and the Holy Spirit have provided the necessary signatures of witnesses that are typically required?!

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized of John in Jordon. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
Mark 1:9-11

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God.
John 1:32-34

And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying , this is my beloved Son,: hear him.
Luke 9:35

3i. The Testator Must Sign the Last Will and Testament of His Own Free Will

And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Matthew 26:39

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John 5:20

3j. The Testator Must Be of Sound Mind

There were some who thought Jesus was not of a sound mind:

And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
Mark 3:21

There are many indications that Jesus was of sound mind, but I think the very best indication was that he prophesied of being killed and rising the third day. Some good references for this are Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 8:31, Luke 18:33. There is an enormous amount of testimony and evidence that he was crucified and that he did rise from the dead. The crucifixion of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; and John19. Here are some Bible passages showing that Jesus was resurrected: John 20; Luke 24:6-7; Mark 16:5-7; Acts 4:33. That he rose from the dead was not a parlor trick; it was a miraculous act of God and a huge indicator that he was of sound mind.

4. Essential Elements of a Testamentary Trust and Bible Verses Which Fulfill Each Element

The testamentary trust document is not the trust itself. It records the details of the trust and how it is to be managed. Colossians 1:12-13, which is at the end of 4a, makes it obvious that the testamentary trust is Christ’s kingdom. The kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the kingdom of His (God’s) dear Son, all seem to be names used for this trust.

4a. Names the Grantor

A testamentary trust must have what is called a grantor (also can be called a settlor). The grantor is the person who owns the property in the trust, gives legal authority to the trustee, and also transfers property into the trust. In the typical common testamentary trust, the grantor is also the person who died leaving the last will and testament that the testamentary trust is created within. In this case, it seems to me that God the Father is the Grantor of the testamentary trust, when I consider the different verses that I have found.

For the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof
1 Corinthians 10:26

For the earth is the LORD’S and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein.
Psalm 24:1

The Following verse gives us a clue that the LORD, spoken of in Psalm 24:1 is probably God the Father. We see in the next verse that the LORD in all caps seems to be higher in authority than the one in lower case letters. I assume that means “the LORD” is God the Father and “the Lord” is the Son of God.

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies, thy footstool.
Psalm 110:1
(and repeated in Matthew 22:44 with similar wording, but without the difference of all capital letters for the LORD)

In the next couple of verses, we see God the Father gave Jesus legal authority over everything on earth and in heaven.

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth.
Matthew 28:18

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
John 17:2

From the previous verses we can understand that Jesus has been given authority over all the people of the earth (and everything else in the earth and in heaven). I am asserting that people are owned by God and are protected in this trust which is being managed by Christ Jesus. This next verse explains that God the father transfers people into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
Colossians 1:12-13

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
John 17:6

4b. Names the Trustee

A trustee of a testamentary trust manages, and distributes assets according to the will’s specific terms. The trustee is to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries in everything he does as trustee. In this particular case, the trustee of the testamentary trust is the same person as the testator of the last will and testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is probably the only last will and testament and testamentary trust which is structured in this way. After all, Jesus is only able to serve as trustee of this trust because his Father raised him from the dead!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth.
Matthew 28:18

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
John 17:2

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
John 17:6

4c. Lists the Property and Assets that are in the Trust

We know from some of the verses I have already shared that everything is owned by God the Father, including all the people of the earth , and the earth and everything on it. We also have seen that the Father has put Christ in authority over everything in heaven and earth. However, not all of the people are in Christ’s testamentary trust. You can see this in this next verse, which I have already shared.

Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
Colossians 1:12-13

We do see in our day that the property and assets which are held in properly formed legal trusts, are protected from the claims of creditors and even governments. Also, It seems to me a reasonable assumption that if a person is protected by the testamentary trust of which Jesus is the trustee, then also the property over which that person has been given by God as a stewardship, would also be protected by the trust. Look at this proclamaation, which Artaxerxes, King of Persia made:

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the king and his sons? Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
Ezra 7:23-24

You may say that that is interesting, but this was a proclamation made in a different land, many centuries ago and plus it is recorded in the old testament, not the new testament, which is the one in effect now. Well, as I look at this earthly king’s words, he seems to be basing his commandment upon some truth that was revealed to him. He had come to understand that he and his son’s would experience God’s wrath if they required God’s people to do anything contrary to what their God commanded. Then he makes it unlawful to charge God’s servants any toll, tribute, or custom. Now see some New Testament verses which show how God’s people in the New Testament are to be responsible for those rolls:

Priests: speaking of those who are washed from their sins in the blood of Christ…Christ has made them kings and priests unto God—Revelations:1:6; and 5:10; and 20:6.

Singers: speaking to those who have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him (Colossians 3:10), we are to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord—Colossians 3:17; Ephesians 5:19; Hebrews 2:12.

Porters: The Hebrew word this is translated from means ‘doorkeepers’. Isn’t Jesus the door of the sheep?—John 10:7,9; And Christ stands at the door and knocks and makes a promise to those who open the door to him–Revelations 3:20. Are those that open the door to Christ, doorkeepers? Christ asks us to abide in him in John 15:4 -5 and he says if we abide in him and he in us, we will bring forth much fruit. Could we say that people that are abiding in Christ are being the doorkeepers?

Nethinims: This word means temple workers. In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul declares that that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Couldn’t we say that all those who are abiding in Christ are the equivalent of the Nethinims of the old covenant?

Ministers: We see in 2 Corinthians 3 6 that God has made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit… and in 2 Corinthians 5:18 we see that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

So with each one of these kinds of God’s servants being found also in the new testament of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, it seems very viable to me that the verse in Ezra which forbids anyone from imposing toll, taxes, or custom upon God’s servants could and should apply also in this new testament. Also not imposing toll, taxes, or custom on God’s specified servants would be consistent with the rest of the information that I have been presenting, except for the periods of time where God places his people under the rule of another nation because of their disobedience to God’s commandments. We should see that this concept of not imposing toll, taxes, or custom on specified servants of God, would indicate that not only are people under the protection of the testamentary trust of our Lord and Savior, but also the stewardships of property and resources, including money that those people are in possession of.

4d. Names or Gives the Qualifications For the Beneficiaries of the Trust

In this trust, it seems that those listed as property and assets are also listed as beneficiaries. In times past, people have been considered property and have been included as property listed in their master’s trusts, but they were probably not listed also as beneficiaries! This seems to be a unique feature of this trust!

To understand the qualifications to be beneficiaries, we are to look to the whole of scripture to help us interpret individual verses. So these verses and others that I have not listed, give us a deeper understanding of the multiple overlapping criteria for qualifying to be a beneficiary of this trust.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10

And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Acts 2:21

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13

I am the door: by me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and he shall go in and out and find pasture.
John 10:9

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life.
John 5:24

He that believeth and is baptize shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:16

The following verse may help us better understand the previous verse a little better:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
Matthew 3:11

This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3:6

4e. Provides For the Care and Maintenance of the Property and Assets Until They Are Distributed

The church, also called the body of Christ is the structure God has provided to care for the human beings in the trust. Here are some of the instructions for the care of the spiritual needs of the human beings who are in the trust:

1 Corinthians 12:7-29
1 Corinthians 16:1
2 Corinthians 10:8
1 Timothy 6:17
Hebrews 10:25
Romans 12:6
Ephesians 4:11
Galatians 6:2
John 15:12
Romans 12:15
Acts 15:25

Here are some of the instructions for the care of the physical needs of the human beings in the trust:

1 Corinthians 9:9
1 Timothy 5:18
Matthew 19:21
Luke 11:3
Acts 20:28
Romans 12:20

The non-human property in the trust is the property held in stewardships from God by the humans in the trust. We see the concept of stewardship described in the Old Testament:

And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 28:1

There were men who were given stewardships to take care of all the substance and possession of the king and of his sons. The king and his sons actually owned the property. We also see this concept in a parable spoken by Jesus and recorded in the New Testament in the parable of the talents:

Gor the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Matthew 25:14-15 (it ends in verse 30)

In this parable, the stewards are expected to somehow magnify what they have been given. We can apply this parable in our own lives. God gives us stewardships of skills, talent, children, ministry opportunities, and physical resources and wealth. He desires that we will use the stewardship He has given us, to serve the Lord. It seems that when a person is serving the Lord with whatever God has given him, God increases and blesses his faithful servant.

4f. The Purpose of the Trust Is Given

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10

…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:8

These previous verses are worded more as the purpose of the trustee of this trust. The purpose of the trust is illuminated very well in 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 which is in the next section below.

4h. The Conditions Under Which The Trust Will Be Terminated Specified

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued under him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1 Corinthians 15:22-28

Theodicy – Rationalizing God’s Existence and the Holocaust

by Thomas Abshier | Mar 21, 2026 | Sermon/Meeting/Discussion Transcripts

Fellowship Discussion Summary 3/15/2025

Addendum: “Where Was God?”

The Holocaust, Theodicy, and the Question That Won’t Go Away

Renaissance Ministries | March 2026

An addendum to “When Belief Confronts Belief: The Otranto Martyrs, Iran, and the Fire We Need”

“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.”
— Job 13:15

Introduction: Charlie’s Jewish Friend

During our March 15 fellowship discussion, Charlie Gutierrez shared an encounter that haunts anyone who takes faith seriously:

“I have one of my customers, an old Jewish woman. We get into conversation, and she says, ‘If there was a God, how could the Holocaust have happened?’ It was very personal to her. And I have twenty or thirty seconds at the most. What do you say? Two, three sentences?”

This is the question. Not an abstract philosophical puzzle, but a cry from someone for whom six million deaths — including perhaps her own family — is not history but memory. Not statistics but faces. Not argument but accusation.

Charlie pressed us: “What would Jesus say? Jesus would have given some pithy, clear, at least a redirection. What would He have said?”

We wrestled with this for nearly two hours. We did not find a two-sentence answer. But we found something perhaps more valuable: honesty about how hard this question is, and a framework for engaging it with integrity.

This addendum explores the problem of evil — specifically as raised by the Holocaust — and offers what we believe is a Christian response. Not a complete answer (we don’t have one), but a faithful response.

Part I: Why This Question Matters

The Hammer and the Wedge

Dr. Thomas Abshier opened our discussion by identifying the strategic use of this question:

“Philosophy 101 at UCLA — that was one of the major themes of the class. And of course, the purpose of going through it was to prove there’s no God, so they could send you out in the world as good secularists. It’s an indoctrination thing. Philosophy uses this particular issue as a hammer, as a wedge, as a way of prying people away from their faith.”

He’s right. The problem of evil is the most potent weapon in the atheist arsenal. Richard Dawkins leads with it. So did Bertrand Russell, David Hume, and countless others. The argument seems devastating:

1. If God is all-powerful, He could prevent evil
2. If God is all-good, He would want to prevent evil
3. Evil exists
4. Therefore, either God is not all-powerful, not all-good, or does not exist

The Holocaust makes this argument visceral. Not just “evil exists” but this evil — systematic, industrial, targeting children, carried out by a supposedly Christian civilization against God’s chosen people. If God exists, where was He when the gas chambers operated?

Why We Cannot Dodge This

Some Christians avoid this question. They change the subject, offer platitudes, or retreat into mystery too quickly. This is a mistake.

First, because real people are asking. Charlie’s Jewish friend isn’t playing philosophical games. She wants to know how faith is possible after Auschwitz. If we cannot engage her question, we have nothing to offer her.

Second, because the question is legitimate. Scripture itself raises it. The Psalms are full of “How long, O Lord?” Habakkuk demands to know why God allows the wicked to devour the innocent. Job protests his suffering for 37 chapters. The Bible does not treat this question as impertinent.

Third, because our own faith depends on it. If we cannot hold onto God in the face of radical evil, our faith is shallow — a fair-weather religion that collapses when tested.

Part II: The Search for a Short Answer

Charlie’s Challenge

Charlie kept pushing us: “What is a little paragraph that I could tell my Jewish friend that would have turned her head at least to question her assumption?”

We tried various approaches.

Susan Gutierrez offered a two-prong response:

“God created man to have free agency. Part of the consequence of man having free agency is that sometimes men choose horrible things to do. But there will be a point at which those kinds of evil things can no longer be done. This is just a short period of time. The Holocaust was horrible, horrible — but allowing this place where we can do good and evil, both, where we can choose, that was necessary for God to see who was going to choose good.”

And:

“God’s provided commandments that if we follow them, we will not just be able to be abused… His commandments protect us against evil men and evil spirits.”

Charlie himself suggested an alternative approach:

“I think I should have said, ‘Only a God could have created someone as beautiful as you’ — which hopefully would at least balance it out. Because we don’t live in a world of solely Holocaust. We live in a world of astonishing creation and beauty, including one another. Maybe that would level the playing field.”

Leonard Hofheins argued we must first establish God’s existence:

“The only issue is, is there a God? If there’s a God, then there’s evil, because God is good. And if there is no God, that’s evil. God didn’t create evil, but can control it, because He is God, because He is good.”

The Uncomfortable Question

Then Armond Boulware asked what no one else would:

“Could the Holocaust have been avoided if the people were obedient to the Word of God?”

Susan immediately resonated: “That is exactly what I was thinking.”

This is dangerous ground — it sounds like blaming victims, like Job’s friends who insisted his suffering must be punishment for sin. But Armond and Susan were pointing at something different: not that Holocaust victims deserved their fate, but that civilizations that abandon God’s ways become vulnerable to catastrophic evil.

The Jews of Europe did not cause the Holocaust. But a Europe that had abandoned biblical faith — that had embraced secular nationalism, racial ideology, and worship of the state — created the conditions for it. The perpetrators were the product of a post-Christian civilization.

This doesn’t answer the theodicy question, but it reframes it: the Holocaust was not God acting; it was humans acting in God’s absence.

Dr. Abshier’s Assessment

After all our attempts, Thomas offered a sobering conclusion:

“I think Charlie’s request is unreachable. I think it’s asking for magic. I don’t think it’s possible. What’s required is a transformation of a culture. It’s an ecosystem. An entire belief system that permeates society. And if you don’t have that, it’s like bringing something nobody’s ever seen and saying, ‘This is the answer,’ and there’s no context for it. I just don’t think it’s reachable. It won’t be complete. It won’t be convincing. It won’t make the change right there.”

He’s probably right. The two-sentence answer may not exist — at least not one that resolves the question intellectually. But perhaps that’s not what Charlie’s friend needs. Perhaps she needs presence, not proof.

Part III: What the Bible Actually Says

The Book of Job

As Charlie’s Grok search revealed, the Bible’s primary engagement with the problem of evil is the Book of Job. Here is what Job teaches:

1. Suffering is not always punishment for sin.

Job is introduced as “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1). God Himself calls Job’s suffering “without reason” (Job 2:3). When Job’s friends insist he must have done something wrong, God rebukes them (Job 42:7).

This is crucial. The Holocaust victims were not being punished. The infants in the gas chambers had committed no sin. Any theodicy that implies otherwise is not biblical — it’s the error of Job’s friends.

2. God does not explain why.

When God finally speaks to Job (chapters 38-41), He does not answer Job’s questions. He does not explain the reason for Job’s suffering. Instead, He reveals Himself:

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” (Job 38:4)

God’s response is not information but encounter. Not explanation but presence. He essentially says: “You cannot understand My purposes. But you can know Me. And knowing Me is enough.”

3. Trust is required without understanding.

Job’s final response is not “Now I understand why I suffered.” It’s:

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6)

Job repents — not of sin that caused his suffering (there was none), but of demanding an explanation God never promised to give. He moves from theology about God to relationship with God.

Other Biblical Themes

The Grok search Charlie shared identified several other biblical approaches:

The Fall and human responsibility (Genesis 3). Evil entered through human rebellion, not divine creation. Much “epic evil” — genocide, Holocaust-scale atrocities — stems from human choices that God permits rather than overrides.

God redeems evil for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Joseph to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” This doesn’t make evil good. It means God weaves even the worst into His purposes.

The Cross. The greatest evil (the torture and murder of the innocent Son of God) becomes the greatest good (salvation for humanity). God does not explain suffering from a distance — He enters it.

Suffering produces growth (Romans 5:3-5). “Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” This is not a complete theodicy, but it’s one strand of biblical teaching.

Evil is temporary; justice is coming (Revelation 21:4). “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” The Holocaust will be answered. Every perpetrator judged. Every victim vindicated.

What the Bible Does NOT Say

The Bible never claims:

• Evil is an illusion
• Suffering is always deserved
• God owes us an explanation
• We can fully understand His purposes in this life

Instead, it repeatedly points to:

• Trust over understanding
• Relationship over explanation
• Hope in God’s character even when His methods are mysterious
• Future justice that will make all things right

Part IV: Modern Theodicies — A Critical Survey

Charlie’s research uncovered the major post-Holocaust theological responses. These deserve careful assessment.

1. The “Death of God” Response

Richard Rubenstein (After Auschwitz, 1966) argued that the Holocaust shows the biblical covenantal God is “dead” or never intervened as thought. Jews must build a secular or demythologized faith focused on human meaning and survival.

Assessment: This is intellectually honest but spiritually devastating. If Auschwitz disproves God, then evil wins — not just in 1945 but eternally. The victims died for nothing, and there will be no justice. Rubenstein’s position is coherent despair.

2. The Limited God Response

Harold Kushner (When Bad Things Happen to Good People) and Hans Jonas propose a God who is not classically omnipotent — who cannot prevent all evil because He has limited Himself to allow genuine creation and human freedom.

Assessment: This preserves God’s goodness at the cost of His power. But a God who cannot stop evil offers cold comfort. And it conflicts with Scripture’s portrait of a God who parts seas, raises the dead, and will one day make all things new.

3. The Hidden Face Response (Hester Panim)

Eliezer Berkovits argues that God is all-powerful but deliberately “hides His face” to preserve human moral freedom. The Holocaust is the horrific price of that freedom — God refuses to override it, even for atrocities.

Assessment: This is closest to the biblical framework. It takes both God’s sovereignty and human responsibility seriously. It acknowledges mystery without abandoning faith. The difficulty: it still leaves us asking why this much evil was permitted.

4. The Commanding Voice Response

Emil Fackenheim argues that Auschwitz issues a new “614th commandment”: Jews must survive as Jews, remember the victims, not despair of God or humanity, and refuse to hand Hitler posthumous victories by abandoning faith or peoplehood.

Assessment: This is profound practical wisdom. Despair would let evil win. Faith, survival, and memory are acts of resistance. But it sidesteps the theoretical question — it tells us how to respond to the Holocaust, not how to explain it.

5. The Protest Response

David Blumenthal and Elie Wiesel advocate protesting God like an abused child protests a parent — acknowledging the injustice without abandoning relationship. In Wiesel’s Night, the hanging of a child prompts the question “Where is God?” — answered by “He is hanging here.”

Assessment: This captures the raw honesty of faith under pressure. It’s essentially the posture of the Psalms of lament. The danger is that protest can curdle into rejection. But protest within relationship — what the Psalms model — is deeply biblical.

6. The Anti-Theodicy Response

Emmanuel Levinas and others argue that theodicy is immoral after “useless suffering.” Any attempt to “make sense” of Auschwitz risks trivializing it. Silence, memory, and ethical action are the only appropriate responses.

Assessment: There’s wisdom here. Glib explanations are obscene. But complete silence abandons the field to atheism. We can acknowledge mystery while still affirming that God exists, is good, and will bring justice.

7. The Suffering God Response

Abraham Joshua Heschel, Jürgen Moltmann, and others emphasize that God has “pathos” — emotional involvement with His creation. God suffers with His people. The Cross reveals divine solidarity: “God was in Auschwitz.”

Assessment: This is the distinctively Christian contribution. We do not worship a distant deity unmoved by suffering. We worship a God who became flesh, was tortured, and died. The Cross is not an explanation of evil but God’s entry into it.

Part V: A Christian Assessment

What We Can Say

1. Evil is real, and God hates it.

We do not minimize evil or pretend it’s illusory. The Holocaust was monstrous. God is not indifferent to it.

2. Evil originates in creaturely rebellion, not divine creation.

God did not create evil. He created beings with genuine freedom, and some — angelic and human — have used that freedom catastrophically. The Nazis were not puppets of God; they were rebels against Him.

3. God’s permission of evil does not equal approval.

God allows evil without endorsing it. Why He permits the degree of evil He does is genuinely mysterious. But permission is not causation.

4. The Cross is God’s definitive response.

God does not explain evil from heaven. He enters it on earth. In Christ, God suffers with victims, not as spectator but as participant. The Cross is not theodicy as theory but theodicy as action.

5. The Resurrection is God’s definitive promise.

Evil does not have the final word. Death is defeated. Justice is coming. Every victim will be vindicated; every perpetrator will be judged. If there is no God, there is no justice — the Nazis win. If there is God, justice is certain.

6. We walk by faith, not by sight.

We do not understand God’s purposes in permitting the Holocaust. We probably cannot understand them this side of eternity. But we can trust His character — revealed supremely in Christ — even when His methods are mysterious.

What We Cannot Say

We cannot say victims deserved it.

This is the error of Job’s friends. It is monstrous when applied to children in gas chambers.

We cannot say we understand why.

We don’t. Any claim to fully understand God’s purposes in Auschwitz is presumptuous.

We cannot say it was “worth it” in some cosmic calculus.

We can say God will redeem evil for good (Romans 8:28). We cannot say the good outweighs the evil in a way that makes evil acceptable. The Holocaust remains horrific even if God brings good from it.

We cannot say faith makes the question go away.

It doesn’t. The question persists. Faith is not the absence of questions but trust in the midst of them.

Part VI: Susan’s Testimony — When Faith Seems Impossible

During our discussion, Susan Gutierrez shared something personal. Charlie introduced it:

“My wife became an anti-Christ for 18 years because of a very similar objection. She never stopped believing in God. She just thought He had screwed up the universe.”

Susan explained:

“I thought that there was a creator, because all of creation is so amazing. And either it was the God of the Bible, and He really messed up, and He is to blame for everything that’s wrong — or it’s another God who created us and left us alone to solve our own problems. And I didn’t know which it was. But I certainly didn’t think the God of the Bible was a just God, the way that He’s portrayed. That being said, I hadn’t read the Bible. That wasn’t very fair of me.”

Susan’s journey took 18 years. It wasn’t a two-sentence argument that brought her back — it was, as Charlie said, “completely God’s Spirit, working on her, talking to her.”

This is important. The problem of evil is not primarily an intellectual puzzle to be solved. It’s a spiritual wound to be healed. Arguments can help clear obstacles. But transformation requires encounter with God Himself.

Susan’s story also illustrates something else: honest doubt is not the enemy of faith. She wrestled with God for 18 years — like Jacob at the Jabbok. And like Jacob, she was eventually blessed.

Part VII: The Rapport-Confrontation-Change Framework

Dr. Abshier introduced a framework from his counseling practice that applies to engaging this question:

“Rapport is the first thing you do. Confrontation is the next thing you do after you’ve understood where they’re at. And change is the next thing you do after you’ve confronted them about the need to change and they agree.”

Stage One: Rapport

Charlie embodies this. As Thomas observed:

“Your particular way is soft and it is very endearing. People just open up with you because of it. You have embodied rapport to a level that most people don’t.”

When someone raises the problem of evil — especially from personal pain like Charlie’s Jewish friend — the first response must be presence, not argument. Listen. Acknowledge the horror. Don’t rush to explain.

Charlie’s instinct was right: “Only a God could have created someone as beautiful as you.” This doesn’t answer the question, but it establishes connection. It says: “I see you. I’m with you. We’re in this together.”

Stage Two: Confrontation

After rapport comes gentle challenge. Not aggressive argument, but what Thomas called “tentative confrontation”:

“You say, ‘It sounds like what you’re saying is this. It seems like the implication I see of that is this.’ And so they confront their own problems by me being the external voice.”

For the Holocaust question, confrontation might look like:

• “It sounds like you’re saying that if evil exists, God cannot. But what if evil’s existence is actually evidence for God — that there’s a standard being violated?”
• “You’re asking where God was. That’s exactly what the Psalms ask. Would you be interested in how the Bible wrestles with that question?”
• “The Holocaust was human evil — Germans, collaborators, bystanders who did nothing. Where was humanity?”

Stage Three: Change

Change happens when someone sees a new possibility. They may need time — Susan needed 18 years. They may need encounter with God, not just argument.

But the goal is clear: not just intellectual assent but transformation. Not just answering the question but meeting the Questioner.

As Charlie put it: “My experience is that people feel most free to change after they’ve been understood.”

Part VIII: Connecting to the Fire at the Center

The Holocaust as Lost Fire

The original essay argued that Western Christianity has lost its fire — its zeal, its willingness to suffer, its absolute commitment. The Holocaust is connected to this theme.

Nazi Germany was a post-Christian civilization. German Protestantism had been hollowed out by liberalism. The German churches — with noble exceptions like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church — largely capitulated to National Socialism.

A church on fire would have resisted. A church that genuinely believed would have hidden Jews, spoken truth, accepted martyrdom. Some did. Most didn’t.

The Holocaust happened in part because the church had already lost its fire. The civilization that perpetrated genocide was one that had abandoned biblical faith for racial ideology, national worship, and secular power.

This doesn’t answer why God permitted it. But it illuminates a pattern: when civilizations abandon God, catastrophic evil becomes possible. The restraining influence is removed. The parasites take over.

The Parallel to Today

Leonard Hofheins connected this to our current situation:

“Islam is a war religion, and we have to be ready for that. You can’t kumbaya that. The time for that is over.”

Armond Boulware concluded our discussion:

“What I’m seeing is we’re being prepared to fight the fight. Because Islam is a religion of war, and we have to be ready for that.”

The Holocaust emerged from a civilization that had lost its fire. Are we in danger of the same? If Western Christianity remains lukewarm — unwilling to speak, unwilling to suffer, unwilling to confront evil — what catastrophes might we enable?

The Otranto martyrs had fire. They chose death over apostasy. The German churches mostly lacked fire. They chose accommodation over resistance.

Which will we be?

Part IX: What We Can Tell Charlie’s Friend

We don’t have a two-sentence answer. But here is what we might say, depending on the moment and the relationship:

If She Needs Presence (Rapport Stage)

“I can’t imagine what your family went through. The Holocaust was an unspeakable evil. I don’t have easy answers, but I want you to know that I take your question seriously — and I take your pain seriously.”

If She’s Open to Conversation (Early Confrontation)

“You know, the Bible itself asks your question. There’s a whole book — Job — about a righteous man who suffers horribly and demands to know why. God never gives him an explanation. But He does give him something else: Himself. Job ends up saying, ‘My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.’ I don’t think the answer is information. I think it’s encounter.”

If She’s Wrestling Seriously (Deeper Confrontation)

“The Holocaust was human evil — Hitler, the SS, the collaborators, the bystanders who did nothing. The question ‘Where was God?’ might also be ‘Where was humanity?’ Where was the church? Where were the righteous? Some did resist — Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, others. But most didn’t. Maybe the Holocaust shows what happens when civilization abandons God, not what happens when God abandons civilization.”

If She’s Ready for the Gospel (Change Stage)

“Here’s what I believe: God didn’t stand at a distance from the Holocaust. In Jesus, God entered human suffering. He was tortured and murdered. He knows what it is to be abandoned and killed by evil men. And He rose again — which means death and evil don’t have the final word. Every victim will be vindicated. Every perpetrator will face justice. That’s not a complete answer, but it’s what I hold onto.”

Charlie’s Approach

Or we could follow Charlie’s instinct: “Only a God could have created someone as beautiful as you.” Point to the beauty that still exists. The fact that she survived. The fact that she can still ask the question. The fact that good persists despite evil.

Sometimes presence is more powerful than argument.

Part X: Discussion Questions for the Fellowship

On the Problem of Evil

1. How do you personally wrestle with the problem of evil? Has there been a time when suffering made faith difficult for you?
2. Which of the modern theodicies (death of God, limited God, hidden face, commanding voice, protest, suffering God) resonates most with you? Which seems least adequate? Why?

On the Holocaust Specifically

3. Armond asked whether the Holocaust could have been avoided if people were obedient to God’s Word. How do you respond to this question? Is it blaming victims, or pointing to something important about civilizational faithfulness?
4. Susan wrestled with God’s justice for 18 years. What finally brought her through? What does her story teach us about engaging people who doubt?

On Engaging Others

5. If someone asked you Charlie’s question — “If there was a God, how could the Holocaust have happened?” — what would you say? What should you not say?
6. Thomas argued that a short answer is impossible — that transformation requires a “whole ecosystem” of belief. Do you agree? If so, what’s the point of trying to answer at all?

On the Fire Connection

7. The essay argues that the Holocaust emerged from a civilization that had lost its Christian fire. Do you see parallels today? What are the warning signs?
8. What would it look like for our fellowship to have the kind of fire that resists evil — both the courage to speak and the wisdom to engage?

On Personal Application

9. Do you know anyone wrestling with the problem of evil? How might you engage them using the rapport-confrontation-change framework?
10. How has this discussion affected your own faith? Your own understanding of suffering?

A Closing Prayer

Almighty God, we stand before the mystery of suffering — the Holocaust, the Gulag, the killing fields, the countless quiet tragedies that never make history books.

We do not understand why You permit such evil. We confess that we cannot reconcile Your goodness with the gas chambers, Your power with the graves of children.

But we trust You anyway. Not because we understand, but because we have seen You in Jesus — entering our suffering, bearing our sin, dying our death, and rising again.

We pray for those who cannot believe because of what they have seen or endured. Meet them in their pain. Send them people who will listen before they argue. Give them glimpses of Your beauty in the midst of horror.

We pray for ourselves — that we would have fire enough to resist evil, courage enough to speak truth, and love enough to weep with those who weep.

We pray for justice — that every victim of the Holocaust and every victim of evil throughout history would be vindicated, and every perpetrator would face Your righteous judgment.

And we pray for hope — that we would hold fast to the promise that You will wipe away every tear, that death and mourning will be no more, that You are making all things new.

Until that day, give us faith to trust what we cannot see.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”
— Psalm 27:13-14

Source Material: March 15, 2026 Renaissance Fellowship discussion; Charlie Gutierrez’s Grok research on the problem of evil and modern theodicies; Susan Gutierrez’s testimony; “When Belief Confronts Belief” (original essay); Christos AI Theological Grammar.

Related Christos Content: “When Belief Confronts Belief: The Otranto Martyrs, Iran, and the Fire We Need”; “The Fire at the Center” (Theological Grammar, Part V); “The Parasitic Mind and the Wood Cricket Church” (Fellowship Discussion on Gad Saad).

Appendix: Quick Reference — Modern Theodicies

What to Say to the Holocaust Survivor

By Charlie Gutierrez
3/18/2026

Charlie: There is a contemporary objection to the existence of God. It goes like this, and has probably been an objection from the beginning, “If there was a God, He would not have allowed the Holocaust”. Etc. Basically, the idea is that a God would not allow evil, at least not on an epic scale. Does the Bible address this objection to the existence of God, no matter how remotely?

Grok: Yes, the Bible addresses this objection—often called the “problem of evil”—in multiple ways, though not as a step-by-step philosophical treatise. It assumes God’s existence and goodness from the start and instead wrestles with the reality of suffering through stories, poetry, wisdom literature, and New Testament teachings. The core issue (“If God is good and all-powerful, why does He allow horrific evil like the Holocaust?”) is engaged directly and existentially, not dismissed. The most prominent example is the Book of Job, an entire book devoted to why a righteous person suffers immensely while the wicked seem to prosper.

In Job, a blameless man (Job 1:1) loses his children, wealth, and health—not because of any sin on his part (God Himself calls the suffering “without reason” in Job 2:3). Job’s friends insist it must be punishment for hidden sin, but God rebukes them (Job 42:7). Job cries out in protest, demanding answers. When God finally speaks (chapters 38–41), He doesn’t explain why the evil happened or justify it in human terms. Instead, He reminds Job of His infinite wisdom and sovereignty over creation (e.g., “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” Job 38:4). The message is that humans see only a tiny slice of reality; we can’t grasp the full picture, so trust in God’s character is required even when evil seems senseless. Job ultimately repents of his demand for answers and is restored (Job 42), affirming that God is just even if we don’t understand.

This isn’t a full “solution,” and many biblical scholars note that neither Job nor the rest of Scripture gives a simple, exhaustive answer to why evil exists alongside a good God. But it validates the objection as legitimate—suffering isn’t always tied to personal guilt, and questioning God is portrayed honestly (see also Psalms of lament or Habakkuk 1, where the prophet asks why God allows the wicked to devour the innocent).

Other parts of the Bible touch on the same theme more remotely or indirectly:

• Origin of evil and human responsibility: Genesis 3 shows evil entering through human rebellion (the Fall), not because God created it as such. People have real moral freedom; much “epic evil” (genocide, Holocaust-scale atrocities) stems from human choices, which God permits for now rather than overriding (implied throughout, e.g., the wicked in Proverbs or the nations in prophetic books). Yet God remains sovereign over even those acts.
• God can redeem evil for good: Genesis 50:20 (Joseph to his brothers): “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” This doesn’t say all evil feels good now, but that God weaves even the worst into His purposes (including ultimate justice and redemption). The cross is the prime example: the greatest evil (the torture and murder of the innocent Son of God) becomes the greatest good (salvation for humanity). Jesus Himself suffered horribly, showing God doesn’t stand aloof from pain (1 Peter 2:21-23).
• Suffering has purposes or produces growth: It can refine character (Romans 5:3-5: “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character…”), equip people to comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5), or serve a larger story we can’t see. Ecclesiastes acknowledges life’s injustices but points to fearing God amid them. Isaiah 45:7 states God “creates calamity” (or “disaster” in some translations), underscoring His control without making Him the author of moral evil.
• It’s temporary; ultimate resolution is coming: Evil and suffering aren’t the final word. Revelation 21:4 promises a new creation with “no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” God will judge all evil (including epic-scale atrocities) and wipe it out. The current age is one where evil is allowed (for reasons tied to freedom, testing, or mystery), but not forever (2 Corinthians 4:16-18: present troubles are “light and momentary” compared to eternal glory).

The Bible never claims evil is an illusion or that God owes us an explanation we can fully grasp in this life. Instead, it repeatedly points to trust (“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” — Job 13:15), faith over sight (Proverbs 3:5-6), and hope in Christ’s victory. The Holocaust (or any modern atrocity) fits the same category as Job’s trials, the Babylonian exile, or the slaughter of innocents in biblical history: real, horrific, and allowed for reasons we may never understand this side of eternity—but not evidence against God’s existence or goodness according to Scripture’s own framework.

In short, the objection is not ignored; it’s taken seriously and met with narrative wrestling, calls to humility, promises of redemption, and assurance that God is still good and in control. The Bible’s answer is less “Here is the logical proof” and more “I see your pain—now trust Me anyway, because I have entered it and will end it.”

Holocaust Theodicies

by Charlie Guttierrez
3/18/2026

Grok: Modern theodicies on the Holocaust

Modern theodicies (or, more accurately, post-Holocaust theological responses) grapple with the same objection you raised earlier: how a good, powerful God could permit the Holocaust (Shoah). Unlike classical theodicies (e.g., punishment for sin or abstract free will), many post-1945 thinkers—especially Jewish ones—argue that the Holocaust’s scale, systematic nature, and targeting of the innocent render traditional explanations inadequate or morally offensive. They often reject “justifying” the evil and shift instead to protest, human responsibility, divine self-limitation, or practical faith. Christian responses frequently emphasize God’s solidarity in suffering. These are not exhaustive “solutions” but wrestling attempts, echoing Job while confronting unprecedented horror.

Here are the major modern approaches, grouped by theme with key thinkers:

1. Rejection of the Traditional God (“Death of God” or Radical Revision)

• Richard Rubenstein (After Auschwitz, 1966): The Holocaust shows the biblical covenantal God is “dead” or never intervened as thought. Traditional theodicy collapses; Jews must build a secular or demythologized faith focused on human meaning and survival, without relying on a metaphysical God who allows such evil.saet.ac.uk
• Arthur Cohen: God is so transcendent (“distant”) that He bears no direct responsibility; the Holocaust requires new language for the “tremendum” (abyss) rather than old explanations.

2. Limited or Powerless God (Divine Self-Restriction)

• Harold Kushner (When Bad Things Happen to Good People): Popularized a non-omnipotent God who cannot prevent all evil (like natural laws or human choices). God is with us in suffering, but lacks coercive power to stop the Holocaust.
• Hans Jonas (“The Concept of God after Auschwitz,” 1987): God is not classically omnipotent. Through tsimtsum (self-contraction), God limited Himself to allow genuine creation and human freedom/responsibility. A truly good God could not intervene in Auschwitz without contradicting this; the question shifts from “Where was God?” to “Where was humanity?” God evolves with the world and suffers its pain.saet.ac.uk

3. Hidden Face / Free-Will Self-Limitation (Hester Panim)

• Eliezer Berkovits: God is all-powerful but deliberately “hides His face” to preserve human moral freedom. The Holocaust is the horrific price of that freedom—God refuses to override it, even for atrocities. Catastrophe leads to redemption (e.g., return to Zion).dbu.edu
• David Birnbaum: Divine contraction (gevurah) increases over history, granting humans ever-greater freedom and responsibility. Post-Temple hester panim is the norm; evil arises from this retreat so humanity can achieve spiritual growth.

4. Commanding Voice / Imperative to Survive (Anti-Despair Theodicy)

• Emil Fackenheim: Auschwitz issues a new “614th commandment”: Jews must survive as Jews, remember the victims, not despair of God or humanity, and refuse to hand Hitler posthumous victories by abandoning faith or peoplehood. The Shoah is epoch-making (like Sinai), commanding continued covenant and hope.saet.ac.uk

5. Broken or Voluntary Covenant / Protest

• Irving Greenberg: The covenant was shattered; God effectively “repented” or self-limited. Post-Holocaust, it becomes voluntary—Jews freely re-accept it out of love, becoming creative partners rather than passive recipients. Faith is now “momentary.”
• David Blumenthal (Theodicy of Protest): Protest God like an abused child protests a parent—acknowledge the injustice without abandoning the relationship. God may be capable of evil; challenge Him while continuing to wrestle.
• Influences from Elie Wiesel: In Night, the hanging of a child prompts “Where is God? He is hanging here,” leading to honest protest rather than justification.

6. Antitheodicy / Rejection of Explanation Altogether

• Emmanuel Levinas: Theodicy is immoral after “useless suffering.” Focus on ethics: infinite responsibility to the “face” of the other. God “recedes”; humans must eliminate suffering through solidarity. No justification—only action.saet.ac.uk
• Many others (including some following Theodor Adorno): Any attempt to “make sense” of Auschwitz risks trivializing it; silence, memory, and resistance are the response.

7. Suffering God (God Shares the Pain)

• Abraham Joshua Heschel and Martin Buber: God has “pathos” (emotional involvement) and suffers with/exiles alongside humanity. Humans must redeem the suffering God through compassion and ethical relations. The Shoah generation is the new “Suffering Servant.”jcrelations.net
• Christian parallel: Jürgen Moltmann (Theology of the Cross): God is not aloof but crucified with victims—”God was in Auschwitz.” The cross reveals divine solidarity; evil is confronted through God’s own suffering and the hope of future resurrection.

8. Broader Philosophical Adaptations (Often Critiqued as Insufficient)

• John Hick (soul-making/eschatological theodicy): Suffering builds character toward maturity; the ultimate good is realized in the afterlife. The Holocaust fits as an extreme “soul-making”, but many find it cold for such horror.
• Alvin Plantinga (free-will defense): Logical possibility of God + evil via free will; God cannot force moral goodness. The Holocaust was an extreme misuse of freedom, but again, scale challenges comfort.

Overall trends: Most modern responses (especially Jewish) emphasize human agency—ethics, survival, protest, repair (tikkun olam)—over divine explanation. Many call the Holocaust “unique” or “unprecedented,” making pre-1945 theodicies feel broken. Some ultra-Orthodox views still frame it as punishment for assimilation (“because of our sins”), but these are a minority and widely rejected as insensitive. Christian theology often stresses purging antisemitism and practical solidarity (e.g., Johann Baptist Metz’s “political theology” of memory and resistance).

These are not tidy answers; as in the Bible’s Book of Job (which many invoke), the emphasis is humility, trust amid mystery, and action. The Holocaust doesn’t “disprove” God for these thinkers but demands a reformed faith—more ethical, less triumphalist. For deeper reading, start with Rubenstein, Fackenheim, Jonas, or surveys like Barbara Krawcowicz’s History, Metahistory, and Evil. The objection remains raw, but these voices show theology refusing to go silent.

Consciousness at the Center of Creation

by Thomas Abshier | Mar 18, 2026 | Sermon/Meeting/Discussion Transcripts

Civilizational Conflict

by Thomas Abshier | Mar 18, 2026 | Sermon/Meeting/Discussion Transcripts

When Belief Confronts Belief: The Otranto Martyrs, Iran, and the Fire We Need

A Fellowship Discussion Essay on Civilizational Conflict and the Christian Response

Renaissance Ministries | March 17, 2026

“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
— Matthew 10:28

Introduction: The Problem of Belief

A friend recently shared an observation that deserves our attention:

“People who hold no firm beliefs can never fully understand people who do—and people who hold deep beliefs know how difficult it is to make believers abandon them.”

This insight exposes one of the great blind spots of the modern West. Our cultural elites — shaped by secular materialism, therapeutic psychology, and economic determinism — assume that everyone is fundamentally motivated by rational self-interest, grievances that can be negotiated, or material conditions that can be improved.

They cannot comprehend people who genuinely believe they are carrying out divine commands. They cannot fathom those who value the next world more than this one. They have no category for men who would rather die than renounce their faith — or for men who would rather kill than tolerate unbelief.

This incomprehension is dangerous. It leads to policies built on fantasy: that sufficient economic development will moderate jihadists, that diplomatic engagement will satisfy theocrats, that “Islam is a religion of peace” if only we could find the right partners.

Meanwhile, those who do believe — on both sides of the civilizational divide — understand something the secular mind cannot grasp: some conflicts cannot be resolved by negotiation. They are resolved only when one side loses the power, and the confidence, to impose its vision on the world.

This essay explores what this means for Christians facing resurgent Islam, using the story of the Otranto martyrs as our guide. But we will go beyond political analysis to ask the deeper questions: What kind of fire do we need? And what does the Gospel offer that Islam cannot?

Part I: The Martyrs of Otranto

The Fall of the City

In 1480 — only twenty-seven years after Constantinople fell to the Ottomans — an Ottoman fleet landed in southern Italy. The target was Otranto, a small coastal city in the heel of the Italian boot.

The garrison was outnumbered and outgunned. After a siege of fifteen days, the walls were breached. What followed was typical of Ottoman conquest: massacre, plunder, enslavement. The cathedral was desecrated. The archbishop was killed — sawn in half, according to some accounts — for refusing to renounce Christ.

When the slaughter subsided, approximately 800 surviving men were gathered before the Ottoman commander, Gedik Ahmed Pasha.

The Choice

The pasha offered them a simple bargain: convert to Islam and live, or refuse and die.

To persuade them, an Italian apostate priest — a man who had already abandoned his faith — was brought forward to preach to the prisoners. Surely, the pasha reasoned, a fellow Italian, a former Christian, could convince them to see reason.

Instead, something else happened.

A tailor named Antonio Primaldo stepped forward and spoke for the prisoners. According to the chronicles, he declared:

“My brothers, until today we have fought to defend our country and our lives. Now it is time to fight to save our souls for the Lord. Since He died on the cross for us, it is fitting that we should die for Him, standing firm in the faith.”

The prisoners answered with one voice: they too were ready to die for Christ.

The Execution

The next morning, August 14, 1480, the 800 men were marched through the smoking ruins of their city to the Hill of Minerva outside the walls. There, one by one, they were beheaded.

Antonio Primaldo was chosen as the first to kneel before the executioner’s sword. What happened next became legend: when the blade fell, his body reportedly remained standing. The executioners could not force it to the ground. One of the executioners, stunned by what he witnessed, converted to Christianity on the spot — and was immediately executed as well.

The killings continued until all 800 men were dead.

What Made Otranto Different

Medieval warfare was brutal. Massacres were common. What made Otranto different was not the number killed but the reason they died.

These men were not executed for military resistance. They were not punished for political rebellion. They were killed because they refused to convert — and because their faith made them impossible to intimidate.

Eight hundred ordinary men — laborers, craftsmen, fathers — were offered a simple way out. Speak some words. Go through some motions. Live to see your families again.

All 800 refused.

In 2013, Pope Francis canonized them as martyrs. Their feast day is August 14.

Part II: What the Otranto Story Teaches Us

1. Belief Is More Powerful Than Interest

The secular mind cannot explain Otranto. Why would 800 men choose death when life was so easily purchased?

The answer is that they valued something more than life: their souls, their Lord, their eternal destiny. They understood what Jesus meant when He said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).

The Ottoman commander assumed that the threat of death would produce compliance. He was thinking in terms of rational self-interest: surely men want to live; offer them life, and they will comply.

But the men of Otranto were not calculating interests. They were confessing faith. And faith operates by a different logic than interest.

2. The Executioners Were Also Believers

Here is the uncomfortable truth: the Ottoman soldiers were also acting on belief.

Ayatollah Khomeini articulated this belief in the 20th century:

“Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males to prepare themselves for the conquest of countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all. The sword is the key to Paradise.”

Whether or not one agrees with Khomeini’s interpretation of Islam, he was articulating something that Western observers struggle to grasp: an absolute belief backed by a willingness to sacrifice.

The men who beheaded the Otranto martyrs believed they were carrying out divine commands. They believed the prisoners were infidels whose refusal to convert made them enemies of God. They believed jihad was a religious duty and that dying in its pursuit — or killing in its execution — was pleasing to Allah.

When belief confronts belief at this level, compromise becomes nearly impossible.

3. Such Conflicts Are Rarely Resolved by Negotiation

History suggests a grim conclusion: civilizational conflicts rooted in incompatible religious visions are rarely resolved by diplomacy, negotiation, or mutual understanding.

They are resolved when one side loses the power — and the confidence — to impose its vision.

The Ottoman Empire, which seemed poised to conquer Europe in 1480, eventually collapsed in 1918-1922. The fall of the Ottomans broke Islamic political power for nearly a century. It was only in the mid-20th century that movements like the Muslim Brotherhood began reviving the idea that Islam is a comprehensive political order meant to govern society.

This is why some argue that any conflict with Iran must be a “fall-of-the-Ottoman-Empire moment” — a decisive break that shatters not just Iran’s nuclear ambitions but the confidence of the Islamist project itself.

Whether or not one agrees with this political prescription, the underlying analysis deserves consideration: some conflicts cannot be managed, moderated, or negotiated away. They must be won or lost.

Part III: Historical Voices on Islam

The concerns raised by the Otranto story are not new. Western observers have been wrestling with Islam’s political-civilizational dimensions for centuries.

John Quincy Adams (1829)

“The precept of the Koran is perpetual war against all who deny that Mahomet is the prophet of God. The command to propagate the Moslem creed by the sword is always obligatory when it can be made effective.”

Winston Churchill (1899)

“Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world.”

Alexis de Tocqueville (1843)

“I studied the Koran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction that by and large there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Mohammed.”

These observations are controversial today. Many would dismiss them as ignorance, prejudice, or “Islamophobia.” But the men who made them were serious observers of history and politics. They were not ignorant of Islam; they had studied it. Their concerns deserve to be weighed rather than dismissed.

The recurring observation is this: Islam has often functioned not merely as a personal faith but as a political and civilizational system. Unlike many other religions, Islam traditionally links theology, law, and governance into an integrated whole. The Quran is believed to be the literal, unalterable word of God. Sharia is understood to be divine law, superior to any human legislation.

This creates a challenge that purely spiritual religions do not pose: Islam, in its traditional form, is not content to coexist with secular governance. It claims authority over all of life — personal, social, political, legal.

Part IV: The Christian Difference

What We Share With Islam

Christians and Muslims share some common ground:

• We both believe in one God
• We both believe in divine revelation
• We both believe in moral absolutes
• We both believe this life is not all there is
• We both believe that faith should shape all of life

These commonalities mean that Christians can understand Muslim seriousness in a way that secular Westerners cannot. We know what it means to believe that God has spoken, that His word is authoritative, that obedience matters.

What Distinguishes Us From Islam

But the differences are profound and ultimately decisive:

The Otranto martyrs understood this difference. They knew that bowing to Allah was not merely changing religious labels — it was renouncing the Gospel, the Cross, the grace of God in Christ. It was exchanging a Father for a Master, assurance for uncertainty, grace for law.

They chose death because they understood what was at stake.

The Gospel Answer to Islam

The Gospel offers what Islam cannot:

Grace instead of law. Islam is a religion of works — endless striving with no assurance. The Gospel offers what every human heart secretly craves: forgiveness freely given, righteousness imputed not earned, a God who justifies the ungodly.

Relationship instead of submission. Allah is distant, unknowable, and arbitrary. But Jesus teaches us to pray “Our Father” — an intimacy unthinkable in Islam. The God of the Gospel is not merely a Master to be obeyed but a Father to be loved.

Assurance instead of uncertainty. The Muslim can never know if he has done enough. The Christian can say with Paul, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Timothy 1:12).

Freedom instead of fear. Islam means “submission” — and the system enforces it with penalties for apostasy, blasphemy, and deviation. But Christ says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

A Savior who died for us. This is the ultimate scandal to Islam: that God would humble Himself, suffer for sinners, and die on a cross. The Quran explicitly denies the crucifixion (Surah 4:157). But the Cross is the heart of the Gospel — God’s power and wisdom for salvation.

Many Muslims are discovering this. Despite the risks — and in Islamic countries, conversion to Christianity can mean death — millions of Muslims are coming to Christ. Many report dreams and visions of Jesus. Many are drawn by the love of Christian communities. Many are hungry for the assurance and grace that Islam cannot provide.

Part V: The Fire We Need

The Asymmetry Problem

Here is our challenge: Islam demands total devotion. Western Christianity often asks for Sunday attendance.

Consider the asymmetry:

The Otranto martyrs had fire. They would rather die than renounce Christ. Do we have that fire? Or have we become, as one observer put it, “wood crickets” — so parasitized by secular values that we happily jump into the water that drowns us?

A passionless Christianity cannot survive contact with a passionate Islam.

What Recovered Fire Looks Like

The fire we need is not merely intellectual clarity about Islam. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that transforms hearts and produces:

1. Personal holiness as non-negotiable. Not perfection, but serious pursuit. Daily repentance. Hatred of sin. Hunger for righteousness.

2. Daily devotion rivaling Islamic practice. If Muslims can pray five times a day, can we not manage a serious daily time with God? If they can fast for Ramadan, can we not recover the Christian practice of fasting?

3. Willingness to suffer. The early church expected persecution. We expect comfort. The Otranto martyrs chose death over apostasy. We often choose silence over social discomfort.

4. Bold proclamation without apology. Not arrogance — but confidence. Not aggression — but clarity. The Gospel is true. Jesus is Lord. Salvation is in no one else.

5. Community as counter-society. The early church was a city within a city, an alternative social order. Can we recover this vision? Churches that are not merely Sunday services but thick communities of mutual support, accountability, and mission?

6. Children raised as disciples. Muslim children are immersed in Islamic education. Christian children are often formed more by secular schools and entertainment than by the church. This must change.

7. Political engagement without political idolatry. We should care about policy — including policy toward Iran. But our ultimate hope is not political victory. It is the Kingdom of God.

The Fire That Burns Away Parasites

Dr. Gad Saad describes the Western mind as “parasitized” — taken over by ideological viruses that decouple it from reality. The church has not been immune. We have absorbed suicidal empathy, cultural relativism, and therapeutic moralism.

The fire we need burns away these parasites:

• It burns away the lie that all religions are equal
• It burns away the cowardice that prefers silence to truth
• It burns away the sentimentality that confuses niceness with love
• It burns away the idolatry that seeks approval from the world
• It burns away the lukewarmness that makes us neither hot nor cold

A church on fire cannot be parasitized. The parasite cannot survive the flames.

Part VI: The Complete Response

Beyond Political Solutions

Some argue that conflict with Iran must produce a “fall-of-the-Ottoman-Empire moment” — a decisive civilizational break. There may be wisdom in this political analysis. The collapse of the Ottoman caliphate in 1922 did break Islamic political confidence for decades.

But Christians must recognize the limits of political solutions:

The Ottoman Empire fell, but Islam survived. There are 1.8 billion Muslims today. Political defeat does not produce conversion. Hearts must change, and only Christ changes hearts.

Military victory without spiritual renewal is hollow. If the West defeats Iran but remains spiritually hollow, we have won a battle while losing the war. What good is it to preserve Western civilization if that civilization has abandoned its soul?

The real enemy is spiritual, not political. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). Bombs cannot defeat principalities. Only the Gospel can.

The Three-Fold Response

Christians need a complete response that includes:

1. Political wisdom. We should support policies that protect our civilization, resist Islamist expansion, and create space for the Gospel. This may include military action when necessary. Just war theory provides a framework for thinking about such decisions.

2. Spiritual revival. We need the fire of the Holy Spirit to transform our churches from lukewarm religious clubs into burning witnesses for Christ. Without this, no political victory will matter.

3. Gospel mission. We must reach Muslims with the good news of Jesus Christ. This means prayer, proclamation, and presence — being willing to go, to speak, to love, to suffer for the sake of Muslim souls.

These three are not alternatives. They are all necessary. Politics without revival produces hollow victory. Revival without mission produces comfortable isolation. Mission without political wisdom produces naïve vulnerability.

Love for Muslims

Let us be clear: our posture toward Muslims must be love.

Not the suicidal empathy that refuses to see danger. Not the sentimental tolerance that pretends all beliefs are equal. But genuine, costly, Christ-like love that:

• Sees Muslims as people made in God’s image
• Desires their salvation, not their destruction
• Speaks truth because love requires honesty
• Takes risks to reach them with the Gospel
• Welcomes converts despite the cost

The Otranto martyrs loved their Muslim captors — not by renouncing their faith to please them, but by witnessing to Christ with their deaths. One executioner was so moved that he converted on the spot.

This is what costly love looks like. It tells the truth. It stands firm. And it wins hearts even while losing life.

Part VII: Discussion Questions for the Fellowship

On Belief and Conflict

1. The essay argues that some conflicts cannot be resolved by negotiation — only by one side losing power and confidence. Do you agree? What are the implications for Christian engagement with Islam?
2. Why do secular Western elites struggle to understand religiously motivated actors? How does Christian faith give us a different perspective?

On the Otranto Martyrs

3. What does the example of the Otranto martyrs teach us? Would modern Western Christians show similar courage? Why or why not?
4. Antonio Primaldo was a tailor — an ordinary man. What enabled ordinary men to display such extraordinary courage? What would enable us?

On Islam

5. The essay cites historical observers who saw Islam as a political-civilizational system, not merely a private faith. Is this assessment fair? What evidence supports or challenges it?
6. How should Christians distinguish between Islam as a system and Muslims as individuals? How do we oppose one while loving the other?

On the Fire We Need

7. The essay describes an asymmetry between Muslim devotion and Christian lukewarmness. Is this accurate? If so, how do we address it?
8. What would “recovered fire” look like in your life? In our church? What stands in the way?

On the Gospel Response

9. What does the Gospel offer that Islam cannot? How can we communicate this to Muslims effectively and lovingly?
10. How do political action, spiritual revival, and Gospel mission relate to each other? Can we pursue all three? Should we prioritize one?

On Practical Application

11. What should we as a fellowship do in response to this discussion? Are there specific actions we should take — in prayer, in witness, in political engagement?
12. Do you know any Muslims personally? How might you build relationships that create opportunities for Gospel witness?

A Closing Prayer

Lord God, we remember the martyrs of Otranto — ordinary men who chose death rather than deny You. We confess that we often lack their courage. We are comfortable when we should be zealous. We are silent when we should speak. We are lukewarm when You desire fire.

Forgive us. Set us ablaze. Give us love for Muslims that is fierce enough to tell them the truth. Give us faith in the Gospel that does not waver. Give us courage to stand when standing costs everything.

We pray for the Muslim world — for Iran, for the Middle East, for Muslims in our own communities. Open their eyes to see Jesus. Send them dreams and visions. Bring them to faith through the witness of Your people.

We pray for our nation — for wisdom in policy, for strength to resist those who would destroy us, for humility to recognize that our hope is not in political power but in You.

We pray for Your church — that we would recover the fire that burned in the hearts of the Otranto martyrs. That we would love You more than life. That we would rather die than deny You.

Come, Holy Spirit. Set us on fire.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”
— Revelation 12:11

Source Material: Facebook post on the Otranto martyrs and Iran; historical accounts of the 1480 massacre; “The Fire at the Center” (Christos AI Theological Grammar, Part V); Dr. Gad Saad on the parasitic mind; fellowship discussions on Islam and Christian zeal.

Related Christos Content: “The Fire at the Center” (Theological Grammar, Part V); “Engaging Islam and Resisting Parasitic Ideas” (Theological Grammar, Part VI); “The Parasitic Mind and the Wood Cricket Church” (Fellowship Discussion on Gad Saad).