In Romans 9, Paul discusses Israel and it's rejection of God as well as God's sovereign will. Paul notes that God can harden or have mercy on whoever he desires (v. 18). Then he voices an objections that critics will raise; "You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will (v. 19)?" Paul responds to this expected objection with, "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God (v. 20a)?" Paul goes on to explain that God has the right to make one vessel for honorable and another for dishonorable use (v. 21) and going on to remember the part of Hosea that says that God will choose Gentiles to become His people as well (v. 23-30).

The main thing I want to take away from this is the note my NASB Study Bible has regarding verse 20. It says, "Paul is not silencing all questioning of God by man, but he is speaking to those with an impenitent, God-defying attitude who want to make God answerable to man for what He does and who, by their questions, defame the character of God (pg. 1649)."

Much could be said of this note, and indeed the entire book of Romans. But something about this note caught my attention. If questioning of God with a defiant attitude is wrong, then isn't coming to Him with a question that is designed to remove doubt a good thing?

Think about it. Two different people may ask the same question; for example, they may ask why "good" people suffer and the wicked flourish.

The first person asks in defiance; they may not really want an answer per se, but rather something to try to smear God and God-believing people. Their intent is in defying the Creator and Lord of Life, who made all things and people for His good ends.

The second, however, asks out of innocence and because this issue is troubling them. Why would an all-good God allow "good" people to suffer and wicked people to flourish?

The second person in the example is asking to clear up any misunderstandings and get rid of doubt, not to insult or defame God and His character. This sort of questioning, I think, is not unwelcome to God; indeed, I believe God wants doubters to come to Him that they may be cleared of doubt. "God, this question is bothering me; I know You are good, but I see many who do wicked things and seemingly get away with it. Why would you let this happen? This is troubling me, and I want this stumbling block to be removed so my relationship with You can be restored and strengthened." This latter attitude is not silenced by Paul, nor do I believe it is silenced by God, in verse 20. I believe it shows a proper spirit in asking a question to remove or clear up, not reinforce, doubt.

By contrast, the first person wasn't asking the question to remove doubt but to try to gain ammunition to resist the Almighty and rebuke believers. Their questions are asked in defiance, not in a spirit of restoring a relationship or of removing a stumbling block. This kind of attitude is rebuked by Paul in verse 20.

The point of this blog is that I think God actually wants us to ask questions of Him so they may be given some sort of answer, when they are asked in a spirit of honesty and a desire to come closer to Him.

Now, I think that non-believers will try to hitch onto the idea that God is silencing criticism, and will undoubtedly try to say that God either has something to hide, or that His believers do, or that He is authoritarian and does not want to be questioned. I will say this; despite the defiant attitude of many non-believers, and their having the very same spirit that Paul preaches against in verse 20, God is gracious. Many disbelieving people have in fact turned to God through this defiant questioning; something, either in the question or in the answer, leaves them walking away with something that will not leave them alone on this front. Some ex-atheists or people previously from other faiths converted after asking this sort of question. Lee Strobel, for instance, began as an atheist who ultimately became a believing Christian because he asked questions, even writing a book titled The Case for Christ, wherein he details his questioning of 13 different evangelical Christian scholars (including William Lane Craig and J. P. Moreland) and how their answers led him to believe. That being said, like with all of us, Mr. Strobel's salvation was due to God's love, grace and mercy, not because his own merits or anything else. The questions he asked as an atheist were answered despite his disbelief, in order to win a new soul to God who would help bring more souls to God. Paul, having previously persecuted the church, would probably have understood the situation quite well. Yes, God is absolutely in charge and we ought to accept Him. But He does graciously give us free will to accept or reject Him, and wonder of wonders, chooses to act that we may be saved from the punishment we deserve; Good Friday and Easter Sunday are proof of that.

In short, I think that God welcomes questions that are asked honestly and intended to remove doubt and to restore and strengthen one's relationship with Him. Defiant questioning that seeks to defame God and has no desire to build a positive relationship with Him is rightly rebuked by Paul. One may make of it what one will, but in the end, there is only one question that matters; do you accept, and surrender to, Christ as your personal Savior from your sins?

Thank you for at least taking the time to read this. May the Lord Jesus save, guide, protect, and watch over you all.

Sources

Zondervan NASB Study Bible, pgs. 1647-1649

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Strobel#The_Case_for_Christ