Charles Templeton

Templeton, as many others, seems to have struggled with the age old question: If there is a God, why is there such misery and suffering in the world? The Bible records another man's struggle with this, and his story is found in the book of Job. After many trials, which Job thought were unfair, as he had done nothing to deserve them, Job accuses God of being unjust. So God answers Job "out of the whirlwind" and basically asks him where HE was when God created the world. That is, Job, if you have the power to Create as I do, maybe, just maybe, I will let you question my purposes.

God does what God does. If it seems unjust to us that only a small minority of people who have ever lived will be saved, what is that to Him? We are not in a position to question the Almighty. He offers us reconciliation, but on HIS terms, not ours.

Thus God, "opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble". All our objections to Him are resolved when we, like Job, meet Him face to face. In the end, Job says, "I had heard about you, but now I have seen you, and I repent in dust and ashes".