Why Doesn't God Kill the Wicked?

by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved.

Chapter 1

I was talking with another Christian recently, and he said he was struggling with some things he didn't understand.

I asked him what he didn't understand.

He said, "Why God puts certain people together."

Of course, just because certain people are together doesn't necessarily mean that God put them together.  

People make their choices, and sometimes people make bad choices.  

But I proceded to tell the man about an experience I had in Houston, TX.  

There was a church I was attending there when I lived in Houston more than three decades ago.  I thought it was probably the best church in Houston.

But then, I saw some things occur at that church that should not have occurred.

So I asked the Lord, "Why would you let that happen?"

I believe the Lord answered me.   

I heard these words, "Let both grow together until the harvest."

Those words, of course, are from the Parable of the Tares and Wheat.  

From Matt chapt 13--

 24 He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field,
 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and planted tares among the wheat, and went his way.
 26 But when the blade had sprung up, and produced fruit, then the tares appeared also.
 27 So the servants of the householder came and said to him, Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field?  So why do we have tares?
 28 He said to them, An enemy has done this.  The servants said to him, do you want us to go and gather them up?
 29 But he said, No, because while you gather up the tares, you'll also uproot some of the wheat with the tares.
 30 LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER UNTIL THE HARVEST, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."

The reason that God doesn't immediately kill the wicked is that if he did, some innocent people would get hurt.

Perhaps some people would go to hell that didn't have to go to hell.

But I'm sure of this:

"Be sure your sin will find you out." (Num 32:23)

There may be people who think that they have secret sins, but there is no sin that is secret from God, and God will expose the wicked, and God will punish the wicked.  

Al Capone murdered people, and was head of a criminal organization.  It was hard to get evidence against him.  People were afraid to testify against Al Capone.

But eventually, he was convicted and sent to prison for income tax evasion, and after a few years, he died.  

 7 "Don't be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man plants, that's what he'll harvest.
 8 For he that plants for his flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but he that plants to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap life everlasting.
 9 And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we'll reap, if we don't faint." (Gal 6:7-9)

And in the 37th Psalm, the psalmist tells us--

 35 "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
 36 Yet he passed away, and see, he was not, yes, I sought him, but he couldn't be found."

The wicked might seem to flourish for a little while, but then, they'll fade away.  God will make them fade away.  They'll depart without being desired.  They'll be forgotten.

Judgment Day will come.  Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God.

The books will be opened on Judgment Day.  The books in which the recording angels have written down the things that we've done, and the things that we've said.  

And another book will be opened (as it says in the book of Revelation).  The Lamb's book of Life.  

Your name must be in the Lamb's book of Life for you to wind up in heaven.  Your name gets into that book when you choose to become a Christian, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  

Jesus is the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

From the foundation of the world, God knew that we would sin, and that we would therefore need a savior, a redeemer, a sacrificial lamb.  

In the Old Testament, they sacrificed animals for their sins.

But in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul tells us--

"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." (Heb 10:4)

Those Old Testament animal sacrifices didn't actually take away sins, they were only a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus, for the sins of the world.  

But the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of crucifixion for our sins only works for those who accept Jesus as Savior.  

Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3)

To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10--

"That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved.  For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation."

Chapter 2

___Psalm 37
 1 Don't fret because of evildoers, and don't be envious against the sinners.
 2 For they'll soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
 3 Trust in the Lord and do good, so you'll live in the land, and truly you'll be fed.
 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he'll give you the desires of your heart.
 5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in him, and he'll make it happen.
 6 And he shall bring out your righteousness like the light, and your justice like the noonday.
 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, don't fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked devices happen.
 8 Don't be angry.  Quit being angry.  Don't fret in any way to do evil.
 9 For evildoers shall be destroyed, but those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth.
 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be, yes, you'll diligently consider his place, and it won't be.
 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
 12 The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
 13 The Lord shall laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming.
 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to throw down the poor and needy, and to kill such as are of upright conversation.
 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
 16 A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.
 18 The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever.
 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they'll be satisfied.
 20 But the wicked shall be destroyed, and the enemies of the Lord shall be like the fat of lambs, they'll be consumed, into smoke shall they consume away.
 21 The wicked borrows, and doesn't pay back, but the righteous shows mercy, and gives.
 22 For those who are blessed by him shall inherit the earth, and those who are cursed by him shall be cut off.
 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way.
 24 Though he falls, he won't be completely thrown down, for the Lord holds him up with his hand.
 25 I've been young and now am old, yet I haven't seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.
 26 He's always merciful, and lends, and his descendants are blessed.
 27 Depart from evil, and do good, and live forever.
 28 For the Lord loves judgment, and doesn't forsake his saints, they're preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be destroyed.
 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever.
 30 The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks about justice.
 31 The law of his God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide.
 32 The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him.
 33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
 34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he'll exalt you to inherit the land, when the wicked are cut off, you'll see it.
 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
 36 Yet he passed away, and see, he was not, yes, I sought him, but he couldn't be found.
 37 Identify the perfect man, and observe the upright, for the end of that man is peace.
 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together, the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, he is their strength in the time of trouble.
 40 And the Lord shall help them, and give them deliverance, he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

___James chapter 1
 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings.
 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations,
 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience.
 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him.
 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.  For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord.
 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted,
 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away.
 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man,
 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death.
 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers.
 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,
 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God.
 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror,
 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing.
 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

___James chapter 2
 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also,
 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool,"
 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts?
 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
 6 But you have despised the poor.  Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats?
 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called?
 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well,
 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners.
 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill."  Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law.
 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty.
 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment.
 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works?  Can faith save him?
 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food,
 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that?
 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone.
 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works."
 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble.
 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect?
 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

___James chapter 3
 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all.  If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies.
 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants.
 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things.  See how great a matter a little fire kindles!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.
 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind,
 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brothers, these things ought not to be.
 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries?  Or a vine, figs?  So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you?  Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom.
 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth.
 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace.

___James chapter 4
 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from?  Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members?
 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask.
 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts.
 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?"
 6 But he gives more grace.  So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.
 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.
 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up.
 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers.  He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge.
 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else?
 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit,"
 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.
 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that."
 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil.
 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

___James chapter 5
 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.
 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten.
 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire.  You've heaped treasure together for the last days.
 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath.
 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter.
 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you.
 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord.  See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain.
 8 You also be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near.
 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door.
 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
 11 See, we count them happy that endure.  You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation.
 13 Is anyone among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is anyone merry?  Let him sing psalms.
 14 Is anyone sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord,
 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven.
 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good.
 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months.
 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him,
 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.