Tim Sweetman is an 18-year-old journalist, blogger, and student who lives near our nation's capital,
Washington D.C. He is much more widely known by his "code-name," Agent Tim. This name also serves as
the name of his popular blog, which has received over 750,000 visits since its debut three years ago. Contact Tim 
It was more than a day of “infamy” for those of us who stood in front of our television screens watching the falling, the fear, the flashes. We watched as two towers burned, gaping holes billowing smoke, screams, tears, sirens, frantic phone calls to family and friends. I need not describe that day to you — September 11. The silence when those words are spoken speaks volumes to the great tragedy felt within all of our hearts. In thinking about that day, most of us turn to our Sovereign God and cry out — how can this be happening? How, Dear God, can You allow such tragedy? Why could You not stop this? How is this right? How is this just?
For many atheists and agnostics, September 11 is a great tool within their arsenal of arguments against God. Was it’s God justice on America on September 11? they all ask. And to that I reply: God is just in all that He does, and September 11 was no exception. Was it God’s specific “justice” on America? That I will never answer with a positive “yes” or “no” on this earth.
To put it plainly, God was just in everything that He did on September 11. He is in control of everything that takes place on this earth, and was in control on that day. Did He let it happen? Yes, God allowed September 11 to happen. Do I know why He allowed it to happen? No, I don’t know why He let it happen. Who am I, but a mere man to understand God’s ways? Who can know the mind of God but Himself? I know that answer hurts — embracing the unknown, embracing faith, embracing truth is always hard. What kind of God let’s thousands die innocent deaths? Did He ignore the prayers of those Christians in those buildings asking for deliverance and safety?
First of all, none are innocent. Not one. Everyone deserves death — we do not deserve any life whatsoever on this earth. We are all sinners who by God’s grace are granted another day to live. So, in that respect, it was just of God to allow September 11 to happen. To say that it was His direct punishment is to put ourselves in the place of God. As mere man, we cannot say that it was or was not God’s punishment on sinful people. But we can say that everyone that died that day and who continues to die today receive their due punishment for sin.
We don’t like that answer — mystery is not something we seem to want to settle with. But all of us can look at that day and say — God was in control. We have to or we deny God’s sovereignty over His creation. When we understand this truth, days like September 11 make sense. We see a day where God chose to allow a great tragedy for His purpose. What that purpose is remains a mystery to us, but we do know that God works through all things for His glory. All things happen for His glory. Salvation is not centrally about Him loving us, but about Him glorifying Himself. It is no different with days like September 11.
You’re saying that day will bring glory to God? Ultimately, yes. For some reason, God chose for that tragic day to occur for his glory. I know that sounds horrible, disgusting, and cold. It’s not — if I were God I would have stopped that day. But I am not God — and I do not know the future, or the plans for the world. God does.
God was just in everything that He did on September 11. Yes, God allowed September 11 to happen. I don’t know why He let it happen, but I do know that it is all about His glory. Perhaps that day pointed thousands to consider their eternity without the cross as the center of their lives? Perhaps thousands will remember that day and not see simply terror, but the brave men and women who were their sacrificing their lives for men and women they had never seen or met? Whatever it is, we will know this: God was just on that day, and will always be just in everything that He does and allows.
August 7th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
[...] I Told You Like I said, one longer sized post this week. And what better day than the very middle? It’s not that long anyway. 723 words is a little over the 50 word limit, but again, one exception this week. Enjoy. [...]
August 8th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
God had nothing to do with it. He gives the free will to everyone to choose him or satan so don’t try pinning it on God! Satan, is the tempter, He tempted man, man followed his temptation. Yes as you said God did let it happen as with all other Evil, but NO GOD DID NOT DO IT!!!
August 8th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
God had nothing to do with it.
I believe God had everything to do with it in the fact that He knew it would happen before time began, and allowed it to happen even though He could have stopped it. And that does not make Him less just, or evil in the least.
As for the rest of the comment, I will simply say that I never said God did it (although I don’t think you’re saying I said that). Yet as you said, He did allow it to happen. Now, could God use it as specific judgment? Certainly, He could. I prefer not to think that, and in my mind that’s not the case. But for all I know as a mere man that could have been the case. We cannot affirmatively say — all I know is that all things are in God’s hands, and that all things work together for the good of those that love Him.
August 8th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
[...] this message from John Piper should help us as we wrestle with the tough issue presented in my post on God’s justice. I Told You Like I said, one longer sized post this week. And what better day than the very [...]
August 8th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
“Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?” (Lam 3:37-39)
I don’t know Tim. Find me one time in the Bible that God distances Himself from calamity on the earth. Where God is just reduced to just “knowing†that it will happen.
“I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create calamity,
I am the Lord, who does all these things.” (Isa 54:7)
Theses verses do not talk about God just knowing bad things are going to happen. God is pretty up front about who did it, Him!
I am going to have to think on this matter some more. I do not find any Biblical reason to say that God did not do it! The question is, did he do it for judgment. That I have to think on some more.
I lean to the position that it alright to say that God is judging sins here on earth. It just seems to fit better with my understanding of the Bible. If you can correct me on this, please do so.
Soli Deo Gloria
Charlie Albright
August 9th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Find me one time in the Bible that God distances Himself from calamity on the earth. Where God is just reduced to just “knowing†that it will happen.
I really like that statement, although I’m not fully sure that I can say for sure that it never happens. Just think of Jesus here on earth asking who touched his cloak. For some reason, that just seems to point me in the direction that in “knowing” God is still in control because He’s always more than knowing. He is allowing it to happen, therefore that makes Lamentations make perfect sense.
Another interesting thing in relation to this story is to look at the time Jesus talked about the tower that fell on eighteen people.
I do not find any Biblical reason to say that God did not do it!
Exactly. Hopefully I’ve said that clearly enough in the article.
The question is, did he do it for judgment. That I have to think on some more.
As do we all, and we will not really know until we see our Savior face to face. For now, we trust in His wisdom and sovereignty over all mankind.
August 9th, 2007 at 8:24 am
The problem with us as Americans is that we have the mindset that we deserve everything. Thus, when our sovereign God allows a tragedy to serve His purpose and will, we (collectively as Americans, certainly not every American, however) cry, “It’s not fair! We don’t deserve this! Why?”
America fails to realize what our founding fathers did: that only by the mercy of God are we even breathing at this moment.
“Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?” -Thomas Jefferson
If we were to take a completely honest look at America, would we not find that our once (for the most part) God-fearing nation is now deserving of a Sodom-and-Gomorrah-equivalent punishment? Yet by the mercy of our Creator, we remain.
As to whether God intentionally put the 9/11 tragedy on our country, God alone knows.
Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”
We cannot try to conform God or His actions to our own finite imaginations; to do so would be foolish speculation. Someday we will know, when we are together with Him.
1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
Perhaps one more thing we should realize is that Satan is NOT sovereign. Many times we blame our sin on him, when in fact we should be taking the responsibility for it. Did Satan cause 9/11? Perhaps he had a part in it (even saying this is speculation), but even if he did, as we see in the book of Job, he would have needed permission from God. Nothing escapes the vision of God. Nothing.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Right on Chad, right on.
August 9th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
No God Does Nothing Because He Sperates Himself From Evil. Yes He May Have Very Well Known That It Was Going To Happen. But God Does Not Control Peple He Allows Them Free Will To Follow Satan. I Mean Think About It Does God Ever Say That Him And Satan Work Together It Would Make No Since. Do Not Think I’m Pinning This On Satan. But He Did Have his Part In 9/11 Tempting man, man Did Not Have TO Follow But, He Did. Now I Want To know (Tim) Do You Think God Did It? Do You Think He Tempted Man? Do You Think He Took Control Of The Airplane And Said Hey Lets Just Get Rid Of These? Your Saying God May Have Had Somthing To Do With It?
August 9th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Joey says,
“No God Does Nothing Because He Sperates Himself From Evil.”
So, God had nothing to do with the cross? What the Pharisees and Romans did to Jesus was very evil! They murder a innocent man. Yet, when talking about this evil, the Bible says, “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan[!] and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (Acts 2:23)
Yes, the men who killed Jesus were acting by there own choices. And they will be punished for there actions. Yet, the mystery is, everything they choose to do was in direct accordance with God’s will!
The holiness of God is still very much true. God has never and will never commit a sin. Yet God is still sovereign. This is a paradox we cannot (or may never) be able to understand.
“Yes He May Have Very Well Known That It Was Going To Happen.”
So, if God knew it was going to happen, could He have stopped the planes flying into the towers? I take it that you would say yes. (since I don’t believe that you believe that God is not all powerful.) Then the question is, why did He not stop it?
One’s understanding of the will does not affect this situation. So, I will fore go that topic.
“Mean Think About It Does God Ever Say That Him And Satan Work Together”
Uh, No. But what does that have to do with this? Yes, Satan does evil on this earth. But as Chad pointed out, God reigns over Satan. Just as the men who killed Jesus was acting according to God’s plan. So to, Satan can only move and work where God governs. Do remember, God governs over Satan and evil, but is never responsible for evil.
——————————————————-
If you can Tim, please define yourself on “knowing.” The reason is that many people will use “knowing” to dodge the sovereignty issue. “God did not do it, He just ‘knew’ that it was going to happen.” You use knowing and doing the same. At least from what I am reading. May be I am reading you wrong though. Anyway, Are you affirming that God willed that 9/11 happened? Or, are you just saying that God knew it was going to happen?
Soli Deo Gloria
Charlie Albright
August 9th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
The Reformed Pastor Says:
“So, God had nothing to do with the cross? What the Pharisees and Romans did to Jesus was very evil! They murder a innocent man. Yet, when talking about this evil, the Bible says, “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan[!] and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (Acts 2:23)
Yes, the men who killed Jesus were acting by there own choices. And they will be punished for there actions. Yet, the mystery is, everything they choose to do was in direct accordance with God’s will!”
Yes But In A Way If You Think Jesus Immanual If You Will, Means God On Earth (God With Us) Gods Son Was And Will Be God On Earth. So If Jesus Didn’t Wan’t TO Die Then In A Song I Know(He Could Have Called 10,000 angels) Which He Didn’t. Jesus Knew Of His Fate And He Could Have Saved Himself But He Gave Himself For Our Sins Because He Was God On Earth. Don’t Get Me Wrong Yes Jesus Was God’s Son But He Also Was God Just In Physical Form. God did let that happen. Now What Happened On 9/11 Was Done by Man Not By God. SATAN TEMPTED MAN, AND MAN FOLLOWED AS I’VE POINTED OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME!!! GOD DID NOT TEMP MAN TO DO THAT AND DONT TRY TO TELL ME THAT MAN DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT!!! CAUSE YOU AS WELL AS I KNOW THAT SOMEONE WAS FLYING THOSE PLANES AND THAT MAN WAS INVOLVED!!!
I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
First off Joey, there is no reason in yelling. Don’t think that I have something against you. I just want to challenge the views that you are holding. If you can point out if and where I have gone wrong BIBLICALLY I would be most grateful. For you to just repeat something does not make it true. It needs rational, and most importantly, Biblical credibility. That is why I have been going to the Bible.
So do just realize that this is a discussion among friends. Not that I know you as a friend, but, I need to treat you with love and respect in my comments. If I do not do that at any time please point it out to me. For I am a sinner and very prone to sin.
Let me make what I was saying about the cross more clear. Yes, Jesus chose to die. There is no question about that. But what about the people who murdered Him? Were they not part of the definite plan? And my main point was this, God does get involved with evil; He just never does it. God did not just know that people were going to kill Jesus. He had it planned that people would kill Him. God was controlling evil. Now, the mystery is that, though God controls evil, He never does it.
“Done by Man Not By God”
Do you understand mine (and I believe Tim’s) understanding of the sovereignty of God? I stated it before.
God has an eternal plan hat most glorifies Him. He accomplishes that will my moving through the choices of men. Yet, never causes men to chose something that they would not choose. Yes, the terrorist chose to fly the planes. But mysteriously, though they chose according to there desires, God was accomplishing His will through them. God’s eternal plan was done. Where I get that understanding is from passages like,
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Eph 1:11)
“remember the former things of old;
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,”(Isa 46:9-10)
If you have any questions about this fill free to ask.
Just remember Joey, the Bible should guide our thoughts about who God is and what He does. Emotions should never determine who God is.
August 10th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I’ll have to quote myself and point everyone back to the original post.
God allowed September 11 to happen. I know he raised up Pharaoh for a purpose, and His hand is on everything that happens. How that works with free will continues to be a mystery, but it cannot be denied that both exist in harmony in this world. As for “knowing” versus being involved, I’ll just have to say that I’m not using it to avoid the sovereignty of God, but rather to say that it is possible that God simply allowed it rather than being the direct force (in other words, he allowed evil to run its course). Yet it is very possible that He was the one who was at the very center.
It might be beneficial to try and use a different word to explain, so I’ll have to think on that.
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:27 pm
Tim .. your “rational” makes God the author of evil.
You asked for a verse . James 1:13 ‘Let no one say he is tempted by God .. for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone”. Obviously means solicitation to do evil not mere testing of trials.
Perhaps a study of God’s genera; will, determined will, and permissive will and ….. fill it in yourself as you study.
I believe you have both confused evil with God, and come to a disastrous conclusion.
The cross itself is a disaster, only the resurrection and Pentecost gives victory to - of/thru - the cross. The cross “alone”is the dead Christ where evil triumphs. Why not worship the crucifix? Christianity is 3 “gears” - cross - res - pentecost-
Anyway “B+” for trying .. better than most people. Better if we takes Job’s supposed “answer” as in = who can know the “full mind of God (= Mystery). Can we not let EVIL be EVIL without meshing God as evil perpetrator (sp/) and thus God cannot be the author of evil. Modernity currently has blended evil and good into non-existence and thus non-God.
August 27th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
John he Baptist Says:
Tim .. your “rational†makes God the author of evil.
You asked for a verse . James 1:13 ‘Let no one say he is tempted by God .. for God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyoneâ€. Obviously means solicitation to do evil not mere testing of trials.
Perhaps a study of God’s genera; will, determined will, and permissive will and ….. fill it in yourself as you study.
I believe you have both confused evil with God, and come to a disastrous conclusion.
The cross itself is a disaster, only the resurrection and Pentecost gives victory to - of/thru - the cross. The cross “aloneâ€is the dead Christ where evil triumphs. Why not worship the crucifix? Christianity is 3 “gears†- cross - res - pentecost-
Anyway “B+†for trying .. better than most people. Better if we takes Job’s supposed “answer†as in = who can know the “full mind of God (= Mystery). Can we not let EVIL be EVIL without meshing God as evil perpetrator (sp/) and thus God cannot be the author of evil. Modernity currently has blended evil and good into non-existence and thus non-God.
(Thank You For The Help.)