Concerning the reference to Job in your study on Union and Fellowship. Doesn’t God allow things to happen to good people to continue their growth? Not that God is arbitrary, but trials are for growth and proving aren’t they? Job was tested, Abraham was tested, things like that go on all the time. What do you say?
I say that’s a bit of false teaching conceived by Satan to help him duck the blame for all the evil he has brought into the world. Think about it. What does God want us to grow into? By what measure are we supposed to prove ourselves, and to whom? In God’s opinion we’ve already become a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), we’re as righteous as He is (2 Cor. 5:21), and we’ve been made perfect forever by His sacrifice on our behalf (Hebr. 10:12-14).
In addition, at the Rapture, He’s going to change us from mortal to immortal, and from being corrupt to being incorruptible (1 Cor. 15:53). In light of all that, how will making us endure trials here on earth somehow make us more worthy of living in eternity with Him?
Jesus said, “In this world you will have you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). He didn’t say through our troubles we would overcome the world. And how could He have said, “Take heart (don’t be discouraged) I have overcome the world.” If He Himself was behind the trials we face? It wouldn’t make sense.
Some bad things happen to us because of our own behavior. The others are due to the fact that this world is an evil, sin-filled place that is currently under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19). He can cause bad things to happen to anyone at any time without reason. The way God is involved in our trials is to turn them into blessings. Remember, He works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).