Cause and Effect

A central principle that is woven into the entire relationship between God and man is personal responsibility. If you have heard the erroneous doctrine of, “generational curses,” then you know my painful plight. But, other, equally egregious, and mainstream doctrinal beliefs cause equal amounts of confusion and/or reduction of personal responsibility. Three of the main ones are, “Reformed Theology (Calvinism),” Dispensational Theology, and the, “once-saved-always-saved,” doctrine that is pervasive in many belief circles. I do not intend on turning this message today into some theological thesis or scholarly dissertation of these enshrined positions because I have a more beneficial intention than just disseminating information. My heart’s desire with every breath is to impact others in their heart’s desires by revealing Jesus and His truth.

But, I do have to define (quickly) these above terms so you at least can have a place of unified footing for the exhortation. These definitions are completely my language. Others will define them much differently, likely because the definition will change based on whether the one defining the term is an advocate/proponent or an opponent. I will publicly admit I am an opponent, but that does not mean I do not deeply understand their doctrines and beliefs. Additionally, I get ALL of my theology and doctrinal beliefs from the scriptures through good hermeneutics and (sometimes exhaustive) exegesis.

Definitions

Hermeneutics: The study of the general principles of biblical interpretation and understanding. This requires using and understanding the entire Biblical corpus (canon) where scripture is used to interpret scripture based mostly on the actual context of the writers and the readers within the culture that created the text.

Exegesis: A critical explanation or interpretation of a text. This is done Biblically by using multiple sources through which more knowledge can be gained to establish a proper interpretation of an idea. These sources will include concordances, dictionaries, commentaries, extra-biblical writings from the same era and societies, personal meditation, prayer, lexicons, and historical writings or historical records.

Reformed Theology: A basic system of belief using the TULIP principles to establish the core idea for the, “sovereignty,” of God. They define God’s, “sovereignty,” as unaccountable, unknowable, predetermined, unavoidable, potentially unjust (by human standards), uncaring, and in complete control of all of our experiences and outcomes. Simply put; everything and everyone that has ever existed or ever will exist are all operating under a predetermined future where free will or choice are not legitimate options because God controls everything.

TULIP: An acronym that refers to the five points of Calvinism, a theological system named after the 16th-century French reformer John Calvin. The TULIP doctrine has been a source of much controversy throughout Christian history. Some Christians believe that the doctrine is true to the Bible, while others believe that it is a denial of human free will. The five points are:

• • Total depravity: This doctrine holds that all of humanity is completely corrupted by sin and is incapable of saving themselves.
  • Unconditional election: This doctrine holds that God, before the foundation of the world, chose certain individuals to be saved. This choice was not based on anything good in the individuals themselves, but on God’s mercy alone.
  • Limited atonement: This doctrine holds that Jesus Christ died only for the sins of the elect. This means that not everyone will be saved, only those who were chosen by God from eternity past.
  • Irresistible grace: This doctrine holds that God’s grace is irresistible, meaning that those whom God has chosen to be saved cannot resist his grace.
  • Perseverance of the Saints: This doctrine holds that those who have been saved by God’s grace will never fall away from salvation. They will persevere in faith and obedience until they are glorified in heaven.

Dispensational Theology: A theological framework for interpreting the Bible that emphasizes the division of history into seven distinct dispensations, or periods, in which God deals with humanity in different ways (He changes based on how people are). Each dispensation is characterized by a specific covenant, or agreement, between God and His people. This belief system was mostly invented in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby and thrust into mainstream Christianity by the Scofield Bible (Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, 1843-1922). The doctrines were cemented into the commentary sections of his bible (making Scofield’s words nearly equal to the scriptures themselves) and were sent, for free, to nearly every pulpit in America in a period when Bibles were not easy to come by ensuring these bibles would be widely accepted and read. This mostly enshrined their system of thought into modern Christianity so deeply that even today most Bible readers will automatically have their thoughts filtered through this system.

• • The seven dispensations (sometimes called covenantal periods) of dispensational theology are:
    1. Innocence: The period from Adam and Eve to the fall, when humanity was in a state of perfect obedience to God. (Adamic Covenant)
    2. Conscience: The period from the fall to the giving of the Mosaic Law, when humanity was under the conviction of their conscience. (Noahtic Covenant and Abrahamic Covenant)
    3. Human Government: The period from the giving of the Mosaic Law to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel, when humanity was under the rule of human government.
    4. Patriarchy: The period from the establishment of the monarchy in Israel to the Babylonian captivity, when humanity was under the rule of patriarchs, or fathers, such as Abraham, Moses, and David. (Davidic Covenant)
    5. Law: The period from the Babylonian captivity to the coming of Jesus Christ, when humanity was under the Law of Moses.
    6. Grace: The present age, from the coming of Jesus Christ to His second coming, when humanity is under the grace of God. (New Covenant)
    7. Millennium: The period of 1,000 years that will follow the second coming of Jesus Christ, when Christ will reign on earth in righteousness and peace. This is based on, “rapture,” language invented in Darby’s time and the followers (“Darby-ites”) were said to be in Darby-ism.

“Once-saved-always-saved”: Is not as much a doctrine per se as it is a deeply held belief system mostly embraced by evangelicals. Also known as the, “perseverance of the saints,” it holds that once a person has been truly saved by God’s grace, they cannot, “lose,” (or backslide, or sin away) their salvation. This doctrine is based on the belief that God’s love and grace are unconditional and that He will never, “abandon,” someone who has been saved by Jesus’ blood. Those who adhere to this belief do not require any level of, “believing loyalty,” or, “allegiant faith,” as a necessity for salvation, but more think of salvation as a momentary experience precipitated by overwhelming emotions and sealed with a, “prayer of salvation,” that guarantees that a person has, “purchased fire insurance,” for their soul in the afterlife.

That was as quick as I could make it… I truly hope these definitions will help expand your understanding of how people in Christianity around you likely believe. These above doctrines make up (in whole or in part) the VAST majority of all believers in America, and even worldwide.

I do not align with any of these systems. I do not like or submit to religious systems (systematic theology) in any form, mainly because, if you try to box in a relationship through systematic interaction, the relationship will never have the freedom to be as sincere, authentic, or deep as the two participants could potentially go. I would be devastated to find that I limited God in my life, or my relationship with God, because I chose a system over Him (like the Jews in the Gospels did regularly).

With all of that in your head, one of the devastating effects I want to point out is how each of these false beliefs will contribute to a person who can reject personal accountability for the decisions and choices of their own life… and do it with religion backing them up. This is an excessively dangerous position. When a person does bad stuff, it should be expected for them to have the convicting work of their conscience and the Spirit of God letting them know they are doing life wrong. But, if a person does bad stuff and can have, “God’s word,” backing up their choices, they are in a paradoxical and infinite cycle of wrong living that can, and will, bring destruction into their life.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT

“Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

Acts 17:30-31 BSB

“The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.”

Ezekiel 18:20 BSB

I could go on and on with this simple reality of personal, individual, and lifelong responsibility for our decisions, choices, and consequences. This is one of the basic tenets of God’s righteousness and justice.

“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:7-8 BSB

The reason I am taking such precious time to initially lay out these truths is that we now live in a society that is repeatedly convinced that they have no culpability for the condition of the heart. The life they have is caused by someone else’s choices. The reason their kids are jacked up is because of the other parent, or they were just created with that personality, or they were born broken. The reason their health is a mess is because their genetics are filled with a history of sick and diseased people. They live in a poverty mindset because they were raised that way by their terrible parents. “The devil makes me do the stupid stuff I do!” The government is set up in such a way that they can never get free. Our world is filled with systemic racism and other systemic shackles that hold everyone back and continually make everyone a victim.

Then, we add the religious folks with their doctrinal nonsense to the fray…

“God made me this messed up… I was just destined to suffer like poor, ole’ Job… God must have predestined me to be sick to teach me sumthin’… God is in control, so just let go and let God… It couldn’t happen if God didn’t want it to… It must be God’s will for these wretched circumstances because it could not happen if God didn’t ordain it… You never know what God’s gonna do… God may not do evil things to you but He ALLOWS evil to hurt you… All this craziness in the world is good because it is prophetically aligned with the end times events… Yep, this world getting worse and worse means we are getting closer and closer to the apocalypse!”

All that… it is all a tangled web of deception spun by the black widow of hell who hopes you will walk into the trap (skandalon) when he can send his crippling poison into your veins making you the prey that he can devour at his will.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

Whom he may! Well, he may not devour me or my family! How do I know this?

“He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.”

2 Timothy 2:25-26 BSB

I have positioned myself to be reproved by my Good Shepherd and the other shepherds in my life which keeps me from the enemy’s snare.

“For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 BSB

Notice that I have highlighted the problem… it is the people. Paul did not cast blame on the false teachers, the false prophets, the false apostles, or the anti-Christ himself! It was placed directly on the shoulders of the individual.

What do we do?

“But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Verse 5

Stay sober minded and keep the main thing the main thing. Fill our lives with the King, seeking His Kingdom, surrounded by Kingdom peeps, and living with His truth.

“Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:10-11 BSB

Boy-oh-boy! Sign me up for that reward… a, “lavish reception,” sounds like my kinda party!

Every choice and every thought has a consequence… either I am positioning myself under the Lord’s care or taking myself away from Him. I am only in charge of or can rightfully control one person…me!

Beloved, it is time for us to take charge of this Great Awakening by taking ownership of ourselves. If all of us were fully seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, there would be no one that the enemy could have on his menu… let us work together to starve him to death!

I love you!
Steve