Viewing entries tagged
consequences
We hear people talking more and more today about karma. The word expresses the cause-and-effect principle whereby a person’s actions determine what will happen to them. Understanding how the Bible introduces the concept of karma helps us see its weaknesses and where its remedy lies.
Nobody’s watching. Surely, no one will notice. You’ve heard God’s warnings, but you decide to do it anyway. It’s compromise. You’re cutting a corner. You’ve stepped over the line. And then you wait for God’s consequences. Only they don’t come. Whew, you got away with it! Or did you? In those moments, we often misinterpret sin’s consequences and God’s heart toward us.
We hear sin talked about in terms of its eternal consequences and the wonder of Jesus’ forgiveness so much that we can start to think that there’s nothing more to it. The problem with that is that it can make us feel as if there’s no reason to deny ourselves. In a moment of weakness, Christian grace can feel like a hall pass that nullifies all the consequences of sin. That’s not helpful.
