Grace
September 4, 2022:
Many Christians believe in karma. They may not actually call it that (though some do). Karma, briefly is "destiny or fate, following as effect from cause. Within world religions it is a part of Hindu...or more recently a part of Wicca which professes the belief that whatever you put into the world, good or bad, you will receive back three-fold.
Outside of religion, it seems to be a natural human reaction to the sin and depravity of fellow humans that they will, “get what is coming to them.” This view of justice might appeal to those who have no true insight into the justice of God. The idea that people get what they deserve might make us feel better about the broken world around us and that in the midst of all this, there is hope that at some point, these horrible people might pay for their wrongdoings in this life. I recollect at one point hearing one of my favorite John Lennon's songs called "Instant Karma," which was one of his first solo efforts after the Beatles break up. I remember for a long time thinking he had good insight into important religious points even though he despised religion (which is clearly articulated in the insipid lyrics of "Imagine" that he released a year later). But he really did not. In fact a lot of his songs are an attempt to make sense of out of a world that didn't make sense to him as many people do.
That is, until those people are us.
Karma is a belief in an impersonal cosmic force that dictates one’s life based on their actions. If your life is going well, it can be assumed that you have done mostly good and therefore are receiving the benefit of the cosmic scales of morality being tipped your way. On the other side of the proverbial coin, if your life is going horribly, it can be assumed that you have done something to deserve this and must suffer through it to balance the scales.
Karmic systems reject a biblical view of justice and grace. But, you might ask, what about Galatians 6:7 where Paul writes, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Paul is not indicating here that something like karma is at work, but rather, the language of reaping and sowing found throughout the Bible teaches that there are consequences for our actions just as there are consequences for planting or not planting seed. In Galatians 6, the instruction to sow and reap is in light of Paul’s instruction to share all good things with the teacher of the Word and to be generous within the household of faith. Paul was not saying that there will be great amounts of blessing handed back to those who are generous and great pain to those who do not..
God did not create a world with a system of justice that simply hands out what we deserve. And we all should say a hearty amen on that. The Christian view of justice is that there absolutely is unjust suffering in this broken world, and Christ came to address it. In the face of suffering Christ brings resurrection and redemption, not resignation. In light of this, the follower of Christ must contend with the fleshly desire in each of us to see people “get what they deserve” in this life. Paul confirms that there are consequences to our actions in Galatians 6:8 that “… the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” We must never forsake grace in our dealings with ourselves and one another though, as God has surely rejected the notion that He should give us what we deserve in weighed-out and impartial doses. If God was giving us what we deserve few of us, if any, would likely be here right now.
Grace is the hope for a people that God describes as being dead in their trespasses and strictly unable to do good apart from His working in and through them. A people that, if left to impersonal cosmic scales, would surely measure out condemnation for themselves every time. Instead, in Christ, we are offered that which we do not deserve: Grace in the form of forgiveness and life.
The important takeaway from this for me is that I cannot demand or bargain for grace. I have unwittingly tried. You can't wrestle God or angels for blessings. Grace is entirely in the hands of God and He imparts to whom and where He desires. . After all, it was grace through faith that saved us and nothing by our effort and contingent on the work of Christ (Eph 2:8-9).
Many Christians believe in karma. They may not actually call it that (though some do). Karma, briefly is "destiny or fate, following as effect from cause. Within world religions it is a part of Hindu...or more recently a part of Wicca which professes the belief that whatever you put into the world, good or bad, you will receive back three-fold.
Outside of religion, it seems to be a natural human reaction to the sin and depravity of fellow humans that they will, “get what is coming to them.” This view of justice might appeal to those who have no true insight into the justice of God. The idea that people get what they deserve might make us feel better about the broken world around us and that in the midst of all this, there is hope that at some point, these horrible people might pay for their wrongdoings in this life. I recollect at one point hearing one of my favorite John Lennon's songs called "Instant Karma," which was one of his first solo efforts after the Beatles break up. I remember for a long time thinking he had good insight into important religious points even though he despised religion (which is clearly articulated in the insipid lyrics of "Imagine" that he released a year later). But he really did not. In fact a lot of his songs are an attempt to make sense of out of a world that didn't make sense to him as many people do.
That is, until those people are us.
Karma is a belief in an impersonal cosmic force that dictates one’s life based on their actions. If your life is going well, it can be assumed that you have done mostly good and therefore are receiving the benefit of the cosmic scales of morality being tipped your way. On the other side of the proverbial coin, if your life is going horribly, it can be assumed that you have done something to deserve this and must suffer through it to balance the scales.
Karmic systems reject a biblical view of justice and grace. But, you might ask, what about Galatians 6:7 where Paul writes, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Paul is not indicating here that something like karma is at work, but rather, the language of reaping and sowing found throughout the Bible teaches that there are consequences for our actions just as there are consequences for planting or not planting seed. In Galatians 6, the instruction to sow and reap is in light of Paul’s instruction to share all good things with the teacher of the Word and to be generous within the household of faith. Paul was not saying that there will be great amounts of blessing handed back to those who are generous and great pain to those who do not..
God did not create a world with a system of justice that simply hands out what we deserve. And we all should say a hearty amen on that. The Christian view of justice is that there absolutely is unjust suffering in this broken world, and Christ came to address it. In the face of suffering Christ brings resurrection and redemption, not resignation. In light of this, the follower of Christ must contend with the fleshly desire in each of us to see people “get what they deserve” in this life. Paul confirms that there are consequences to our actions in Galatians 6:8 that “… the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” We must never forsake grace in our dealings with ourselves and one another though, as God has surely rejected the notion that He should give us what we deserve in weighed-out and impartial doses. If God was giving us what we deserve few of us, if any, would likely be here right now.
Grace is the hope for a people that God describes as being dead in their trespasses and strictly unable to do good apart from His working in and through them. A people that, if left to impersonal cosmic scales, would surely measure out condemnation for themselves every time. Instead, in Christ, we are offered that which we do not deserve: Grace in the form of forgiveness and life.
The important takeaway from this for me is that I cannot demand or bargain for grace. I have unwittingly tried. You can't wrestle God or angels for blessings. Grace is entirely in the hands of God and He imparts to whom and where He desires. . After all, it was grace through faith that saved us and nothing by our effort and contingent on the work of Christ (Eph 2:8-9).
