Cause and Effect

In the last post, I labeled some things as consequences of sin or disobedience to God. However, I want to make it clear that just because we see something that might be a consequence of sin, that doesn't mean it is. Mental illness can be the result of sin, but many people are afflicted with this due to no sin on their part. This is certainly the same with sickness or other disabilities. Often with sickness, we must seek the Lord to see if there is any guilt associated with us, but we must not assume there is.

I know of many people who have such guilt complexes that everything bad that happens to them, they put at the feet of their own sin. Usually this is not the case, especially if a sin has already been punished or if a sin has been repented of. If God says a sin is forgiven, punishment from God is past (even though some human beings love to punish past the point of forgiveness).

The earthquake in Haiti, 9/11 and other disasters have been claimed by national leaders to be the result of God's judgment on a nation. However, this is using a logical fallacy-- taking a complex situation and applying one simplistic cause for it, without actually checking the evidence.

It could simply be a natural event that God wants to heal. In fact, God could use a calamity, like the one in Haiti, to bring more healing to a nation because they have suffered enough.

A calamity could just be oppression, like most wars, where blame is rested on those who caused it, not God.

It says in Scripture, however, that God doesn't attack a nation without prophecy declaring that He will be doing it. (Amos 3:7) So Pat Robertson and others need to be quiet unless they have evidence backing up their claim.

On the other hand, many of us tend to overlook or disregard our sin as insignificant. It is true that if we truly repent, we will be truly forgiven. But God still holds us accountable for our actions, and repentance is necessary. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For 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." Galatians 6:7-8