The Consequence Engine
by Dr. John Barnett

Today all of us operate under some very powerful but often unseen laws around us. These are the laws of the physical universe. The laws of gravity, chemistry, and physics are inflexible, unstoppable and very unforgiving - and we all must bow before them.

But what we seldom consider are the other laws, the ones that govern the spiritual world that surrounds us. In the pits of despair David learned about those laws. It is a law that says that there are unavoidable consequences for our choices. And David wanted positive consequences - he didn't like the negative ones he experienced in the pits he had gone through.

David disobeyed God and something happened - called a consequence. He was saddened, troubled, fretful, anxious, depressed and finally despairing. When he sat back and analyzed all that had happened he realized that the Lord allowed all that as a consequence for all of his actions.

Look with me at Psalm 57:7. Here David declares that his heart is fixed. He declared that he would not slip back into the pits of despair again by going his own way in his own strength. He learns how to minister in a place where troubles surround him without being dragged down by those around him.

David goes on to the most fruitful years of his life with an unbroken string of spiritual and material triumphs. He rises to the highest levels of leadership, worship, and heritage. What an incredible time of his life. And all that seems to start right here in Psalm 57. So this is a crucial Psalm for our spiritual nurture and development.

In Psalm 57 David had learned a law of the spiritual universe--there is a consequence for every act that is unavoidable. As sure as the laws of nature are the laws of the spiritual world; and that law can be called the consequence engine.

But before we get into these precious treasure laden verses - go back with me to this concept of the consequence engine. Let me explain it as we turn to Galatians 6:7-9.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

God always rewards good and eventually punishes all evil. No detail, no matter how minute--escapes His attention.

Most lost people and many immature believers speculate that God, because He is good, grants some type of general amnesty to people, adding up good deeds, subtracting the bad, and throwing in some extra mercy here and there, so that just about everybody can make it to heaven somehow.

Nothing could be further from Christ's Word in the Bible. Every human choice and every action has consequences, whether good or ill. We are all affected by the choices others make as well! This reality of consequences and God's Laws that govern the physical and spiritual universe I'd like to call - "The Consequence Engine".

Most people are not interested in knowing the real God. They are actually enemies of God. This general animosity towards the real God is the main cause of the invention of earth's many religions. God gives everyone enough knowledge of His existence and of His attributes so that all men everywhere are without excuse, (Romans 1:18-21). When people hear, but reject, the gospel of Jesus Christ, God ordinarily leaves such people alone and they live out the rest of their lives--often in relative peace and even prosperity.

There seem to be no immediate obvious negative consequences to their unbelief. But because the silent, invisible wrath of God rests upon all men who reject Him--there is gradually increasing emptiness in the lives of those who refuse God's grace and mercy (John 3:36). In Ecclesiastes, Solomon states clearly that enjoyment in life is a gift from God given only to those who please Him--and not obtainable any other way!

Ecclesiastes 2:24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.

The record books of life are being kept up daily by recording angels who miss no details. Judgment is totally fair and just--even for the lost. Punishment is appropriately proportional, following the great principle outlined in Romans 2--God weighs the motives of the heart as well as behavior, and He takes into account the individual's actual knowledge of God.

Nonbelievers do not cease to exist when they die, nor do they pass into limbo or purgatory. After death they end up intact and conscious at the "last" judgment described in Revelation 20:12-13.

Revelation 20:12-13 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

Negative consequences in time and eternity occur when a follower of Jesus Christ does things in his or her own flesh, our natural energy and strength. A number of New Testament passages highlight this:

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

One of the features of the negative consequence engine at work is that we do not get to choose the consequences of our sins.

Christians are not judged for their sins--which have been paid in full by Jesus--but certainly we are thoroughly evaluated for all our choices in life--like everyone else. All of our choices in life have negative or positive consequences.

As a child, I grew up watching my parents minister to men from our local rescue mission. My dad always said, "God saved their soul but He doesn't give them a new stomach or liver!" Many of those radiant faced new converts went on to have years of terrible health problems - negative consequences of poor choices earlier in their lives.

So, just what possible consequences can there be for us who are in Christ? Negative consequences can involve lost opportunities for service, increased vulnerability to the same bad choices the next time we are tempted, and in some cases even an early death.

The negative consequence engine for the Christian should never be thought of as punishment for sins--because Jesus has already been fully punished for the believers sins--all of them. Consequences of our bad choices is not the same thing as punishment for sin. Neither is it to be confused with God's corrective discipline of his wayward sons and daughters (Hebrews 12:6-17).

What counts in life - actions that lead to positive consequences, are the works Jesus does in and through us when we make ourselves available to God. God does not want our best efforts on his behalf! The basic rule of Christian life is "nothing coming from me, everything coming from Him." We are not to give God our very best efforts. Self0improvement programs are of no avail. "Trying harder" doesn't cut it.

However, it is by trusting and acting on what God has promised that we unloose the power of God working in us so that the consequence engine runs in our favor. That is again the reason for David's declaration in the middle of Psalm 57 - his heart was fixed on God. His will was yielded, his life was offered as a sacrificial offering. As Paul said over and over0he was God's servant or slave.

Jesus is more than willing to live through us whenever we give Him permission. Someone has said, "There is no limit to what God will do through any individual, if that person doesn't care who gets the credit."

Identifying the "flesh" in our lives is a life-long task--the flesh will do anything to avoid being put to death. We do not readily recognize the flesh in ourselves apart from our daily obedience to Jesus--and our ongoing feeding on the Word of God. Hebrews offers key insights into our day to day walk in the Spirit.

Hebrews 4:1--13 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

We need to thoughtfully and deliberately respond to the truth of God's Word that we have heard today.

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Saturday, August 01, 2009