The Bible’s Cause and Effect Theology, By Femi Aribisala

Why do plagues occur? According to 2 Samuel 24, plagues occur if we conduct a census. It says God punished Israel severely with a plague because David imprudently conducted a census of the nation. Some 70,000 Israelites were killed as a result.

How do we stop a plague? Plagues can be stopped by offering a sacrifice. David stopped the plague by offering a sacrifice at the threshing floor. (2 Samuel 24:18-25).

Simplistic Analysis

In 2 Chronicles 21:10, we are told the Edomites revolted against Judah’s rule because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord? But can this really be the reason why the Edomites rebelled? Did the Edomites even know or care that Jehoram had forsaken the Lord? Are there not more cogent “actual” reasons why the Edomites rebelled? Even from a theological perspective, is it not simplistic to insist bad things automatically happen in this life to those who forsake the Lord?

Let us use this dogma in understanding contemporary history. Why did the terrorists attack the “twin towers” of the World Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001? They did because George Bush forsook the Lord. Why did they not attack a similarly prominent building in France at the time? It must be because Jacques Chirac, then president of France, did not forsake the Lord.

Surely there are more cogent social and political reasons why the terrorists attacked the twin towers in New York. Similarly, there must be more cogent reasons why the Edomites rebelled against Judah under Jehoram.

The bible’s presentation is naïve and cannot be historically accurate. Moreover, according to Jesus, it cannot be theologically accurate either. Jesus dealt with this kind of nonsense masquerading as religious dogma when he was asked if a man was blind from birth because of his sins or those of his parents. He told his disciples the presumption that bad things happen because of our sins is a fallacy. (John 9:1-3; see also Luke 13:1-5).

This means if we base our faith on some of the precepts of the bible, we can be misled. If we are not careful, the bible can easily make us superstitious. It is imperative therefore to recognise that our faith should be based on the word of Jesus. It is Jesus and not the bible that is the infallible word of God.

False Doctrine

The bible says Jehoram’s sin was in marrying Ahab’s daughter; leading to the rebellion of the Edomites. (2 Kings 8:18). Therefore, we have this great biblical lesson: “A man who marries the daughter of an evil man will come to ruin.” Better still, we can create a proverb out of this: “A wise king marries the daughter of a righteous man.” “The king who marries the daughter of an evil man brings disaster upon his kingdom.” This becomes a spiritual object lesson derived from bible “history.”

But then the same bible goes to great lengths to contradict this simplistic view of history and theology. It does this most eloquently in the book of Job.

For illustration, Proverbs makes a categorical statement that the whirlwind is fashioned to destroy the wicked: “The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.” (Proverbs 10:24-25). This is presumed to be the word of God by those Christians who insist everything in the bible is true.

But this same doctrine is contradicted by the experience of righteous Job whose children were killed by a whirlwind. (Job 1:18-20). Job had been taught, like most Christians still are today, that bad things only happen to bad people. Therefore, he spends his time questioning God. He complains that he has lived a righteous life and yet is rewarded with adversity.

Moreover, Job’s friends torment him with the classical but bankrupt biblical principle that bad things don’t happen to good people. They ask: “Whoever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?” (Job 4:7-9). Job ends up by using himself as evidence that the ways of God are mysterious and that in this world there is no watertight correlation between cause and effect. He notes that God “destroys the blameless and the wicked” (Job 9:22), and concludes that God’s providence follows no logical or discernible pattern.

Biblical Self-critique

In effect, the inclusion of Job in the bible serves as a critique of the bible. It also serves as an indictment of those who hold the simplistic theological dogma that is often presented as wisdom in the Old Testament:

God offers Job no explanation for bringing adversity upon him. He simply makes him understand that his wisdom and judgment cannot be questioned by mere mortals. He asks Job: “Where were you when the foundations of the earth were laid?” “What do you know, and what do you really understand?” The solution to Job’s problem is to trust God whatever the situation or the circumstance.

The ways of God cannot be neatly programmed by the application of the wisdom tradition of Judaism prevalent in the bible. That tradition is too simplistic and dogmatic. It is not possible to understand God’s actions and inactions using such doctrines. But through faith in God and humble acceptance of his providence, God rescues Job from the hollowness of the wisdom tradition. He then descends in judgement upon his friends who used their ignorance to condemn him.

This is similar to Jesus’ admonition of the Pharisees: “If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Matthew 12:7).

Naïve Proverbs

In short, we can use the bible to critique the bible without diminishing our faith. The bible is full of simplistic statements masquerading as God-given theological doctrines. Many of them are naïve and palpably false. Here is one example: “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” (Psalms 37:25). But are the righteous never forsaken?

Here is a contradiction, penned also by David and validated on the cross by Jesus: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus was righteous, nevertheless, he was forsaken on the cross.

There are a host of others in Proverbs. “The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry.” (Proverbs 10:3). This is false. “Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.” (Proverbs 13:21). Observe that Jeremiah has a completely different point of view. He asks: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?” (Jeremiah 12:1).

We don’t only get these false “truisms” in the Old Testament. Paul’s epistles is also full of them. Only one example here should suffice: “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Think about this so-called scripture for a minute. You will immediately realise it is not true as a general rule. Therefore, it cannot be the word of God.

Prelate Sunday Mbang: The wrath of God will visit the Children, Grandchildren of corrupt politicians

Former Prelate of the Methodist Church and one time President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAND, Prelate Sunday Mbang, has said that the wrath of God will visit the children and grand children of corrupt politicians who steal from the treasury just to benefit themselves and their families. The clergy man who recently turned 80 years old, said this in a recent interview with Tribune.

"In Christianity, the Bible makes it clear that when you commit a crime, it is to the third and fourth generations. The belief with us is that they have allowed the grace of God in the New Testament to seem to have covered what is in the Old Testament – the wrath and love of God – which is also reflected in the New Testament. If you don’t repent of your sin, the wrath of God will fall upon you. People suffer in this country and what they would do is to explain it scientifically. I said it earlier that I made a prayer and someone died. 

That death would be explained scientifically and so the main point would be clear to the people. The fact is that once you commit sin; once you loot public treasury; once you convert money belonging to the people for yourself and family, you will suffer, your children will suffer to the third and fourth generations. When these things happen, people explain them scientifically. 

Nowadays if anything happens to someone, it would be blamed on either the brother, father or the mother, not knowing that God’s wrath might have fallen on the person. Every sin has punishment. 

What I can tell our politicians is that all the sins they have committed – corruption, hatred, killings, kidnapping, false accusations – the wrath of the God will visit them one after the other to the third and fourth generations. My prayer is that all those seeking political appointments, because the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, God is the owner of the earth. He is not an absentee landlord. He is interested in this world. So when you come and do whatever you feel like, don’t think God does not see it. He sees everything we do and He gives us the grace for what we have done right and punishment, for our wrongs. 

My advice to the politicians is for them to remember that whatsoever they sow, they shall reap. If they escape it, their children will not. If they do, their grandchildren will bear the punishment, whether they like it or not. You can go to prayer houses to pray, unless you repent. When Zacchaeus, the tax collector in the Bible wanted to repent, he said he would return ten times all that he had taken unlawfully. Can any politician do that? If they can do so, God can show mercy because some of them might have ignorantly stolen. Even if Buhari decides to leave them unpunished, they can’t escape from God. 

That is my advice to all the Christians who venture into politics. God is watching them and their family every day. Every sin they commit against that person who has gotten food to eat in his house, God will not allow them to go scot-free" he said.

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Is the Bible Really a Work of Divine Inspiration? Read How the Contents Differ

1.

2Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

2.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Exodus 32:14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

3.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith . . . not by works.
James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? . . . Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Revelation 22:12 Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

4 .(Jesus speaking)
Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.
Matthew 6:1 Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them.

5. (Jesus speaking)
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.
Matthew 10:34 Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

6.
Genesis 32:30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and my life was preserved.”
Exodus 33:11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God.

7. (Jesus speaking)
John 5:31 If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.
John 8:14 Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid.

8.
1KI 4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.

2CH 9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

9.
PRO 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

ECC 1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

1CO 1:19: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

10.
ISA 14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

DEU 24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

11.
NUM 12:3: “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”

NUM 31:14, 17, 18: “And Moses was wroth…And Moses said unto them, “Have ye saved all the women alive? … Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman, … But all the women children … keep alive for yourselves.”

12.
II SAMUEL 24:13: So God came to David, and told him, and said unto him, shall SEVEN YEARS OF FAMINE come unto thee in thy land? or will thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue. thee?

I CHRONICLES 21:11: SO God came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee. Either THREE YEARS OF FAMINE or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee;.

13.
“I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy.” (JER 13:14) “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not, but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling.”

“The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.” (JAS 5:11)
“For his mercy endureth forever.” (1CH 16:34)
“The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (PSA 145:9)
“God is love.” (1JO 4:16)

14.
PRO 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

PRO 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

15.
“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham.” (GEN 22:1)

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” (JAS 1:13)

16.
2KI 24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

2CH 36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.

17.
When did Baasha die?

1KI 16:6-8 26th year of the reign of Asa

2CH 16:1 36th year of the reign of Asa

18.

Who was the mother of Abijah?

2CH 11:20 Maachah the daughter of Absalom

2CH 13:2 Michaiah the daughter of Uriel.