The Factual Impact of Daily
Decisions and Choices
By
Pastor George D. Cutler
Grace Gospel Ministry
The majority of
Christendom believes that ones own
innate inclinations, as they translate into
varying actions; result in independent determinants of daily occurrences. Such
is the expression of the terminology, “decisions and choices,” as they are
perceived to control and shape the course of things that transpire. In the
formulation of this mindset lies the basis, which seeks to blot out the issue of
human mortality and instead establish man’s independence from God (based upon
his own efforts). Such thinking even seeks to blot out the issue of depravity
(evidenced by mankind’s personal sins) and instead establish the ability of
mortals to produce inherent goodness apart from God. This type cogitation even
seeks to blot out the consistent testimony of the incurably evil nature of the
world (steeped in creature rebellion and irretrievably sullied by it) and
instead suggest the possibility of establishing a new man-made Eden on earth
(both personal and collective)........... by
helping God!
This transmundane has bought forth the thinking
that has moved mankind from the primitive practice of worshiping things and
worshiping self to worshiping what one esteems, to what one does, to what one is
perceived to effectuate. In this view, humans (yes, even God’s people) in effect
create an idol (a personal good or goal) and glory in its perceived
accomplishment. This unfortunate illusion does not take into account that God
has a sovereign plan and purpose that He has already determined (worked out)
from eternity. Too many of God’s people subconsciously and some consciously
practice the pursuance of such even though the perceived good or goal is not
God's good or goal, as they assume in doing so that their intentions can trump
God's will. In this sense, the assumption is that God needs mankind’s
cooperation to accomplish this good or goal and that without such participation,
it wouldn't or couldn't be accomplished.
In this view, it is assumed that humans are
“helping God,” but in reality such posturing is only illusionary living. All of
mankind (especially believers) must come to realize that no lives could ever be
"fixed" or “influenced” apart from God through His design and truth. Actually,
nothing in this world will ever be "fixed" apart from God through His eternal
plan and decrees. Some, who continue to misunderstand God’s processes,
transmogrify from confidence and esteem in self instead of in God; to looking to
self for ultimate truth instead of to God. In reality of course, such end up
relying on, esteeming, looking to and prioritizing the humanistic–physical
sphere (but that of course is the purpose of this integrated system of
deception). Thus, it is outrageous to assume that pitifully limited human beings
could ever rise above the sin and evil that is the nature of depravity and
through self inspired efforts, create their own personal paradise on earth
(individual or collective).
This mindset is merely a small step from
assuming that one has no need of God and is in fact capable of exerting actions
that are equal to His (the essential logic that flows from trusting in oneself).
Within this cogitation is the sub-conscientious assumption that ones view of
this world and its life functions, is more realistic than what God proclaims in
His Word. This is indeed a flawed assumption, which in effect exudes the notion
that independent human actions are absolutely necessary in assisting God though
no one would ever venture to put it in these terms but that is what such
behavior amounts to. Hence there is the tendency to "help God" apart from His
will, as though the determination abides within oneself to decide what is good
to do for the world and for oneself (apart from what God wills). It is in this
sense that some are establishing goals and standards that they believe to be
equal and maybe even superior to God’s.
While this may seem to be not only an
outrageous but unlikely mind-set, it is in fact the principle upon which the
majority of the world's population is currently operating. For whether in the
social, political or religious realms, the majority of mankind is of the opinion
that what they are doing is "good", even though it is patently obvious to the
informed child of God that most of what is happening in the world is far from
good in light of the divine definition of that word. But most people and groups
are adept at justifying their actions …….. not on the basis of divine standards
of truth (for the truth of God reproves, corrects and aligns according to His
righteousness) but according to their own self-centered constructed standards.
These types of standards are generally flexible enough to bend to whatever
fleshly desires that may be prevailing at any given time, which are standards
that are innately diabolical at their base. It is critical to understand that it
is God’s standards, which establishes what is good; conversely, just because
something may appear to be good, does not make it so.
Thus, all daily functioning should be based
upon the truth that God's will is the issue, not human will; that God's
righteousness is the perfect standard, not depraved pathetic self-righteousness.
It is of course right and proper for every child of God to desire to please God
but this is possible only according to His will. A
corroborative example is, when Paul went to Damascus with every intent to have
the leaders of the Kingdom Church arrested and taken to Jerusalem for trial and
what had previously amounted to judicial murder, he was earnestly convinced that
he was "doing good" and "helping God" by working to eradicate this blasphemous
sect (cf. John 16:2). Contrariwise, in reality of course, he was persecuting
Jesus Christ and His church (Acts 9:5; 22:7-8; 26:14-15; Galatians 1:13). Thus,
what he originally vigorously opposed became the very cause to which he would
later devote his life and for which he would ultimately lose it.
The truth of the matter is that the
righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only true good - the center and focus of
all God's manifested workings. This is the essence of what opposition to God is
designed to replace and substitute for. "Doing good" apart from Christ’s
righteousness, worse yet, "doing good" while denying the exclusiveness of its
essence, is in rebellion to the entire purpose and plan of God for the lives of
His elect; for only in Jesus Christ is there any solution to the dilemma of the
sinful human nature. This is true whether the issue is applicable to ones own
personal life or the world in general. The faithfulness of Jesus Christ and His
redemptive work is the exclusive remedy for mankind to be saved and delivered
from sin, evil, disease and death that characterize the functioning of the
world. It is only through His glorious return and decreed Kingdom that this
world will ever be straightened out. Those who claim to be able to do “good”
apart from God’s plan are abiding in illusionary folly. Such are convinced that
they are able to improve a world that God has long ago marked for complete
renovation, as this is the only plausible adduce for alleviating evil from it
entirely. In essence, to deny the decrees of God is to deny the need for a
Savior and His solution, which in effect is to proclaim arrogantly instead that
mankind is somehow able to "help God" by human paltry activities.
Accordingly, it is crucial for God’s people to
understand that the role of mankind is restricted to the operational aspect of
functioning within God’s assigned course for each individual according to His
purpose. Comprehension of this truth effectively delineates human perceptions as
distinguished from divine facts, as the following illustration displays:
Therein abides
the basis of mindset for Satan’s and mankind’s world system. This is the
acceptable cogitation and lie that have seduced the rank and file of mankind.
This is the intuitive expression that exercises control over this cosmos through
the lie that seeks to ensnare all of mankind. The accumulation of common human
responses to this propaganda is incited by greed, pride and self-righteousness;
which has culminated in an integrated system of organized gross depravity and
evil that is better known as the chaos termed "human history". Human history (as
opposed to God’s eternal plan of salvation for His elect, which He is
manifesting in the course of time) is not really progressive at all from the
divine point of view but actually and inherently regressive.
Society’s
organized functioning draws its operation and structure from the depraved nature
of its environment and is thoroughly self absorbed despite God’s active divine
restraint of gross evil. Given its internal mechanism for evaluating right and
wrong and good and evil (that is, its conscience), it reliance is upon the
sensible efforts of “good and just men” to moved humanity "forward" or at least
“retarded its decline.” As it is however, human kind and civilization are
accelerating on the downward spiral that has been its course since its
manifested separation, as identified in the Garden of Eden. The wide-spread
fallacious assumption that the world is now somehow better off than mankind of
ages past certainly does not proceed from a divine or even a humanistic, moral
point of view.
True manifested
faith in God is at best varied and in more diluted form than ever before in the
history of the world, and as for the progression of evil, one may even say the
astounding invention of new and more elaborate and tolerable forms of evil and
their widespread distribution and availability is rampart and in more
concentrated form than ever before. According to prophecy, this trend will
accelerate on into the dark tribulation period, culminating in the double-tier
return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence, so-called “human choices and decisions,”
are not effective components of determinants and do not exert control of
occurrences as the present world’s system boasts. In fact, what is being
exhibited more than ever before is less discipline and control and at the same
time more crime, sin and demonstrable evil, as more opportunity for the exercise
of these vices (along with an ever greater ability to rationalize them) are
manifested in terms of progress. The reality of course is that in terms of
"human achievement", things are surely unstable and unsettled
in this era of modification,
technological-economic, socio-political and continuously, even religious
changes. It is incredible but while most of God’s people would rightly assess
some of these things as obviously bad (increase in certain culture activities,
dilution of genuine faith in and adherence to the Bible, etc.), many more of
these changes that masquerade as advances are enthusiastically embraced.
In mankind’s
search to extract information for the supposed purpose of shaping opinions and
forging decisions and choices, there is more dependency on the collective
thoughts of humanity and less reliance on the directives of Divinity.
Corroboration of this is documented by recent reports indicating that more time
is logged on the internet for secular mutation than any other single purpose.
Many access fruitful
studies via the internet and there are other positive uses for the medium and
even some morally productive ones but there is no question about the fact that
this technological "super-highway" for information is being used in a most
aggressive fashion as a substitute for spiritual direction. Technology is an
effective tool but a tool in the hands of the depraved nature of mankind is at
best a morally ambiguous thing. Add to this a world system that is constantly
exerting its influence toward sinfulness, self-love and technology, as it
becomes merely a means of accelerating the implementation of the human mindset.
There is no
sound basis for opposition to technology nor should there be for indeed it is
useful for God's work. But it is the epitome of carnality to reach beyond the
value limits of it or to bestow too much praise upon it, for like almost all
so-called "progressive forces” in the sphere of time, it is in truth the
advancement of plans for the enslavement and destruction of the human race. It
is in fact the illusionary establishment of a state wherein all limitations of
God's built-in restraints are perceived to be non-existing. Such phenomenon will
be the order in the dark days of the Great Tribulation. Due in great part to
so-called materialistic "progress", the realization of this decreed state of
affairs is steadily evolving according to its course. A great component of the
reason for this is that such techno-cultural progress is inevitably coupled with
a corresponding spiritual
regression. The reason for this is simple. Proportionally, as one depends
upon oneself and human abilities, the less such is interested in God and all
that He has decreed for His elect.
In essence,
humanly perceived ethological and scientific "progress" requires no moral
advancement at all. Indeed, all the collective accomplishments in this vein
(minuscule from the standpoint of all that is in the universe, not to mention
from the true point of comparison, the Creator of the universe) have served as
operational components of mankind’s alienation from God. This is displayed in
mankind’s exuberance in creating a false sense of mastery over the material
world (though death remains and suffering has intensified). Hence, for those who
are not blessed to internalize the true spiritual realities of life (the
forgiveness of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, first and foremost); it is
all too easy to allay their dependence upon human technology, which in turn
undermines their reliance upon God. Such gives the flawed impression that human
choices and decisions ultimately determine the course of life.
Plunging
headlong into the myth that scientific, technological, social, cultural and
human progress disembogues the
ultimate value ardently solidifies this illusionary mindset. Faith in technology
and other phenomena (instead of faith in God), i.e., hope in political solutions
(instead of God's solutions) and prioritization for human cultural
accomplishments (instead of for God and the sacrifice of His Son), are common
variations on the carnal theme of working to make heaven on earth. In reality,
any effort whose equation does engender the enablement of God exudes the
impossibility of human accomplishments and is foolhardy. Only God can satisfy
the true needs of depraved humanity, which are in essence: forgiveness of the
sin nature, spiritual peace and eternal life.
The unscriptural
misapprehension of a re-won paradise on earth is insanely ludicrous for sinful
mortal creatures but many have unfortunately cogitated into this myth. It is the
height of absurdity to openly flaunt the independent and determinant notion of
the “abilities” of mankind apart from God (despite the limitless testimony that
He has documented of Himself in every aspect of His creation), thus
concomitantly proclaiming unreserved faith in the "progress" of the depraved
environment. The pseudo-trees of life offered by dispensational misconceived
doctrinal percepts merely perpetrate false hopes in this current age. In
worshiping progress, one is merely establishing a new system of idolatry here on
earth, fueled by the mindset that mankind’s choices and decisions (mostly aided
by God), are the dominant forces of effectuations in this present life.
The
attractiveness of the evil one’s (Satan's) integrated world system is inserted
into the entire essential spectrum of human life. Here, concentration and focus
are predominantly on the well-recognized categories of human experience where
perspicuous influences mainly breed. In this sense, Religion and the Occult
is the area accruing perhaps the most obvious of satanically inspired
infiltrations of influence into the world of mankind, since it is in this field
(religion and the occult) where the forces of depravity
multitudinously
and directly oppose the truth of God. The truth of the matter can best be
demonstrated by the passage:
(GNT) “----------- therefore, if anyone might
cleanse himself from these things, he will be a vessel unto honor, having been
sanctified, very useful to the master, having been prepared unto every good
work. But flee from the youthful desires, and pursue righteousness,
faithfulness, love, peace with those calling upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
But the foolish and ignorant questions avoid, knowing that they breed fights;
and a servant of the Lord must not fight, but be gentle toward all, qualified to
teach, holding up under evil, in mildness instructing the ones opposing, for
perhaps in time God may give to them repentance unto a perfect knowledge of
truth, ----“ (II Timothy 2:21-25).
Jesus Christ is
the only means of salvation. Manifestation-wise, before Christ’s redemptive
display on the cross, those of His elect abided according to their respective
covenant promise of justification through the eternal expiatory sacrifice. In
this view, beginning with Adam and Eve and their coats of skin onward, there is
in effect, the depictions claiming beforehand Christ's manifested work through
symbolic animal sacrifices. Subsequent to the testimony of Christ’s sacrificial
death on Calvary, one can reflect on it as His saving work for His elect on the
cross. Thus, whether the focus is before or after the cross, Christ has always
been the only way to God. All other religious, occult systems, doctrines,
groups, cults and the like are false paths. To approach God, one must do it
according to His dictates and methodology, which is the exclusive means, i.e.,
the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. This is the only avenue, which brings
salvation, forgiveness of sins and the manifested promise of resurrection. None
of this can be achieved by good works, self-sacrifice, ritual or membership in
any organization. Thus salvation evolves from the eternal redemptive work of
Christ alone rather the assertion of mankind’s decisions and choices.
Despite the
hyper-materialistic nature of this world, God has imbued His people with His
spiritual nature engendering a deep and abiding need to satisfy this essential
part of their makeup. Only a true relationship with God through Jesus Christ can
truly satisfy this need. In this light, it is important to recognize that the
drive for spirituality gravitates toward the phenomena of the eternal unseen, as
opposed to the development of the earthly kaleidoscopic variety of alternatives.
These run the gamut from staid and traditional religions to outlandish, mystical
or cabalistic activities. Some sectors of Christendom are anxious to find
something for everyone and anything that intrigues the exposits of mysticism, as
such masquerades as the truth of Jesus Christ. Any and all religious activities
which do not assess Christ in the undiluted center of things, in effect
substitute depraved entities there by default. True spirituality entails the
godly endowed desire to seek the attributes of the Creator, while humanly
inspired activities merely perpetuate separation from Him.
Organization
within itself is not the authenticating ingredient in the conveyance of true
spirituality. In this sense, some of God’s people will do things in a group that
they would never do on their own. Corollary to this and equally important is the
principle that if enough people are doing something in a highly organized
manner, then an air of legitimacy will be lent to the enterprise. Such is
usually foisted by a false patina of orthodoxy that in effect, usually serve to
blind initiates, both new and old to the fact that God and Christ may in reality
be entirely absent and the organization subtly carnal in every way. Once enough
people become involved in such religious organizations, a momentum and critical
mass is achieved that allows these pseudo-groups to present to the world a false
picture of spirituality (even though in truth God is not in their midst at all).
It is also a common human failing that once some ministries have become involved
in something, once they have "thrown good money after bad" long enough, such
come to have a vested interest in believing their “decisions and choices” for
fear of appearing to have labored in error. For if they admit to having "been
had", they fear not only looking foolish but they perceive that all “their
sacrifices” have been in vain.
For these
reasons, many organizations are good targets for the human-materialistic nature
of mankind. Even legitimate God-fearing Christian groups have historically
succumbed to this humanistic inspired infiltration. Generations of followers and
leaders alike in these type ministries are almost never clear in their thinking
in the eternal spiritual realm. When tradition and organization become even more
important than the Word of God, it exudes a sense of the abandonment of the true
Bible Basics, i.e.,
the Essential Doctrines of the Bible.
In its place, there is the popular and more humanly based
entrenchment of self-help, self-control and self-reliance, which doctrinally
propagates the unscriptural belief that mankind influences and even determines
the course and direction of daily occurrences through their “decisions and
choices.” The fact of the matter is that mankind’s input in the process of
events is limited to the manifestation aspect of what have been actualized in
God’s decrees in the eternal sphere. Accordingly, there is no influential or
determinable index that account for any aspect of human-actualization through
mankind’s “decisions and choices” in the sphere of time.”
