If the Christians teachings on the sovereignty of God and his personal, direct intervention in the lives of human beings is taken seriously it often results in followers of Jesus acting foolishly and irresponsibly. It often leads to fatalism.

The thinking goes something like this….God is in control. Nothing happens that is not a part of his purpose and plan for our lives. The Christian live fearlessly, knowing that God  is controlling and directing their life. All they need to do is surrender their will to his, dying to self. (cue the song I Surrender All)  God promises the Christian he will never leave them or forsake them. He promises to be a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He promises, promises, promises……..

Back in the real world, Christians fail, get sick, have accidents, lose their lobs, get divorced, end up in bankruptcy, and die just like the rest of us. For all the promises of God……….their lives are no different than the lives of godless atheists. They “think” their lives are different but any cursory examination proves otherwise.

A scene is a recent episode of the Showtime hit  The Big C illustrates how Christians often deceive themselves.

The Big C is a comedy/drama about a woman who has terminal cancer. Cathy (Laura Linney) has cancer. Her son Adam (Gabriel Basso) has turned to Christianity  as his Mom continues to struggle with the reality that she is dying….

The  Christianity the show portrays is a mix of Lutheranism, Emergent church, and Evangelicalism. Adam starts attending a Bible study and he meets a girl. She is “saving” herself until she is married so she only will have anal sex with Adam. In her world anal sex and oral sex is not really “sex.”

One evening Adam is out with his girlfriend……and they come to the curb of a busy, traffic filled street:

Girlfriend: (starts praying) God help me to help Adam let him know your love and protection like I do let him give over his life to your loving hands.

Girlfriend: Ok, RUN! (and grabbing Adam’s hand they begin to run across the street dodging cars)

Adam: Oh shit!

Adam: (Upon safely reaching the other side of the street)  I can’t believe, we could have died.

Girlfriend: But we didn’t because god protected us. Just like he protects all of his children.

This is EXACTLY the way many Christians think.

Never mind the fact that if this same scenario was played out numerous times it is likely they would have been killed. The Christians have an out for that too………If they were killed that means it was their “time” to die. God called their number, end of story! To God be the glory.