The “Thought from Above” for this episode is: “No more silly superstitions.” In a previous podcast James spoke about how worry is essentially superstition. We think by worrying we will actually have an effect on a situation we are concerned about. For example, when we worry about something and then that something does not happen, we think it did not happen because we worried about it. This then reinforces the idea that our worrying can give us control over the situation. We do this because it allows us to feel in control of the problem or situation we are dealing with. This however is a false sense of control because our worrying did nothing to prevent the problem from happening.

We see this same kind of superstition in sports. Many athletes have routines or rituals they do before their games that they feel will bring them success. While they may think this is impacting their performance, it is actually the training and hard work they have put in that brings about success.

In this episode James addresses another superstition that plagues many of us, and it is the false narrative that God punishes us for our sins. Smith explains that Jesus never affirmed this false narrative, and in fact Jesus’ actions and teachings reverse this narrative. James gives three examples from the bible (Zacchaeus, the prodigal son, and the woman at the well) where a person had sinned but was not met with punishment by God. In all three of these stories there is forgiveness not punishment and Jesus invites all of them into a relationship with God.

So the question James asks is, “Why do we believe this false narrative?” Smith explains that it is the same reason we buy the lie about worrying, we want control. We think that if our actions determine God’s behavior then we are in control. But we don’t have this power over God and he is not interested in meeting out punishment for us on the basis of our sins. If so that would be all God would ever be doing.

This idea that God is meeting out a punishment for all of our sins all the time has been exposed by Jesus. Jesus never affirms this false narrative. He states in John 14:9 “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” and we see through Jesus actions and teachings that he would never punish us for our sins. 

If God is not punishing us for our sins do the sins even matter? Smith argues, yes our sins do matter, they cause us pain by turning from God and ourselves. Our sins are acts of self punishment, every time we sin we are turning away from God. That turning from God is the major act that causes us harm.

We hold onto this false narrative because we want control. Smith closes by explaining that when we begin to understand that sin is destructive to ourselves and others we can start to turn back to God and enter into relationship with him.

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