DAILY DEVOTIONAL – April 20, 2020
“Correlation vs. Causation“
Prayer: Almighty God, You are love, You are mercy, Your are everything that is good and right. We confess that we are not. We need Your love and mercy if we have any hope of experiencing goodness and sharing goodness in this bad and fallen world. Our hope and faith is in Your Son Jesus alone, in whom there is no sin and in whose blood we have salvation. Amen.
Scripture: Luke 6:43-45
43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn-bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Devotional – “Correlation vs. Causation”
In every field of study, in every area of knowledge where data and information of any kind can be measured, evaluated and analyzed, there is a very important distinction that must always be kept at the forefront and that must always be considered if one desires to draw any kind of reliable conclusions. That important distinction is found in the relationship (or lack there of) between correlation and causation.
To explain this important distinction, consider the following illustration. Let’s say that a market research company found that every time ice cream sales increased, the sales of sunglasses increased also. Clearly there is a correlation, a relationship or a connection between the sale of ice cream and the sale of sunglasses. However, just because there is a correlation does not mean there is causation. In other words, just because ice cream sales and sunglass sales seem to increase at the same time each year doesn’t mean that eating ice cream makes you want to buy sunglasses or that wearing sunglasses makes you want to eat ice cream. Further research in this may very well prove that the cause of the correlation between ice cream and sunglass sales is the time of year; summer time.
In our text for today, Jesus says, “No good tree bears bad fruit and no bad tree bears good fruit, for each tree is known by its fruit.” Many times I have heard this passaged understood and used in such a way as to suggest that the good fruit or the “good works” we do in our life are the “proof” or “evidence” that we are a Christian. Although we are no doubt called to a sanctified life of holiness and good works, the presence of those good works in our life are not the evidence or proof, either to others or ourselves, that we are in fact Christian. In other words, the correlation between good works and faith is not the same as the causation of good works and faith.
Jesus says in Matthew 10:32-33, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
1 John 4:2-3 says, “2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.”
What is the evidence that we are a Christian? How do we know that we believe in Jesus and that we in fact are saved? Because we make the confession that Christ is Lord and that our only hope of God’s mercy and love is found in Christ alone. We know this because it is impossible to truly confess Christ as Lord without the Spirit of God Himself working within us. 1 Corinthians 12:3 says plainly, “No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.”
I know many atheists and agnostics and people who are not Christians and who do not follow Jesus that live very selfless lives serving others and who are dedicated to living and in fact do live a truly good life. Yet, they take great pride in denying Christ as Lord and Savior. Sadly, without faith, there is no such thing as a good work. There are many things that this world and other people may consider to be good works, however, the only good works that will be recognized by God are those that were caused by faith in Christ and done through faith in Christ. As Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Are we called by God to live a life of goodness and mercy and servanthood? Absolutely. No question about it. However, that good life is only possible when first by faith in Jesus Christ and through the waters of baptism the Spirit of God is made to dwell within us. As Jesus told the rich young ruler in Luke 18 who mistakenly thought he could be good enough to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, “No one is good except God alone.” Any true and everlasting good we hope to do in this life can only be done through God working in us through faith. It is God that does the good work, even through sinful people like you and I, and all for the sake of Christ who died and rose to forgive us our sins. Ephesians 2:8-10, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Holdfast to the only One who is truly good my friends, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for spending time with me in another daily devotional, and remember, that God has forgiven yesterday, is with you today and has already taken care of tomorrow. Amen.
