In spite of its Hindu roots, the concept of karma is alive and well among evangelicals. We don’t use the term much, of course, but we U. S. Christians do seem to have a built-in sense that our good lives come from our own goodness.
Now, if pressed, of course, we would admit that all of our blessings are from God’s grace, which implies, indeed means, that we don’t deserve them. But secretly and often openly we protest when the lines are too long or our plans are derailed by an unforeseen event.
Prosperity is like that for mortals of any culture. We seem to have a sense that if things turn out well, we deserved it, and if they don’t, then some unseen evil power must be at work to deprive us of our just deserts.
No doubt this was on Moses’ mind as he reminded Israel of why they were being awarded the Promised Land while others were being dispossessed (Deuteronomy 9:4-7). Note the layers of reasons:
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them (the Canaanites) out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
“Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.”
Ouch! And these people weren’t even the ones who had complained in the wilderness, but their children! Still, God is talking about “the people,” unregenerate people in general.
Paul says the same things about us in Ephesians 2:1-10. Before Jesus rescued us, opening our eyes and hearts to His grace, we were “by nature, children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
It is “by grace” we have been saved. No good works. No good luck. All of God’s blessings come to us through and because of the righteousness of Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14), not our own.
We, above all people, should never be invoking our karma. Do you really want what you deserve?
“He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
Titus 3:5