1. Fatalism’s grip on religion
Do our choices matter?
Fatalism’s grip on religion
Fultondale church of Christ Bryan Ellis PM

2. Introduction Studies with Presbyterian Keith’s lesson on Atheism
Belief that God has individually predetermined the saved
No choice/action can cause one who is saved to be lost
No choice/action can cause one who is lost to be saved
Keith’s lesson on Atheism
We are just animals following instinct
Choice is an illusion
Everything is just an instinctual reaction to stimuli
Belief in God’s absolute control of every action
God causes everything to happen
“Why me?” when bad things occur to good people
“Must be God’s will” sentiment

3. Not a New Idea Ājīvika – An Indian atheistic philosophy from 500 BC
Held that a soul’s reincarnation followed a natural law completely separate from the individual’s choices in life
Believed in absolute determinism, the premise that there is no free will, that everything that has happened, is happening and will happen is entirely preordained and a function of cosmic principles
“There is neither cause nor basis for the sins of living beings and they become sinful without cause or basis. There is neither cause nor basis for the purity of living beings and they become pure without cause or basis. All beings, all that have breath, all that are born, all that have life, are without power, or strength, or virtue, but are the result of destiny, chance and nature…”

4. The Fates – Greek Mythology

5. Greek and Roman Mythology
“The Fates” of Greek mythology wrote the destiny of each god or man into their tapestry and ensured that it came to pass: birth, deeds, and death
The tapestry was like a net that captured man tying him to his fate
Only Zeus/Jupiter had any ability to control or escape fate (according to a few stories) otherwise the Fates were able to make their weavings happen
“The Norns” in Norse mythology played a similar role

6. The Norns – Norse Mythology

7. Where does this doctrine lead?
Some will still act as good as possible due to the immediate consequences
Others become apathetic since nothing will change the outcome
Others will “seize the day” living for the flesh and pleasure since the outcome is predetermined
This is a FALSE doctrine!

8. Look at some stories from the Bible

9. Biblical Stories – Jonah 3:4-10
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

10. Biblical Stories – Jonah
God proclaimed judgment by Jonah in 40 days
People repented and showed it by fasting
God never said He would relent or withhold judgment
God saw the works of repentance and chose not to punish at that time

11. Biblical Stories – Hezekiah/Assyria
Isaiah 10:10-12
As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
2 King 19:20,32-34
Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.
Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

12. Biblical Stories – Hezekiah/Assyria (2)
Isaiah prophesied that Assyria would destroy Jerusalem just like Samaria
Assyria was acting as part of God’s judgment
When Assyria came to perform this judgment they were haughty and sent letters to Hezekiah
They made the mistake of blaspheming God to a righteous man
Hezekiah prayed that Jerusalem be saved and God caused Jerusalem to fall later by Babylon rather than by Assyria as prophesied

13. Biblical Stories – Hezekiah 2 Kings 20
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

14. Biblical Stories – Hezekiah
Hezekiah was going to die
His prayer caused his life to be extended

15. Biblical Stories – Israel
God planned to have the Israelites that left Egypt enter Canaan
Due to unbelief and disobedience God denied them entry
They all died in the wilderness until a new generation arose to enter the promised land
Only Joshua and Caleb were allowed to enter because of their faith

16. Applications for Us Death and Judgment are guaranteed
Hebrews 9:27
We have the ability to choose what we do and how we live
God answers prayer - James 5:16
Pray for each other, the lost, the church, the world, our nation, the rulers, etc.
Remain faithful like Joshua and Caleb despite the odds of success
Nothing is set in stone – our outcome and that of those we love can be changed if we believe, pray, and obey
God does not owe it to anyone to change His will but He considers our actions and prayers as He acts in our lives