Karma & Dogma

Maybe you’ve seen the bumper sticker:

MY KARMA RAN OVER MY DOGMA.

Besides being a cute play on words, it expresses a dilemma we all face—what can I do when my past overpowers my present; when what I’ve done seems stronger than what I want to do; when how I feel is more influential than what I believe?

Karma is a Hindu concept rooted in the idea of reincarnation. The law of karma says that my actions in a previous life dictate my present circumstances. If I do good things now, I’ll have a better situation in my next life. “What goes around comes around.”

Dogma is a creed, doctrine, or belief. Christianity is founded on the Bible as our authority for how to live and serve God each day. What we believe should determine what we do. But doctrine can often seem brittle and void of any warmth or feeling. When we’re discouraged by difficulty or failure, it’s easy to give in to the idea that we are who we are and can’t really change. So, if it feels good, do it.

The good news of the gospel is that Christ has broken into time with a totally new dimension of living: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). It is not our improved personal performance but our faith in the Son of God that puts us on a different road and gives us the power to stay on it.

Notice how many times the words mind and body are linked in Romans 8. When Christ lives within us, He inhabits and empowers every part of our lives. We no longer have to obey the negative thoughts of our minds or the destructive appetites of our bodies. Romans 8 is a passage that calls for study, meditation, and prayerful consideration. Its life-giving doctrine leads to a life controlled by the Holy Spirit, filled with power and peace. —Dave McCasland

bottom line: Life in Jesus defines our dogma.

soul journey