The “Causality” Principle
Cause & Effect
Webster tells us that cause & effect is the direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result. Cause and effect refer to a relationship between events or actions where one event (the cause) leads to another event (the effect). In simpler terms, it explains why something has happened, indicating that every action or event has a consequence or result. Essentially, the cause is the reason behind an outcome, while the effect is the result of that cause.
.You may be familiar with the Biblical quote “You reap what you sow.” The things you do are like planted seeds, and those seeds produce a crop which is the result of your actions.
The quote is an example of the cause-and-effect relationship. Your action, sowing good or bad seeds, produces a reaction, a healthy or rotten harvest. (Galatians 6:7-10)
Our days are full of “cause and effect” events. If we drink and drive and hit another car, we are activating a Cause & Effect” event. Our foolish actions are the cause of an accident involving another vehicle. The accident is the result of our actions and thus becomes the effect.
The principle of “Causality” is behind the actions and the results of everything. The definition is… the relation between a cause, and its effect, or between regularly correlated events or phenomena.
When we apply this principle to the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, we immediately look for a cause that led to the effect. We know that the effect was the flood of Noah, but do we really know what caused it? There are obvious conclusions, but we are looking for the root cause, not what is just on the surface.
To find t root cause, we must question “Why” On the surface, we can see that God destroyed the world of Noah because of the wickedness of the people. But the root cause is found in the answer to “Why were they so wicked”
The answer is found in Genesis chapter six
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and creeping thing, and the fowls of the air for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
The root cause lies with the “Sons of God.” They were not fallen angels like some theorize. They were descendants of Seth, which was the righteous line that flowed from Adam, lost when Cain killed Abel and restored with Seth. The real problem that led to the flood was when the “Sons of God” married the daughters of men. Why was that so bad? Because they were unequally yoked. Faith in God was compromised when the marital union of the Godly line mixed with the ungodly.
Now the Sons of God made “free will” choices that led them into the arms of immorality and an ideology that served false gods. Those that worshiped the golden calf in the wilderness did the same. Samson also followed along in his day. Then we come to our day and find modern Christians who do not believe and follow false gods and spend their lives walking in the flesh. Galatians 5:22ff) They all died in the flood, in the wilderness and coming soon, the end of the world.
See what Paul said to the Thessalonian believers in the first century (excerpts from Gotquestions.com)
Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians, in part, to offer an eschatological clarification after some of his readers misunderstood that the day of the Lord was upon them already (2 Thessalonians 2:1–2). Part of that clarification includes a statement that many have interpreted as predicting a great rebellion before Christ returns.
Second Thessalonians 2:3 says this: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (NKJV).
In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul commended the believers for their faith, hope, and love (2 Thessalonians 1:2–3) and challenged them to excel still more (1 Thessalonians 4:1, 10). One area in which Paul encouraged them to grow was in their hope. To help with that, Paul taught them about the resurrection that will occur when the Lord meets believers in the clouds and the dead in Christ are raised (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). This event, often referred to as the rapture, allows believers to grieve in a way consistent with their hope.
After the rapture, Paul explains, the day of the Lord will come. It will be a time of great difficulty for those who remain on earth in those days (1 Thessalonians 5:2–3). Paul explains that “that day” would not overtake believers (1 Thessalonians 5:4) and that God has not destined believers for wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). However, because of the shortness of the time, the Thessalonians needed to make the most of their opportunity, being awake and sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6–8).
It is evident that the Thessalonians misunderstood the timing of the day of the Lord, as some thought that the day of the Lord had come upon them (2 Thessalonians 2:1–2). Paul explains that the day of the Lord had not yet come and that it would not come until some things happened first.
One of those events preceding the day of the Lord would be the revealing of the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Also, Paul says, the “falling away” or “apostasy” (NASB) would come before the day of the Lord. Many have understood from this statement that before Christ returns, many people will reject the faith and rebel against God.
Paul uses the Greek word apostasia in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, so “apostasy” is a good, literal translation. The Greek word means “to be apart from or to stand apart from.” Paul uses the same word in 1 Timothy 4 when he explains that in the last days, people will stand apart from (or fall away from) the faith and follow various kinds of falsehood (1 Timothy 4:1–3). End of excerpts.
This has already happened in our day. Many of the modern-day “Sons of God” Christians, if you please, have fallen away from their faith in large numbers. They follow after the things of this world and deny God his rightful place. They entertain seducing spirits, take pleasure in immorality, and reject the leading of the Lord. More than 50% do not believe that there is a need to be “Born Again” as Jesus taught. (John 3:16)
Yes, it is true that the flood was a result of God’s sovereign judgment, but it would never have happened if the “Sons of God” stayed true to their faith. Their righteous influence would have restrained evil and possibly even kept it from becoming so bad.
I can remember when you could not show hard liquor ads on TV, when school kids had to recite the pledge of allegiance with “Under God” as part of the text, when there was no need to lock your doors, when homosexual practices were considered sin, not an alternative lifestyle, when sex before marriage was looked upon as wicked, when folks were kind and considerate to their neighbor.
We are indeed living in the last days and are watching the “Sons of God” fall away from their faith. However, there are still many good and faithful believers that seek the Lord, hear his voice, and follow his lead. I am one of many that will be taken away at the appropriate time.
In Noah’s day, he was all alone, standing before the Lord by faith. He was saved by the ark. However, in our day, Jesús is our ark. We have already entered in and are ready when he comes.
Until next time
John Marinelli
johnmarinelli@embarqmail.com