So, a friend asked the following question via Facebook: "Are grace and karma really different?"
This got me thinking... I'm a grace nut. Naturally, this question piqued my interest.
From what I understand of karma, the basic idea is that various events (past, present, and future) are determined by moral cause-and-effect through the actions of an individual; the consequences that come to that individual are either enforced by a deity or they simply play out because that is the nature of the world in which we live. Simply put, one gets what one deserves.
So that's karma; what is grace? From my study, I have become increasingly convinced that grace defies definition. Indeed, if you asked me to classify grace or explain how it functions, I would falter. A hallmark of grace is that it remains beyond our comprehension, for it is not a system. It is not cause and effect; it is not a transaction. It is not a game, and it certainly is not a cosmic scorecard of one's life.
Rather, grace is a manifestation of the nature of God as seen in the world. It is not something God does; it's who God is. God can't help it; he is grace-ful. Because God is at work in the world, grace is at work in the world. We can look for it. We can expect to see it.
It is important also to note that God's nature is one of forgiveness. It is plain to see that forgiveness and grace go hand in hand, though they are far from synonymous. I would suggest that forgiveness and reconciliation is a manifestation of grace for both the offending and offended parties in a situation. However, I do not equate grace with forgiveness, for grace encompasses so much more.
Grace also comes as an empowerment and a challenge to live as one ought. God, being at work in one's life, gives that person the tools, strength, and ability to live in accordance with his will. God also will direct that person as to what his will is and provide conviction and correction when one strays from that will.
Grace is constantly at work in the world, drawing all people nearer to God and to his love. The physical ways in which this wooing takes place is as numerous as all the people through time multiplied by the total of seconds that people have existed, even in the mind of God before the universe as we know it began.
But what about sowing and reaping? Is that a karmic principle? In the Gospels, "sowing and reaping" refer to agricultural practices. The verse that comes to mind is Galatians 6.7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." (ASV) A reading of Galatians 6 shows that Paul is speaking of the pursuits of the individual; if one pursues the ways of the world, that person will find himself or herself mired in the ways of the world. If one pursues heaven, heaven will be made manifest in his or her life. Indeed, the context of this passage calls for the community of faith to break "karmic" powers in the lives of others by restoring those who have sinned (6.1), bearing each other's burdens (6.2), not being weary in well-doing (6.9) and doing good to all people (6.10). Far from condoning any karmic idea, Paul encourages the opposite. It must also be said that Paul encourages personal responsibility, which brings up the question of the natural law of cause and effect; I'll touch upon this later.
What about the Lord's Prayer? Is the idea of us forgiving others as the Father has forgiven us a karmic principle? I don't think so, and here's why. While I think there is a cause and effect scenario at play, we must be careful as to how we understand it. God's forgiveness for us being the cause, our forgiveness for others being the effect; many people will look at this and see it as a command to forgive others, because if they don't, God won't forgive them. It's the "Big Brother" God enforcing forgiveness among his kids. (Or else!) Rather, I would read it this way; God, being a grace-ful, forgiving God has forgiven us because it's who he is. When we enter into a vital, dynamic relationship with this God, we begin to pick up his nature. And so we become grace-ful, forgiving people; not out of obligation, but rather because it's who we are becoming. Cause and effect? Yes. Karma? No.
Which brings us to the cause and effect question. I would agree that the principle of cause and effect is a natural law in play in the universe in which we live. (As such, it remains subservient to eternal law, but that's another post for another day.) Karma is cause and effect being played out on a moral and spiritual level.
As Christians, we are called to rise above simple cause and effect, for that is what Christ did. Had Christ's life followed a karmic pattern, there would have been an ascension with no death and resurrection. Christ would have been an enlightened prophet, a master of the divine; but not the savior of the world. We would still be dead in our sins with no way out, were karma and grace the same. But rather, Christ, the perfect one, bore the imperfections of an imperfect humanity so that we, who have no chance and no hope of life on our own, can share in the divine life that Christ brings to the human condition. Look all you want, but there is nothing karmic about this situation. This is God's nature; to bring his creation out of what it deserves into that which it has no hope of attaining or receiving on it's own.
Karma? Ain't no way.
Grace? Forever and ever; amen!
