of benefits. The divine act is disconnected from the divine
Actor. Christian realities are viewed as products,
commodities, "goods," or "services." A professor writes in
a purportedly academic theological journal: "God has made
payment for 'services' provided through Jesus Christ." 2
"...an individual comes to Jesus...so he can receive what
Jesus offers." 3 "...salvation, security, assurance...He (Jesus)
must deliver them." 4
Misconceptions of this kind are based on an
epistemological dualism of a dissected cause and effect. In
the closed mechanistic system of Newtonian science, for
example, there is a linear thought process that views
empirical effects as inevitable results of necessary cosmic
laws. The effect can be traced back to the cause but never
to be considered one with the cause. The same
epistemological dualism is seen in religious and theological
reasoning. Religious effects may be traced to necessary
universal spiritual "laws" such as the "law of faith" or the
"law of prayer." Often there are legal and judicial concepts
of Christ's benefits, as in the popular theological
explanation of justification. Cause and effect are split one
from the other. There may be mechanical source leading to
static logical effect, or mythological source leading to
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