For any organization to succeed, it must adroitly manage the trials and tribulations associated with living in a fallen universe—a universe in rebellion against God.
One of the marks of rebellion against God is blame. Shortly after Adam and Eve committed the first sin, they encountered God, who asked why they were hiding from him and if they had disobeyed the one commandment he had given them. Adam couldn’t deny that he had sinned, but instead of taking responsibility for his action, he blamed God by blaming Eve.1
As Adam’s descendants, we humans, both wittingly and unwittingly, tend to blame God for our sins. Furthermore, since God is sovereignly in control of his universe, we are inclined to think that God is the cause of bad situations or circumstances that entice us to sin.
In the above text, written to Christians, James points out that the trials and tribulations of life come from our own illicit desires, that is, from our sin. James instructs us to never blame God but to take responsibility for our sin and its consequences.
Also in the above text, James explains the “error chain” of sin. An error chain is a sequence of events that leads to death both literally and metaphorically. Metaphorical death, meaning separation from God, seems to be James’s focus. Separation from God is the consequence of doubt about the veracity of the nature, will, ways, and purpose of God. The error chain of sin is a process that begins with wrong thinking about God that leads to wrong actions that lead to separation from God. Even though believers are saved from eternal separation from God, they are not fully sanctified in this life and therefore can experience the error chain of sin. This is specifically the point of this text.
The antidote to the error chain of sin is always to think correctly about God, that is, to embrace sound theology. In the above text, James notes four attributes of God that are important to help us interpret difficulties in life: God’s impeccability, goodness, immutability, and teleological nature. Impeccability means that God is not able to sin and therefore does not cause temptation. Goodness refers to God’s transforming work that progressively brings Christians into alignment with himself. Immutability means that God is unchangeable. And his teleological nature is expressed by his strategic intent.
To live wisely in God’s universe, we must embrace sound thinking about God because sound theology leads to blessings and unsound theology leads to judgment.2
Here is your business tip. Organizational leaders must work to teach and train all stakeholders to think correctly about God, that is, to embrace sound (biblical) theology. Innate in all humans is the propensity to blame God for difficult situations and circumstances. Blame is bad theology and will lead to bad results. Sound theology is to take responsibility for our sin and its implications and to think correctly about God. Sound theology is the only antidote for the error chain of sin. And only sound theological thinking will lead to good results. Wise organizational leaders understand this truth and will build cultures designed to promote sound theology in the minds of all stakeholders.
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1. Genesis 3:12.
2. Psalm 1.
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