What is SOAP?

SOAP is an acronym for: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. As you prepare for participating in City Group this week, we invite you to write down your thoughts in a journal. Journaling is a great way to record and process your thoughts & what God is sharing with you.

Week of June 14th
Worldviews on Trial

OVERVIEW

In the final week of the "Worldviews on Trial" series, we examine the worldview of determinism, the belief that our choices are merely the result of previous causes and that we do not truly have free will. We learned Sunday of the familiar "blame game," something humanity has been playing since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Rather than accepting responsibility for their choices, Adam blamed Eve and God, while Eve blamed the serpent.

The Gospel presents a different reality. God created human beings in His image and gave them the dignity and responsibility of choice. While God is sovereign, He does not force obedience. Instead, He lovingly invites us into relationship with Him and allows us to choose whether we will follow Him. Scripture teaches us that our choices matter, that we are accountable for them, and that God provides forgiveness and healing when we honestly confess our sins.

KEY POINTS

Determinism is the belief that all actions and events result from other actions, events, or situations, so people cannot actually choose what to do.

Truly following Jesus is better, truer, and more beautiful because it recognizes both God's sovereignty and humanity's responsibility. We are not prisoners of our past, our circumstances, or the actions of others. Through Christ, we are empowered to choose obedience, repentance, and a life that honors God.

SCRIPTURE

As we read aloud through these verses, let's pause, reflect, and listen for what Holy Spirit might be saying to you through the Word of God.

Key scriptures from the series. 

  • Genesis 3:12-13
  • Exodus 19:4-6
  • 1 John 1:9
  • James 5:16
  • Mark 1:15

OBSERVATION

From the beginning of Scripture, humanity has struggled to take responsibility for sin. Adam and Eve immediately shifted blame rather than owning their choices. This tendency still exists today whenever we excuse our behavior by pointing to circumstances, other people, or our past.

Determinism attempts to remove personal responsibility by claiming our choices are simply the product of previous causes. However, Scripture consistently presents people as moral agents capable of making real decisions. God chose Israel, yet He invited them to choose obedience. Jesus offers salvation, yet calls people to repent and believe.

God's love is not controlling or manipulative. Like a loving Father, He gives us the freedom to respond to Him. While our past influences us, it does not ultimately determine us. Through Christ, we can make choices that honor God and love others.

Confession is God's pathway to freedom. When we acknowledge our sins instead of hiding them, we experience forgiveness from God and healing through Christian community.

Q1. Why do you think people naturally tend to play the "blame game" instead of taking responsibility for their actions?

Q2. How does the Christian understanding of free will and responsibility differ from the worldview of determinism?

Q3. What area of your life are you most tempted to blame someone else, your circumstances, or your past instead of taking responsibility?

Q4. How can regularly confessing sins and celebrating spiritual wins help us grow in our relationship with Jesus and experience greater freedom?

 APPLICATION

This week, I will stop playing the "blame game" and take responsibility for my choices.

When I fail, instead of making excuses or shifting blame, I will honestly confess my sin to God and, when appropriate, to trusted believers. I will remember that my mistakes do not define my future, but my response to them matters.

I will also celebrate the wins, the moments when I choose obedience, kindness, integrity, and faithfulness. Every decision is shaping the person I am becoming. Through the Holy Spirit, I can choose actions that reflect Christ's character.

Practical steps:

  • Spend time each day examining my choices before God.
  • Confess any sin quickly and honestly.
  • Share struggles with a trusted believer for accountability and prayer.
  • Celebrate moments of obedience and thank God for His work in my life.
  • Ask myself daily: "Am I choosing Jesus in this situation?"

PRAYER

Father, thank You for loving me enough to give me the freedom and responsibility to choose. Forgive me for the times I have blamed others, my circumstances, or my past instead of taking ownership of my actions. Help me to walk in honesty and humility. Give me the courage to confess my sins and receive Your forgiveness and healing. Strengthen me through Your Spirit to make choices that honor You and love others. Thank You that You chose me first through Jesus Christ. Help me to choose You daily and to walk faithfully in the life You have called me to live. In Jesus' name, Amen.

WHAT NEXT? SERVE ON A TEAM
Next Steps

Our heart for you in taking a "Next Step" is to help you grow in becoming more and more like Jesus.

  • Invite. Everyone is only one invitation away from coming to church with you. We are here to reach 1% of our city. Take a step, be bold, bring someone to church with you Sunday.
  • Invest. Investing financially at BeLoved helps us to stay on mission. You can find the best way to give at belovedchurch.ca/give Take a step, start your faithful practice of tithes and offering.
  • Discover. Embark on the journey at belovedchurch.ca/grow Take a step and invest into your discipleship journey at BeLoved.
  • Serve. Jesus came to serve rather than to be served. Love on others like Jesus by jumping on a team and serving on the weekend at BeLoved. Help move God's great Church forward.
  • Get baptized. Congratulations! Take a step to "Go ALL IN for Jesus." Register online at belovedchurch.ca/baptism