I used to eschew the Calvinistic idea of total depravity and inherent sin. I thought that people were born into the world as basically good and the thought that we were born evil was anti-biblical. I still believe that, but I now adhere to a modified form of total depravity. Let me explain.
Lately, I have really been saddened by the state of the world and my contribution to it. I speak mostly of the proliferation of sin and the cycle of sin that the world just cannot break. My son Elijah was born and he was perfect. There was not a spot of sin on him. And to this day, he has not committed a sin since he does not yet know good from evil. But, he lives in a world of sin:
The Carter clothes he wears, the Nike shoes we put on his feet—these are more than likely made by under aged sweatshop workers who receive a pittance of a wage.
I drive Elijah around town and contribute to the pollution and the gas wars that are taking place, damaging God’s creation.
It goes on and on and on. We live in a world in which sin is inherent. It is everywhere we look. Our children are born into it. What is worse, they are raised thinking that it is acceptable. Considering the state of the world causes me deep sadness and outrage, but where is the solution? How can the cycle be broken? How can I feel like I am not sinning just by putting on clothes or driving around town? How can I be part of the solution instead of multiplying the problem?
Or is there a solution? Must we just be subject to frustration and groan with the rest of creation, waiting to be liberated from bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:18-21)? I have to say, it doesn’t sound like the fullest life that Jesus talks. The slave child in Thailand. The mother with AIDS in Africa. The disfigured father in the Middle East. Where is their full life?
I don’t know what to pray for or what to work for or what to change. So I leave it in the hands of God, and ask for intercession through the power of the Spirit.
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5 comments:
This is sort of a tangent, but I have been thinking about this lately. We always say babies are perfect, because they are faultless. But biblical perfection is about complete-ness and maturity. With that definition, is there anyone less perfect than a baby? Would biblical writers think we are insane for calling a baby perfect?
I guess this might find relevance in what you are talking about. As you pursue perfection, remember ir's maturity and complete-ness you are seeking more than simply faultlessness. And, as it takes a baby a lifetime to find maturity and completeness, so it takes us a good long time. Even Jesus did not become Jesus over night (Luke 3:23).
Excellent comment. It is not a tangent at all, but contributes to the discussion. More needs to be made of perfection as completeness. I guess the use of Elijah was to show how hard it is.
But in the end, completeness and maturity still have an element of holiness/faultlessness.
Sam, you could make changes to deal with the issues you mentioned. You don't have to buy Nike and Carter. You could buy from garage sales and instead of starting the waste, you're using what other people feel is waste. You could also live closer to where you work, so that you could ride a bike or walk.
moving closer to your place of work would be an interesting challenge...
Yes, working out of the house makes moving closer to work difficult. And if I did work "in the office", the church is 50 feet away. I don't think they want me ripping up the parking lot.
But I hear what you are saying Regan. Most of the clothes that ELijah wears have been handed down or given as gifts. I doubt we have purchased more than 5 outfits. But that still doesn't make help fix a system that abuses one another for profit.
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