We are evil
Hi sister,
Please don’t hurt me too much for saying you had inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. :) Acually, yes you do have tendencies to evil! But, we all have inherited and cultivated evil tendencies. Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Lk. 11:13). We are utterly evil through and through. We all stink pretty badly, “All our righteousnesses are like reaking filthy [diapers].” (Is. 64:6). (All of His righteousnesses are selfless and lovely. “Behold, He putteth no trust in His saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight.” (Job 15:15). That was spoken of God the Father. Even the angels are not clean to Him, much less all His created works. And much, much less us sinners. But we have Jesus to help us evil people to stand before our God, whom Jesus said we can call our Father. Really good news.
Can we accept the truth about our wretched condition? That is the question for everyone who wants to be saved. On this one point teeters the beginning step for being saved or lost. If we fail here, there is no further steps toward salvation until the Holy Spirit can change our attitude on this point. And most will choose to be lost rather than be told they are evil. When I first read Lk. 11:13 (quoted above) I felt pretty insulted. I didn’t appreciate it. But then later I read Jesus saying, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy (a hospital of sinners), and not sacrifice (great ostentatious worship, or, a museum of saints): for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matt. 9:13). Now, as long as He is willing to call me, I don’t mind what He calls me! And repentance is as much a gift as much as forgiveness is. (Acts 5:31).
Every false religion says that humans are basically good. Do you believe humans are basically good and just need a little behavior modification? Even Dr. Phil believes that. But the Bible teaches us that we need a complete makeover. Until Jesus comes again and changes us, we will retain our fallen, stinking human nature. He will justify us because we are humbled and sorry for and hate our sin, and that is all God needs to treat us as if we have never, ever sinned. He can treat us like Adam and Eve before they fell. So that’s pretty good treatment—like kings and queens. He will also sanctify us and start cleaning us up. This will be ongoing for the rest of our life. But not until He glorifies us will our evil tendencies finally go away.
I love you sister, and would never intentionally hurt you.
David
Please don’t hurt me too much for saying you had inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil. :) Acually, yes you do have tendencies to evil! But, we all have inherited and cultivated evil tendencies. Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Lk. 11:13). We are utterly evil through and through. We all stink pretty badly, “All our righteousnesses are like reaking filthy [diapers].” (Is. 64:6). (All of His righteousnesses are selfless and lovely. “Behold, He putteth no trust in His saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight.” (Job 15:15). That was spoken of God the Father. Even the angels are not clean to Him, much less all His created works. And much, much less us sinners. But we have Jesus to help us evil people to stand before our God, whom Jesus said we can call our Father. Really good news.
Can we accept the truth about our wretched condition? That is the question for everyone who wants to be saved. On this one point teeters the beginning step for being saved or lost. If we fail here, there is no further steps toward salvation until the Holy Spirit can change our attitude on this point. And most will choose to be lost rather than be told they are evil. When I first read Lk. 11:13 (quoted above) I felt pretty insulted. I didn’t appreciate it. But then later I read Jesus saying, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy (a hospital of sinners), and not sacrifice (great ostentatious worship, or, a museum of saints): for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matt. 9:13). Now, as long as He is willing to call me, I don’t mind what He calls me! And repentance is as much a gift as much as forgiveness is. (Acts 5:31).
Every false religion says that humans are basically good. Do you believe humans are basically good and just need a little behavior modification? Even Dr. Phil believes that. But the Bible teaches us that we need a complete makeover. Until Jesus comes again and changes us, we will retain our fallen, stinking human nature. He will justify us because we are humbled and sorry for and hate our sin, and that is all God needs to treat us as if we have never, ever sinned. He can treat us like Adam and Eve before they fell. So that’s pretty good treatment—like kings and queens. He will also sanctify us and start cleaning us up. This will be ongoing for the rest of our life. But not until He glorifies us will our evil tendencies finally go away.
I love you sister, and would never intentionally hurt you.
David
posted by David | 2:58 AM
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