Romans 15 cont'd
Even the most powerful man of all, Jesus Christ, didn't use his power to create for himself a pain-free and pleasure-filled earthly life. As scripture says, "I have personally identified with and embraced the rejection they have shown you O God." All the scriptures have been written to impart knowledge, patience and comfort to us so that we can live in hope- a confident expectation of a glorious future.
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In my last blog, I mentioned how this passage reminds me of the teachings of Dr. Larry Crabb. Years ago I did a series of pastoral sermons called "Sullivant on Crabb". The points of those messages have provided a very helpful framework that became deeply integrated into my heart and mind as a follower of Jesus and a spiritual director to others. In my following blogs, I will unfold the essence of this framework. It deals with our basic condition as human beings, how and why our problems develop and how God works to help us face and surmount those problems as we who follow Jesus are progressively conformed to his image.
The framework begins with a biblical definition of the human being. We are the crowning touch of God's original creation who were made according to his likeness and image...we are therefore "image bearers". Yet, because of the tragic fall of our first parents into independence from God (the essence of spiritual rebellion), the corruption of human nature and the many-faceted "death" that resulted...we have inherited a terrible fallen-ness and broken-ness that affects every aspect of our beings (the essence of depravity). So...at a core level...a paradox defines our condition--we are "fallen-image bearers". If we don't discern and navigate this paradox, we will be confused about our lives, our goals, this age, our relationships, our true enemies and God himself.
The second main point of the framework follows the first. One one hand, because we are image bearers, every human being possesses "dignity" that must be affirmed and respected. On the other hand, because we are fallen, we simultaneously possess "depravity" that must be exposed and overcome, if we are to be restored to the unmarred image of Christ. Whole schools of thought, movements, institutions and both religious and secular worldviews have, throughout the centuries, emphasized one side of the paradox of the human condition to the neglect of the other, thereby offering a distorted view of humanity and insufficient solutions to our problems.
The challenge before us is to discover and expound upon the "radical middle" of this paradox that holds these opposing truths in necessary tension. This results in the relaxation of a boatload of unnecessary tension.
Psalm 8:3-6 (Our Dignity)
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet....
Romans 5:12,19 (Our Depravity...and Our Destiny)
...sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
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