I have been reading Brant Hansen's book The Truth About Us. It is a very insightful look at who we are as humans. The need to justify ourselves and even to deny the evil that is within us.
I can't argue against any of the books other than to say if the "evil of mankind" is taken to an extreme we are in as much trouble as "everyone is good" theology. I have said before any extreme leads to error. This however is not what I want to look at, though I do want you to read this book.
Hansen said at one point, "If I don't confess my sins, I'll confess yours."
We might want to say, "No, not me" but the truth is it usually is. It might not be sin in one sense (it might) but we might complain about their political views, climate views, work ethics. . . We will complain about others rather than look at ourselves.
Hansen is right we need to confess our sins and weaknesses or we will focus on the sins and weaknesses of others.
The one concern, I have, is that we not go from confessing our sins in an attitude of repentance and humility to one of pride. I have known groups that went from confession, repentance, and acceptance times to a time where they talked about the love of God, gave confession of their failures, and acceptance of their sin. Looking at the two they are very close except the second leaves out repentance.
God loves us wherever we are and no matter what we have done. He will even accept us at the point of death. However, he also loves us enough not to leave us where we are. He wants us and will help us change. The deal is we never can get to the place where we think we have arrived because at that point we become self-righteous.
Hansen put it this way, "We are either self-righteous or we are humble." Those are the only two options open to us as humans.
No comments:
Post a Comment