Theme: : The only way to remove its stain.
As I listened to Pastor Dan teach in Romans, chapter 1, this past Sunday, he mentioned how humanity descends into the abyss by first ignoring God, even as He is evident all around us, and then inventing our gods, who are more accommodating to our selfish desires. These gods often resemble us. From that point, God “gives us over” to the consequences of those desires. Pastor Dan said, “If we want nothing to do with God, He will grant our wish” and allow us to have unprotected all that comes with it.
Also, I could not help but think of his original question, “How does a culture crumble?” and consider how an entire industry has been created around helping people in coping with guilt. Notice that I said ‘coping’ as guilt can never be removed without confession and forgiveness, and that cannot occur without God.
Instead of understanding guilt as beneficial, hundreds of books have been written and thousands of sessions conducted, teaching people to bury the guilt and shift the cause of it, which never truly happens. As this guilt builds in a Godless society, we shift it to labeled groups, other individuals who may look or talk differently than us, and organizations perceived as more powerful who have done us wrong. From here, hatred builds, personal responsibility disappears, and the individuals and the society crumble. With God, guilt is not a destructive force but a dear ally, bringing us to a point, individually, of personal responsibility where we can confess our sins and be washed clean with the only water that can thoroughly clean us.
Pope Benedict once wrote that likening God to a divine sculptor who “removes the accumulation of dust and debris covering the image of God inscribed within us " is beautiful imagery of the way God chips away at all that would hinder us from becoming “conformed to the image of Christ” (Romans 8:29). Without God, no matter how deeply buried, the guilt destroys. And we know as Jesus spoke, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV). Without Christ, we cannot know God, and without God, our sinful nature will destroy us. These are simple facts, but they are hard for most to accept.
Paul, the writer of the letter to the Romans, also wrote the letter to the Ephesians. Remember what he wrote to the church in Ephesus about sin and guilt. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”
(Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV). In this case, Paul is saying that individuals and their society are not crumbling but have crumbled and are dead.
In closing, Pastor Dan taught us that we are not called to improve people but to awaken them to the only trustworthy source of healing: Jesus. Only through the ‘Divine Sculptor’ can the dust be removed and God’s inscription be revealed on our souls.
Scripture: Romans 1:18-19 (NIV)
“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.”
Prayer:
Lord, why do we and this world turn from you? Why do we, by nature, prefer invented gods over you? Why is it that, even after we come to know you, we can quickly turn back to our past lives with longing and fondness? Oh Lord, I so long for a complete transformation in which all other thoughts and worldly longings disappear. I long for only thoughts of you, your love, your unsurpassed goodness, and mercy. As Paul said, and as I often feel, “Oh what a wretched man I am.” Thank you Lord that, despite me, you are always there and promise me that, if I confess in earnest, you will forgive and restore me. Your love is beyond comprehension. Amen
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