What we do and don't do all contribute to our place and affect those around us for good or bad. In a culture where blame is primary, Christians are just as guilty as non-believers. I once read a book entitled "Whatever Became of Sin?" written by Karl Menninger. The books author takes you through the ages and development of our world. Menninger posed the theory that mankind has long used excuses and blame to avoid any responsibility for their sin (collectively and individually). The cycle of man's response to responsibility hasn't changed over time. There is merely a repeat of the cycles after so many years. The most interesting part of the book was the established truth of our involvement in sin and lack of responsibility for that sin. The more we blatantly sin, the more we do the blame game and put our sin off on someone else. Menninger goes on to say that the only positive choice for mankind is to accept its responsibility for sin and change our ways.
There has to be something more than what we think, what we feel and what we do. What could captivate all three and yet not validate our lack of involvement? Several thoughts come to mind. The first is our ability to deflect anything and most everything. We lie, cheat and steal in order to get what we want. We then find it's not enough and seek even more through those same lies, cheating, and stealing. James (in the Bible) talks about how we want and ask but we do not receive because we ask with wrong motive; to consume what is asked for to consume for ourselves. Selfishness is a key to this whole problem. Selfishness is listed as a sin. Yet, we need to become selfish in order to become a Christian in the first place. We need to ask for and consume forgiveness for our sin. That act of "doing" is only a small part of the picture though. Asking and receiving salvation requires a broken spirit and acknowledging who and what we are. I fear that many have asked Christ into their lives rather than relinquishing our life to be accepted into Christ. We tend to have things backwards. However, nothing we do will be able to be "good" if it's unto ourselves.
I am a sinner. That's all it takes to describe me. It's all that it takes to describe you and every other person on planet earth. Apart from Jesus there is nothing good in my thinking, not in what I feel and certainly not in what I do. So, faced with two options of either being a self advocate or being an advocate of God is posed. Where do you choose? This world we live in doesn't like or even engage the "either/or" approach to life. The Bible is clear though. We either ask for our forgiveness or don't. We either ask to be accepted by Jesus or we don't. We either accept that mankind is fallen or we don't. We either belong to Jesus or we don't. For every positive there is also a negative. Should I do what is right I please God but make the world wary of us. My stating that I am a sinner is a condemnation on others who are like me, also sinning. When I do accept Jesus I'm stating that He is the Lord and Savior of my life. I now belong to Him. So, my thinking, feeling and doing are all about Jesus and not about me.
I don't have a perfect day or even moment where I am sinless and free from the sin all around me. Quite the opposite. When I actively search for sin to think about, feel, or do, I'm retaining ownership of my life. Should I take the opposite approach I am relinquishing my life to Jesus where he can do as he chooses with this life that is now his. Where do you stand?
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