Tag: sinful nature

The Value of Now

As I write about what the Bible has to say about what can happen after our deaths, I often struggle to find a word or words that refer to our current state of existence. If I use the word “life”, I collide with how the Bible uses the word “life” to refer to our eternal existence with God. Paul even says that our existence with God after our deaths is “life that is truly life”. It implies that our current existence doesn’t really deserve the title of “life”.

There are many negatives that are true about existence as we know it. We all possess a sinful nature. This is probably a corruption of our God-given genetic code that makes understanding God without help impossible. It also leaves us with behaviors and desires that are contrary to what is truly good. Put sinful people on a planet together and you get family dysfunction, crime, war and many forms of misery.

This “life” also is diminished by “the curse”. I’m not sure if it is a punishment from God or just what happens when the original couple of humans reject God. The result is a separation from God that clouds our relationship with Him, an uncooperative environment, natural disasters, illness and many other forms of danger and frustration.

One last scourge is that this world is “given” to Satan. Satan himself claims this as he tempts Jesus in the wilderness. Beyond this Satan and his cronies are cast out of Heaven (Revelation 12:7-9), and where does he land? Here. Can’t be anywhere else away from us? This gives the extra kicker to human misery.

With this toxic stew, it should not be surprising if life has its challenges. Do not assume that this life will be fair, safe or happy. If we manage periods of any of these then we are truly blessed. They are not promised.

That said, we are not kept here for the sake of misery. Life has its purpose. First and foremost, it is during our brief stay here that Christ will connect with us and give us something better. Still, we are not translated into Heaven the moment we become Christians.

We have work to do. Our God-given purpose will be unique to this period of our existence. In Heaven and the New Earth, we will have purpose, and we will enjoy that purpose thoroughly. But our current purpose has a unique quality that makes now valuable.

Here, when we worship God in spirit and truth, we do so in an environment with none of the advantages of being with God in Heaven, and God knows it. He values worship like that. When we maintain a personal, respectful, trusting relationship with God despite the curse, it is a big deal.

This world is filled with the wounded who need help. There won’t be any in Heaven and the New Earth. This planet is out of sync and all living things suffer in some way because of it. When we are good stewards of the Earth, we bring healing.

Here is where you will be in contact with the spiritual lost. Your words and example can help to lead people to Christ. No one will need that in Heaven.

This world is a mess and it can be painful to live in it, but because it is a mess there is extra value to our service here. If, foolishly, you live here as if this is all there is and you neglect your God-given purpose to simply live to entertain yourself, then you are blowing it. Your pleasures will be limited. Your deeds will not follow you.

Because of the uniquely needy nature of this world and the creatures in it, I am asking for a long and productive life. I am willing to stay here as long as God wants me here, and no longer. I cherish what good times and good relationships I have here, because they help me through. I know that there will be much better to come. But I make the most positive difference now.

We Will All Be Changed (Part 1)

As we approach New Year’s Day, it is traditional to make resolutions about how we would like to change our bodies, habits and other behaviors.  Rarely do they work.  Establishing a new behavior typically takes about sixty days of reinforcement.  This is the minimum time it takes to re-wire our neurons in the brain.

I am in no way discouraging attempts of self-improvement in this life.  It can be done.  My discussion over the next few blog entries will not be about improvements in this life. Rather it will be about how we will be changed when we leave this life.  As we imagine the version of ourselves that will be discovered when we die, it may inspire you to get a head start and to begin changes while still here.

The first change to ponder is the end of our sinful nature.  Getting rid of this flaw is a primary reason why we need to physically die, since sinful nature is a part of our flesh.

Think about what sinful nature does.  One thing is the drive to self-satisfaction that leads us to cross the line of God’s Law.  Whether an endorphin lift caused by sex, risk taking (like gambling), drugs, or other things; this drive feels good and gives a temporary boost in energy or relaxation, it also distorts the God-given purpose for sex, creates bad stewardship decisions, takes advantage of others and pushes God to the side.  Pleasure is not automatically sinful.  In fact, I expect Heaven and the New Earth to be filled with pleasure.  The change will be the ability to find pleasure in good and godly things.  Our current bodies are wired more for the former than the later.

A new body, at first just a Heavenly body and then a resurrected Earthly body, will operate differently.  I’m sure it will have even a greater capacity for pleasure, but it will not struggle with impulse control or selfish gratification.  Rather, love will likely be the driver of pleasure.

Lack of impulse control is also a big problem with our words.  Anger is ignited and, for many, goes directly to harsh words and sometimes quickly to violent actions.  Heaven will be different.  First, there won’t be things to trip anger, but even if there would, a body that is peaceful, happy and controlled will be without harsh words.  How great will relationships be without the products of sinful nature.

Another thing that I believe is created by sinful nature is a need to compete with others.  It may serve a survival purpose in this world, but it leads to unnecessary damaged relationships and self-loathing.  What would it feel like to be truly and completely happy for others?  Our best efforts at this are at least tainted with jealousy.

A body created by a genome tainted with the corruptions of sinful nature also has a hard time maintaining joy.  Quickly our biology slides back to the feelings and weaknesses of boredom: lack of energy, focus and the like.  Some don’t care to even consider Heaven because their minimal knowledge of it makes it sound boring.  They are bored in a worship service, because they don’t understand what they are doing.  The thought of anything that is “eternal” evokes the thought of eternal boredom.  Ironically, the cause of boredom will not be a part of Heaven or the New Earth.  Existence will be engaging and without the swings we experience here.

No doubt there are many other affects of sinful nature that will not be a part of our eternity.  We don’t recognize them now, so it is hard to imagine what our new lives will be like.  It is fun to try, however.

Some changes are modestly achievable now.  Why not just wait?  Living in ways that are contrary to sinful nature are pleasing to God and good discipleship in many ways.   They may even give some pleasure now, if not insight into how things will be.

 

Thy Kingdom Come (Freedom)

Freedom is a tough word to define.  Sometimes we view it as the absence of constraints, but as creatures who have a sinful nature we often do poorly when unconstrained.  Many people, exercising “freedom”, become helplessly enslaved to addictions.  It would seem that our natural, sinful self is almost set up for an addiction of some kind.  If it isn’t drugs and alcohol, then it is sex, gambling or even video games.  Anything that is too rewarding becomes addicting.

Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.

These famous words of Jesus prove to be too true in life.    Everyone does sin, so everyone is a slave to sin.  We are not free.  Not yet.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)

Jesus sets us free from the condemnation by the Law of our sin, and the mandatory sentencing that would damn us forever.  That is the most important way Jesus sets us free.  But there are others.  Jesus’ victory on the cross also was a death blow to the control Satan exercises over God’s people.  In Heaven and the New Earth, Satan will be completely absent.  He will exercise no influence over us at all.  That too is a huge new freedom.  The miracles of Jesus’ during His earthly ministry foreshadow such a freedom as Jesus cast out demons.

There will also be freedom from our sinful nature.  A freedom from a biology that just can’t seem to handle pleasure without eventual problems.  I believe the sinful nature that the Bible describes is actually genetic mutations that inflicted our common parents (Adam and Eve) and have been passed on to us all (Psalm 51:5, Romans 7:14-25, Genesis 3:6-7).  These mutations do not represent how God created us nor are they what God wants for us.  Sinful nature produces a brain structure that is prone to addiction and resistant to God.  Even if we don’t have an “addictive personality”, we can become addicted with the right exposures.

Imagine life where this is no longer possible.  Imagine a new biology where we can experience every good thing and still be free.  Imagine joy, exhilaration, ecstasy, love, happiness, satisfaction without a crash, without an uncontrollable urge for more.  Freedom combined with all good things.

Far from the boredom that some people attribute to eternity with God, Heaven and the New Earth will be characterized glorious freedom.

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