ANSWERING THE HUMAN CONTRADICTION
Living Stones Series: First Published in All Around Old Bridge Publication – November 2020, Pastor Lloyd Pulley
The United States Army has a popular slogan used in recruiting: Be all you can be. This touches a desire deep within us all; we have this sense of our ultimate worth, but can’t seem to rise above our own natural inadequacies. Some give up on this longing to be better and give in to their baser urges, suppressing the guilt by anesthetizing themselves with drugs, alcohol and amusements. Others develop highly-sophisticated ways to "look the part" in appearing more honorable than they actually are, but this outward deception leads to a complete lack of self-awareness inwardly and proves to be empty. Still others do their best to humbly change with the help of those close to them. But the gap between what we know we should be and what we actually are is much greater than we would like to honestly admit. So how then do we answer this human contradiction?
The Bible holds the only valid explanation. How is it that we are conscious of our intrinsic worth as human beings, yet hindered by this deep sense of our own shame and feelings of unworthiness? The Scripture reveals that we were created noble, with unparalleled potential, but have fallen and need God to rescue and return us to our intended state in relationship with Him. The Bible unveils the full rescue plan of the gospel, the promise of complete restoration and His coming kingdom where righteousness and justice will reign.
Sadly, the honest humility required to be able to receive God’s plan of salvation through His Son’s death on the cross is a challenge. Many instead rely on doing their best, while others resort to some self-help plan. Many today believe societal injustice is the real problem and hold that human improvement requires social action, political power and re-education away from religion. Generation after generation there is always some new hope to reach utopia and an evolved state of human perfection. But when people finally realize they cannot even fix themselves, let alone humanity, perhaps they will be moved to honesty and ask for God’s mercy before their final exam before Him. Here they will discover the simple gospel of forgiveness through Jesus’ death has incredible transforming power. Then true change occurs personally and can influence and transform society around them.
However, when there is a decline in biblical influence within education, media, politics and even in the home, more people will be deceived into thinking the government needs to come to the rescue. Sadly, this leaves many at the mercy of an elite few who will use the force of government, leading to an Orwellian-type control. This is clearly predicted throughout the Bible and culminates in Revelation chapter 13.
Government control often leaps forward in times of crisis. Now many realize that COVID-19 may have become a most useful crisis and, coupled with the lack of restraint on lawbreakers and rioters, may be a precursor to more instability to come requiring more government control. As I write this, I don't know the outcome of this presidential election, but there are two opposing visions represented by the two parties. To the biblically-minded what is of great concern is to maintain a respect for the Constitution to protect us from intrusive government, seemingly bent on using sexual rights to bring to an end our religious freedom. So, the choice becomes: Freedom of conscience with less government interference or bigger government with more control. These views will continue to clash no matter the results of this election.
But if many in our nation (which has seen greater trouble in the past) would begin to regard and honor God, believing in the gospel, then justice and great acts of mercy toward the poor would prevail and we would see revival. Oh, how I pray for those who have known God’s ways to turn back to them and get back into the Bible! And among those who do not know Him, I pray for a new beginning and a new awareness of how He alone can change the heart and settle that human contradiction.
For those who look to Jesus as Savior, not relying on their own ability but on His power, there is real hope. No matter what comes against them they will hold to their convictions and be a true example of Jesus to the lost world around them. This is where our true hope lies: being all you can be in Christ.
We may experience a government wielding greater control, more antichrist in nature, arising after the upcoming election. This will certainly lead to greater marginalization and persecution of believers of the gospel as we witness in many parts of the world. But even if ridiculed, isolated, marginalized, attacked or even killed, we will not stop loving and praying for our persecutors. For we have an eternal hope! We desire and pray that even our persecutors will settle their issue with their Creator before they leave the earth. After all, we too were once lost until we saw Jesus, that He was the only answer to the ultimate human contradiction, namely sin.