Dangers of Denial
"In denying sin and evil. we unleash its worst powers" - Chuck Colson and Nancy Pearcy
The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between political parties either - but right through every human heart. - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
We deny sin and evil at our own peril. When ignored, covered up, or explained away - we eventually realize our sin and evil take on a life of their own. In other words, my sin and your sin cannot be contained in our lives isolated from the rest of human society. Sin and Evil escapes and contaminates lives around us.
We live at a time when most of western culture deny sin and evil. We try to explain them away as diseases or psychological disorders caused by unfair systems or institutions. The sentiment goes something like, “If we just change the unfair external conditions, people will naturally default to being good.”
This is a misdiagnosis of the human problem by locating sin and evil outside the human heart. Thus, the responsibility and blame for evil resides outside the individual.
When we get the diagnosis wrong, we will get the cure wrong - making problems worse.
The key issue is many modern Christians believe the lie that humans are born intrinsically good. Its societal structures and institutions that are evil. Thus, those structures must be overthrown to liberate humans!
How the spirit of the age doth lie!
Lies die in the light of truth
Sin dies in the light of grace.
Life arises through the light of faith.
“Sin cannot be overcome by human devices of the kind that governments wield but only by suffering and grace.” - Glenn Tinder
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)