The Heart of the Matter: Understanding Sin and Redemption
At its core, sin is a heart problem. It’s not just about bad behavior or external temptations, but a fundamental issue with our inner selves. The Bible uses the term “heart” to describe the center of our thoughts, emotions, desires, and motivations. It’s the worship center of our being, and it’s where sin resides.
The Causal Core of Personhood
The heart is the reason we do what we do and say what we say. We live out of our hearts, and sin corrupts our thoughts, desires, choices, and motivations. We were created to serve God, but sin makes us lovers of self. We were made to worship the Creator, but sin causes us to worship creation instead.
The Futility of Self-Reformation
No amount of commitment to self-improvement can change our hearts. No amount of effort to alter bad habits or avoid certain situations can transform us. We can’t run from sin because we can’t run from ourselves. The most extreme acts of penance are powerless to radically transform our hearts.
The Only Solution: Running to Grace
We’re left with only one option: running to the grace of Jesus. We need to run for forgiveness, power, transformation, and deliverance. We need to run to Jesus again and again until we don’t need to run anymore. God hasn’t just forgiven us; He’s also called us to a new way of living – a life of faith.
The Counterintuitive Nature of Faith
Faith isn’t natural for us. Doubt, fear, and worry are normal, but faith isn’t. It’s not something we can work up inside ourselves; it’s a gift from God. Not only is our salvation a gift, but the faith to embrace it is also a gift. God gives us the grace to believe and enables us to live by faith.
The Transforming Power of Grace
If we’re living by faith, it’s because God has visited us with powerful, transforming grace. Our way of living is no longer based on what we can see and understand, but on God’s presence, promises, principles, and provisions. Could it be that the challenges we face are God’s tools to build our faith?
Hope in Weakness
We don’t have to hide in guilt when our faith is weak. Our hope isn’t in our faithfulness, but in God’s. We can run to Him in weakness and seek His strength. He always gives us what we need to do what He’s called us to do.
Leave a Reply