From my former church…a note from the pastor. This is getting more to the point. I wonder if WE had anything to do with it? Hope he gets closer to the point. Anything missing? At least the word sin is very obvious in this, and our fallen nature. I have to reread to see how I feel about the last statement…”saved us from ourselves”…hmmmm. What about this “born with a wound” business? I think we are born with a sin nature. Wounded? Nah. Christ was wounded for our transgressions, not for our wound.
Former Pastor’s words (with identifying church names/groups edited)
“Hey, I have a great Christmas theme to share with you . . . DEPRAVITY. Yeah, you read it right. Doesn’t sound real Christmassy does it?
This morning, in a men’s meeting, we were talking about how our society thinks that we can improve our lives into goodness. We talked about the beginnings of the self help movement and how we are “born to win.” But the reality is that we are not born to win. Each of us is born with a fallen defective nature. We each carry a wound within. This wound is not afflicted on us by our circumstances or background or upbringing. This wound is not one afflicted on us by our parents or by bullies or the unfairness of life. Self improvement and self empowerment and self actualization and self esteem will not fix it.
We are born with this wound and it is in the fabric of our nature. This wound permeates all of our perceptions, behaviors, relationships, and character. Theologians call it “total depravity.” That means we are fallen creatures (Genesis 1-3) who are born disconnected from God. We have a nature that is bent toward self and sin – not toward selflessness and holiness. We have a flesh that is bent towards immorality – not towards goodness. When opportunities present themselves to indulge that nature – we cannot help but give into sin – we cannot resist it. ”
He writes on…
“Enter Jesus Christ. He wants to rescue us from this wound. He wants to deliver us from our old nature. He wants to rescue us from being enslaved to sin and bound to an eternity separated from Him. He wants to give us a new nature . . . with a new power . . . and a new hope . . . and a new mind . . . and new relationships . . . and a new future.
“…Christ came to earth. He didn’t come so we could celebrate a holiday, but so we could have new life! Jesus came to save us (Matthew 1:21)! So this Christmas, I want to encourage you . . . speak of your new life…. Pray for your family. Engage in conversations. And tell them about how Jesus has rescued and delivered you from darkness and hopelessness . . . how he saved you from yourself! “
I am a C...I am a CH...I am a CHRISTIAN 