Section
III Corruption of Human Nature - Objection
But
we still have this huge problem:
“The
pride of man is loath to be humbled. Forced to abandon the plea of
innocence, and pressed so closely that it can no longer escape from
the conclusion to which we would drive him, some more bold objector
faces about and stands at bay, endeavouring to justify what he can no
longer deny, “Whatever I am” he contends “I am what my creator
made me. I inherited a nature, you yourself confess, depraved and
prone to evil: how then can I withstand the temptations to sin by
which I am environed?” ...”
“A
just God cannot blame me!” Says the objector.
Philosophical
questions of the origin of evil or why God allows its existence and
punishes evil doers are too deep for this discussion, but since the
above abjection is heard even from professed Christians we must at
least answer that.
If
the objection were made by an avowed sceptic, we could
argue the case but we wouldn't. I mean we could prove
his ideas wrong, but might still fail to convince him that we were
right. It would be like talking to someone who had never even been to
school and launching straight into a proof that Copernicus was right,
instead of starting with simple things and working up to complicated
ones. In that case the person would get confused, annoyed and reject
all we had to say. The sceptic would likely react in the same way if
we launched into proving the justice of God. So for the avowed
sceptic I would start with the simple truths of Christianity!
However
if the objector professes to be a Christian, then they must accept
the authority of scripture. I can show from the Bible that a) God is
just and good, b) mankind has a depraved nature and c) that this
depraved nature is never allowed as an excuse for sin. Jesus said:
“...those who have done evil will rise to be
condemned” and “The angels will come
and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the
blazing furnace” yes, Jesus the messenger of peace and
goodwill towards mankind made warnings like this over and over again.
The
Bible also warns us not to try to blame God for our sins. “When
tempted no one should say “God is
tempting me” for God cannot be tempted nor does he tempt anyone.”
and “Do I take any pleasure at the death of
the wicked? Declares
the Sovereign LORD.
Rather am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?”.
Almost every page of the Bible has some warning or invitation for
sinners: so don't try to blame God.
The
objection is not always as blatant as “God can't blame me: he made
me this way”. The same idea lurks in more subtle ways. Like a
noxious cloud it lowers our standard of Right and gives us false
comfort for our failings. Look, the Bible is clear about our natural
weakness; but it never suggests, as these objectors
suppose, that this in any way lowers the demands of God's justice.
Such an idea is at war with the whole notion of redemption in Christ!
Yes our natural condition is depraved and weak; Yes God is infinitely
holy; Yet God offers sinners pardon, grace and strength. This is so
amazing that of course we can't fully comprehend it. So what! There
are plenty of ordinary things around us that we can't comprehend, yet
happily use. We must obey the things we can understand that are given
us in scripture, and not throw them away just because there are a few
things we can't understand. “The secret
things belong to the LORD
our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children
forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
What
are these objectors thinking! We have this short, uncertain time in
which to make our peace with God. Then comes the Judgement. Then an
eternity either in heaven or in hell. Yet here they are engrossed in
vain arrogant speculations while their lives hang in the balance! It
is like a traitor dragged before a fair minded king who might be
ready to pardon them, where the traitor instead of asking for mercy
just hurls abuse at the king. No, the objectors are worse than that:
The traitor might not get pardoned, but God does promise that we will
be if we ask for his forgiveness. So these people really have only
themselves to blame when they end up in hell.
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