Detachment

I think most of us like to be detached of things in which bring about negative associations or simply things that might cause others to think poorly about our character. I read many blogs, but not many blog replies. This was a reply that I read today that I wanted to share.

"If sin is just "doing bad things," then the cure is behavioral modification. But if sin is "being a bad thing" then the *only* cure is the gospel."

I think misguided Christians painstakingly attempt to modify behaviors simply so that the outer appearance is changed, but in essence leaves the inner part (the most important part), completely unchanged. I'm reminded of this as the house that I rent continues to fall apart. It's been raining off and on and I happened to go into the garage (which I never do) and there was a puddle of water gathered in the middle. I walked into my wash room and the roof was leaking there as well. In the past we've found termites, mold, and even a rat! I know it sounds like we live in a slum, but you wouldn't think so by looking at the outward appearance. Painting over and over again only masks the symptoms and true problems my house faces. Oh the similarity to most of our lives (believers and unbelievers).

I think we have completely detached the fact that we sin because we are sinners and not sinners because we sin. If we operate with the notion that sin is something like a bad habit, well then it doesn't take a supernatural healing to be free from it. People who do not know Christ do it all the time. But if sin is an outcome of our rebellious heart, then the real issue has nothing to do with modifying behavior but with submitting to the fact that we are in desperate need of reconciliation. We can't see our desperate need of a Savior if we don't first recognize our fundamental sinfulness that encompasses who we are internally without Christ.

So, we detach it because it seems to work. It seems to work because people are being fooled by it. But the real question is: Who really is the fool?