John M. Buchanan

Gods Answer To Mans Dilemma

Sermon

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GOD'S ANSWER TO MAN'S DLIEMWA

WHEN ASKED WHY SHE NEVER WENT TO CHURCH AN ELDERLY LADY REPLIED:\"'WHY SHOULD 12 | DON'T
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COMMIT ANY SINS." ) APPARENTLY WHAT SHE MEANT WAS+ | DON'T, STEAL, KILL, CHEAT, COVET OR

COWAIT ADULTERY: THEREFORE EVERYTHING'S ALLRIGHT BETWEEN GOD AND ME.” \ HAVE THE SUSPICION

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THIS WELL MEANING OLD SOUL WAS ACTUALLY REFLECTING A QUITE PREVALENT MISUNDERSTANDING: THAT

IS, THAT MAN_IS SEPARATED FROM GOD ONLY BY THE BAD THINGS HE DOES, SUCH AS THOSE VIOLATIONS

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PROHIBITED IN THE TEN COWAANOMENTS: AND IF ONE MANAGES TO AVOID DOING THESE BAD THINGS—-HE

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HAS SUCCESSFULLY BEEN A GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE PERSON.

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THIS MORNING WE ARE DEALING WITH THE SECOND MOTIF IN AN ATTEMPT TO SET FORTH AN ANSWER

TO THE QUESTION:( "WHO IS THIS sesus?" } LAST WEEK WE SAW THAT JESUS, THE MAN, WAS A PERSON OFL

GREAT REMERAX CONTRASTS. \ we SAW HOW HE WAS BOTH SENTIMENTAL AND YET STEADFAST AND STRONG: WE

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SAW THE GREAT CONTRAST BETWEEN WHO HE WAS AND WHO PEOPEE THOUGHT HE was. WE LOOKED AT THE

MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION AND THE CHURCH'S AFFIRMATION THAT THIS JESUS WAS MAN WHO WAS
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GOD AND GOD BECORE MAN. \ WE SAW, FINALLY, THAT HE EVOKED A RESPONSE IN EVERYONE WHO ENCOUNTERED
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HIM. \ our SUBJECT TODAY, THEN, WILL SEEK TO ANSWER THE QUEST! ON OF HIS IDENTITY FURTHER BY

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STATING WHAT HE DID--WHAT HE ‘8M ACCOMPLISHED: WHAT HIS PURPOSE| WAS.

THE TRAD | TIONAL AND EXPECTED REPLIES TO THE QuEsTion:( “WHAT DID JESUS DO--—OR WHAT DOES
HE NOW DO?" ARE USUALLY {HE SAVED _US_ FROM SIN HE RECONCILES bs WITH GOD: HE REDEEMS: US | HE
GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE." \rese ARE ALL TRUE: @T 1T HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE , HOWEVER, THAT

PEOPLE DROP THIS THEOLOGICAL JARGON QUITE CONSISTENTLY WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING OR KNOWING

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WHAT IS neanr. \ ae) F INE TO SAY JESUS CHRIST RECONCILES US WITH GOD. BUT THIS STATEMENT MAKES

SENSE ONLY WHEN WE ARE AWARE OF A STATE OF WNZRECONEILTATION. | IT'S FINE TO SAY JESUS CHRIST

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REDEEMS US: BUT REDEEMS US FROM WHATS IT'S FINE TO SAY HE BRINGS US ETERNAL LIFE: BUT THEN

THIS [IS IMPORTANT ONLY IF WE UNDERSTAND THE LIFE IN WHICH WE ARE PRESENTLY invouven.\ IT'S

FINE TO SAY JESUS CHRIST SAVES US FROM SIN--BUT UNLESS WE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS: UNLESS WE

UNDERSTAND WHAT HE MEANT, WHAT THE N.T. MEANT AND WHAT GOD MEANS BY HUMAN SIN THE STATEMENT

"JESUS SAVES" IS JUST PIOUS NONSENSE.

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Fhe christian FAITH ASSUMES THAT THERE 1S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MAN AS HE IS: NOT SOME MEN--

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NOT JUST BAD MEN: BUT MAN: MEANING YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AND ME AND EVERYONE WHO EVER LIVED.

THE CHRISTIAN FAITH FURTHER ASSUMES THAT THIS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MAN PUTS AN UNBRIDGEABLE

GAP BETWEEN GOD AND HIMSELF. \ GOD AND MAN ARE SEPARATED BY MAN'S PROBLEM: AND TRADI TIONALLYL
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CHANGING: THAT LIFE,AS MAN EXPERIENCES 1T, CAN BE A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT. \ IT IS THE CHRISTIAN
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THE CHRISTIAN FAITH HAS CALLED THAT PROBLEM SIN. | oveisrianiry ASSUMES THAT MAN'S CONDITION NEEL

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TESTIMONY THAT GOD HAS HIMSELF PROVIDED A MEANS OF CHANGING, MAN'S CONDITION IN THIS JESUS CHRIS

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CHRISTIANS BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS GODS ANSWER TO MAN'S OILEMMA.

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1 DON'T THINK WE CAN BSSUME THAT THIS ESSENTIAL

POINT [S UNIVERSALLY wnoers Toop. \ 1 DON'T THINK IT'S AT ALL OBYIOUS THAT WE KNOW WHO JESUS
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1S BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HE p10. \ To THE CONTRARY | THINK WE COULD BUILD A GOOD CASE FOR JUST

THE OPPOSITE: THAT IS, THAT A MULTITUDE OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUND ABOUT JESUS BECAUSE WE DON't

KNOW WHAT HE DID__WE DON"T KNOW WHAT THERE |S ABOUT MAN THAT NEEDS CHANGING: WE HAVEN'T

SERIOUSLY AND INTELLIGENTLY COME TO GRIPS WITH HUMAN SIN.

EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE JUDAIC-CHRISTIAN TRADITION--MEN HAVE SEEN THAT THERE IS SOMETHING

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FUNDAMENTALLY AMISS 1N THE HUMAN SITUATION. | THE APOSTLE PAUL, ,IN OUR TEXT FOR THIS MORNING

STATED THE DILEMMA IN THE FAMOUS woRos (" DO NOT DO THE GOOD | WANT, BUT THE EVIL ID O NOT

—+

WANT IS WHAT | po." ) IT IS [INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT SIMILAR WORDS HAVE BEEN PENNED BY MEN

OF PHILOSOPHY AND LITERATURE. OVID saio( PERCEIVE THE BETTER AND APPROVE OF IT BUT |

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FOLLOW THAT WHICH [S worse.) SPEAKING OF MAN, EPICTETBS, THE GREAT PHILOSOPHER sa1Ds(wHaT HE

WANTS HE DOES NOT DO, AND WHAT HE DOES NOT WANT HE DOES."/ WHAT THESE MEN ARE SAYING IS

THAT MAN, EVEN IF HE SEES THE GOOD AND WANTS TO DO IT, HE IS PREVENTED BY SOMETHING INSIDE ene

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A REVOLUTION HAS OCCURRED [N THE PAST TE) YRS. IN THE BEHAV I OR’ SCIENCES, (cowPLe TELY

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APART FROM AND SOMETIMES HOSTILE TO) THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, MEN OF PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHIATRY AND

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SOCIOLOGY BEGAN FORMULATING THEORIES THAT SOUNDED STRIKINGLY LIKE ST. paut.\ DEPTH PSYCHIATRY

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BEGAN DABBLING IN feaAH*S SUBCONSCIOUS AND DISCOVERED THAT MAN RESPONDS TO MANY MOTIVES THAT

HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED. \ SIGNUND FREUD WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO ASSERT THAT WITHIN MAN

THERE ARE DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSES AND THAT THESE IMPULSES ARE EXPRESSED IN MANY DIFFERBINT WAYS,

SOME PEOPLE GIVE THEM FULL VENT AND DESTROY: THIS DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE pocuvenTED:| oTHERES SUI

MATE THE DESTRUCTIVE IMPULSE: CHANNELING IT INTO SOME SOCIAL ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR.\ PERHAPS

THIS IS ALL ACADEMIC BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT WHERE THE PREACHER MOUNTS THE PULPIT AND CALLS

HIS FLOCK A BUNCH OF SINNERS HE IS NOT AT ALL ALONE IN HIS ino |emenr. \ 1T DOES SHOW THAT

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ST. PAUL HAD A HOLD 8F SOMETHING THAT OTHER MEN TOOK Ags YEARS TO GRASP=-THE FACT OF HUMAN

evil or sin.

WE DON'T HAVE TO BE A PSYCHIATRISTSOR EVEN CHRISTIANS TO BE AWARE OF MAN'S evi.| IN FACT

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PROBABLY THE BEST RX TEXT BOOK OF ALL IS THE DAILY NEWS neoia,\ MEN HAVE FOUGNT AND KILEED

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AND DESTROYED EACH OTHER FOR AS LONG AS THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. \ nen DESTROY
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EACH OTHERE INWARS, IN THE CITY STREETS: MEN DESTROY EACH OTHER WITH ECONOMIC WEAPONS,
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WITH CYNICISM AND UNCONCERN:\ MEN DESTROY EVERY DAY BECAUSE MEN|DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO

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ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE OTHER MEN WHO HAVE CARES AND COHCERNS JUST AS [MPORTANT AS

THEIR OWN.

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WHAT 1S SIN THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE CREATIONS TORY , IMMED | TAELY DEFINES SIN AS DISOBEDIANCt

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IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN SPIC ADAM AND EVE ARE GIVEN FREEDOM OF chorce| THEY MAY DO WHAT THEY WANT

S9--EXCEPT EAT THE FRUIT OF ONE vaee. | Tey ARE GIVEN THEIR BOWNDAR IES AND YET THE FORBIDDEN

FRUIT IS PRECISELY WHAT THEY EAT. \ THIS SETS THE STAGE FOR THE WHOLE HISTORY OF ISRAEL AHE

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WHOLE STORY OF MANKIND.

AGAIN AND AGAIN THE PEOPLE DISOBEY GOD BY STEPPING OUT OF THE BOUNDARIES OF OBEDIENCE.

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THY @®E GIVEN A LIAW, AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THEY BREAK IT. \ GRADUALLY THE LAW BXPANDED AND

GRADUALLY THE HEBRAIC DOCTRINE OF SIN MOVED AWAY FROM THE FUNDAMENTAL REBELLION OF ADAM

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AND EVE AND BEGASSE’ ENTIRELY ASSOCIATED WITH WRITTEN Laws. \ To SIN WAS TO BREAK THE LAW: TO OBE’

THE LAW WAS TO LIVE WITHOUT SIN. \ THIS IS THE SETTING WHEN JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN.
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AS YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, THIS LEGALISTIC NOTION OF SIN, AS DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAW, DID NOT

GO DOWN WELL WITH OUR LORD.\ IN FACT, FROM THE OUTSET, HE MADE HIS FRIENDS IN THE CLASS OF
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PEOPLE WHO HAD TECHNICALLY AND LEGALLY EARNED THE NAME SINNERS. \ ney WEREN'T BAD PEOPLE: THEY .
———.

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MOST CRITICAL, MOST CAUSTIC WHEN HE CONFRONTED MEN WHO TECHNICALLY AND LEGALLY WERE NOT SINNERS.

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1'T WAS THESE--THE P1OUS SCRIBES AND PEARISEES, THE MEN WHO LIVED LEGALLY SPOTLESS LIVES AND

JUST DIDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION TO THE ELABORATE JEWISH ua| ON THE OTHER HAND, JESUS WAS

THEN FLAUNTED THEIR cee, THAT INCURRED HIS WRATH. \ IN THE SERMON ON THE MT. JESUS DEFINED

FURTHER WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE LOCUS OF MAN'S SIN, | me OLD ae SAIDC "THOU SHALT NOT KILL” )

BUT JESUS SAID( "MHOEVER 1S ANGRY WITH HIS BROTHER IS LIABLE TO JUDGIENT.. THE OLD D LAW SAID

(THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. ' ‘But JESUS SA1D( “EVERYONE WHO LOOKS AT A WOMAN LUSTFULLY

HAS Aeready COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH HER IN HIS HEART,

——

IN OTHER i al 1S NOT SO MUCH THE DOING OF BAD THINGS AS IT IS INTHE MOTIVES, AND

EMOW ONS AND FEELINGS THAT LKE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF ORDINARY BEHAVIOR.
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IN THE WORDS HE SPOKE--AND THE R@& PEOPLE WITH SHOM HE ASSOCIATED, JESUS TOOK THE OLD

TESTAMENT DOCTRINE OF ae a LEGAL CI SOREDIENCE AND BEEPENED IT|TO INCLUDE DISOBEDIENCE IN

THE HEART.\ FOR JESUS CHRIST SIN RAN DEEPLY IN THE NATURE OF nan-\ AS HE TALKED WITH THE

PHARISEE AND THE PROSTITUTE} AHE MAN OF RELIGIOUS PIETY AND THE WOMEN OF EVIL ONE WAS S&T BETTER

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OR WORSE THAN THE OTHER: BACH WAS A SINNER,

THE ABPOSTLE PAUL, WHOSE TEXT WE BEGAN WITH, PSSHED THIS UNDERSTAND ING EVEN FURTHER. “We.

TO ‘ — He
ea JESUS: TEACHINGS AND ACTIONS AS® ADDED SOME THEOLOGICAL DERTH. \ me RESULT OF HIS OVW

STRUGGLE 1S BEAUTIFULLY EXPRESSED IN OUR TEXT:(''THE GOOD WHICH | WANT TO DO, | FAIL TO DO: BUT

WHAT 1D DO IS THE WRONG WHICH 1S AGAINST MY WILL: AND 1F WHAT 1 ‘DO IS AGAINST MY WILL, CLEARLY

1T IS NO LONGER | WHO AM THE AGENT, BUT SIN THAT HAS ITS LODGING IN ME" | "MISERABLE CREATURE

THAT | AM, WHO IS THERE TO RESCUE ME OUT OF THIS BODY DOOMED To DEATH? GOD ALONE, THROUGH

JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD" THANKS BE TO GOD,"

—_—

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THIS [S THE DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF MAN'S DILEMMA THAT | FIND MISSING=--WITHOUT IT THERE CAN

See S aeearaan re:

no real understanding of, Jesus christ.| MUCH OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY HAS DIGRESSED: WE

HAVE IGNORED OUR LORD'S AND ST. PAUL:S PROBING ANAYYSIS OF THE HUMAN SITUATION AND INSTEAD

HAVE FASTENED OURSELVES TO A LEGALISM THAT IS MORE THAN A LITTLE SIMILAR TO THE PHARISAIC LEGAL]

IN JESUS DAY, \ we STILL HAVE OUR_LIAW-THE KEEPING OF WHICH IS A SURE AVOIDANCE OF sin. | FOR SOME

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IT IS A LAW CONCERNED WITH ONLY THE MOSTYRIVIAL OF HUMAN BEHAVIORISMS~-SMOKING, BRGNICENG,,

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STANCE HERE. | eur EVEN HERE, IN THIS ENLIGHTENED CITADEL OF MODERN PRESBYTERIANISM, | STILL

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PLAYING CARDS,-4®@D GOING TO THE MOVIES: AND IN A SENSE prinkine. | rats, 1 TRUST [IS NOT THE

CONSISTANTLY ENCOUNTER A DOCTRINE OF SIN THAT GOES NO DEEPER THAN DISOBEYING THE CIVIL LAW.

AGAIN, IF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF OURSELVES AND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SIN STOPS HERE, WE CAN'T

EXPECT TO (NOW WHO THIS JESUS IS. THE TWO ARE INSEPARABLY UNITED.

WHAT 1S SIN THEN? 1 DON'T KNOW THAT WE_CAN DO MUCH MORE THAN DEFINE IT AS THE REASON

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THERE IS A DISTANCE=A SEPARATEDNESS=BE TWEEN US AND GOD. \ I FEAR] THAT IN THE FINAL_ANAYYS{S

SIN IS A WORD LIKE LOVE, A WORD THAT IS DONE JUSTICE BY NO AMOUNT OF SYNONYMS.\ BUT WE ARE QUES _

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TIONING CREATURES AND ARE NOT WILLING X® OR ABLE TO ACCEPT A COSMIC TRUTH WITHOUT A PROPER

| - Far tog man
DEFINITION. | SO THEOLOGIANS HAVE WRITTEN HUNDREDS OF BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT, ANB—FF-WO6HELB= BE

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ROOESH-ANDCUSELESS—FORHESIOSRy TO EXPLAIN THE THOUGHTS OF EVEN A Few.\ THERE IS, HOWEVER,

ONE GERMINAL THOUGHT THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO ME AND IT BEGINS BACK IN THE CREATION STORY.

ADAM AND EVE'S SIN WAS DISOBEDIANCE, AN INABILITY TO ACCEPT THE LORDSHIP OF GOD. \ THE a |

COULDN"T ACCEPT GOD'S RULE THE BOUNDARIES HE HAD SET FRR THEM AS HIS cREATURES.\ AND SO_ THEY
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DISOBEYED AND MADE THEMSELVES THE ONE'S TO DETERMINE WHAT 1S RIGHT AND wrone. \ iN A WORD ,THEY

WANTED TO BE GOD. \ THIS REBELLION 1{§ WHAT AFFECTS ALL MEN: IT I$ A KIND OF PRIDE AR

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EGOCENTRICITY,NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH A MAN"S PRIDE IN HIW WORK+—OR PRIDE IN HIS FAMILY-—BUT
— —_——t

A SELFISH PRIDE THAT MAKES EACH ONE OF US FEEL THAT WE ARE THE CENTER OF OUR WORLD: AN

EGOCENTRICITY THAT MAKES US ALWAYS FEEL A LITLE BETTER OR A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE

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OTHER MAN. e WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A SYNON M FOR SIN WE CAN DO NO BETTER THAN SELFISH PRIDE.

SPURUTMALLY THIS UNDERSTANDING 1S CRUCIAL: FOR IF THE EGO--if | -—-~AM AT THE CENTER OF MY

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EXISTENCE, GOD CANNOT BE, AND IF GOD IS NOT CENTRAL HE IS NOT REALLY coo | IN OUR HEARTS WE
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REBEL: WE ARE LOATH TO RELINQUISH OUR CENTRALITY AND SO WE FIND OURSELVES SPART FROM OUR GOD.

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THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF SIN ARE MORE EASILY seen.\ HEN USE EACH OTHER, MEN GO ABOUT LIVING

UNCONSCIOUS @& THE FEELINGS AND DESIRES OF OTHER MEN. \we ALL FAIL TERRIBLY TO BE CONCERNED °

TO LOVE OTHERS WS WE LOVE OURSELVES.\ CULTURALLY, SIN 1S MOST EASILY SEEN IN MAN'S INJUSTICE.

ISN"T THE RACIAL PROBLEM NO MORE THAN THE CUMWULATIVE EFFECT OF THE WHITE MAN'S EcoceNTRICITY /

CAN WILLFUL AND INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A CONCERTED EXPRESSION OF
OUR SINFUL PRIDE?

AS | SAID, THE THEORIES OF SIN ARE MANY--TOO MANY TO EVEN) BEGIN TO EXPLAIN, | BUT_LET US

REMEMBER THAT FOR PAUL AND FOR JESUS SIN COULD BE EXPRESSED IN) ANY WAY - EGOCENTRICITY CAN

EXPRESS ITSELF EVEN THROUGH RELIGION.

THIS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION("WHO IS THIS JESUS?"/ BEGINS were THE ASSUMPTION THAT MAN IS

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GUILTY: GUILTY OF SIN AGAINST GOD AND AGAINST FELLOW MEN. \i7 BEGINS WITH THE BERT Re

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THAT MAN IS ALIENATED FROM GOD AND FROM HIS FELLOWMEN. \ ano IT PROCEEDS WITH THE RECOGNI T! ON

THAT THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO RIGHT THE DILEMWA.\ ALL THAT 1S LEFT TO US IS TO LIVE WITH O

OWN SELF-PERPETUATING GUILT.
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WHEN THIS 1S UNDERSTOOD WE CAN BEGIN TO TIE SOME LOOSE ENDS TOGETHER. \ WHERE WE FACE OUR
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GUILT=-OUR INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN Sf = CAN BEGIN TO KNOW CHRIST THE REDEEMER, CHRIST THE

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RECONCILER--CHRIST THE SAVIOR--THE ONE WHO SAVES US FROM SIN.

—_——

THE MECHANICS OF CHRIST'S SAVING ARE FOUND IN THE cross. \ Last WEEK WE DISCUSSED THE

incarnation-the toal humanity and divinity of jesus. \ secause IE WAS TOTALLY LMAN HE WAS

ABLE TO SHARE IN MAN'S WNIVERSAL GUILT: AND BECAUSE HE WILLINGLY SHARED IT HE COULD BE

PUNISHED FOR IT. \ THIS IS WHAT THE CROSS OF CHRIST MEANS TO THE CHRISTIANS --IT IS THE EVENT

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BY WHICH GOD HIMSELF TOOK THE INITIATIVE AND TOOK ON HIMSELF MAN's GUILT.\ GRE THE CROSS THE_PR

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WAS PAID: BECAUSE THIS JESUS DIED--MAN AND a AND MAN MAY BE RECONCILED: FOR THE GUILT IS

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GONE .

——

Baul TILLICH, THE GREAT PROTESTANT THEOLOGIAN HAS DEFINED SALVATION AS A "NEW DIMENSION

OF uire."| IT [S LIFE WITHOUT GUILT AND ANXIETY: LIFE LIVED IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IN

JESUS CHRIST GOD FORGIVES AND ACCEPTS WHAT WE are.\ THis IS A NEW DIMENSION OF LIFE: AN

ETERNAL DIMENSION THAT BEGINS RIGHT aa THE SACRAMENT O F BAPTISM WE HAVE AFFIRMED THAT

THE LIFE OF THIS INFANT CAN BE DIFFERENT, IT CAN INCLUDE A NEW AND ETERANL DIMENSION BECAUSE

NAME our LIPS
OF JESUS CHRIST. \ WE AFFIRM THIS EVERYTIME WE TAKE HIS WORD ON GURSSEVES, EVERY TIME_WE

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CALL HIM LORD.

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THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST BEGINS WITH ST. PAUL:S ccseai ht amo WILL DELIVER ME FROM

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THIS BODY OF DEATH? )KX BUT IT 1S FULFILLED WHEN WE, WITH HIM CAN EXCLAIM-= "GOD ALONE,

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. THANKS BE TO GOD!"

—_ ee

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