Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

INNOCENCE

September 8, 2011

Much of humanity operates on the assumption of human innocence. In other words, we all start out pure and innocent.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of human beings who suppress the truth by their wickedness...[they] have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
--Romans 1:18,20 TNIV

So humanity assumes its initial innocence, but the Bible gives us a very different picture. As Paul begins his Letter to the Romans, he announces the good news, but there is no good news unless we understand reality, the bad news. The bad news is our universal sin, not innocence, and therefore Paul will move in his letter not only to the need for salvation, but a savior. That savior, Paul announces is Jesus the Christ.

Paul's letter, and the gospel starts challenging our wrong-thinking, and false assumptions, but it's an invitation to embrace the good news, and the good news is a person, Jesus Christ. There is no better news.

Joyfully,

Dale Patterson