WHAT WOULD WE DO IF LIFE WERE PERFECT?
Christine Wyrtzen
In His days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more. He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Psalm 72:7
What drives man’s propensity to sin? Is it the effects of the fall on this world? I can think so. I believe that when I’m not loved well, I must rise up to take care of myself and do whatever I need to do to be loved. When life is not fair, I must rise up to seek and enforce justice. My sin erupts from a personal need to fix a broken world, right?
If that were all correct, the converse would be true. A perfect world, one where God is King, would be so wonderful that no one would need to sin. Perfect love would exist. Perfect justice would rule society. Sin would be unnecessary and the compulsion to sin would disappear.
Let’s fast forward to the millennial reign of Christ. Satan will be bound. (Revelation 20) Jesus will be King. The rulers under Him will be the appointed saints who have already died in Christ and been glorified. (Rev.20:4-6) Perfect love. Perfect justice. Perfect authority figures. But in this thousand year span, humans will still live on the earth. They will procreate and have children who will grow up to father new generations. These people will still be under the effects of the fall while living under an umbrella of perfection. So what will they do? Will they sin?
Can you see the deja-vu here? Adam and Eve were created and lived in the perfect environment. God walked with them in their world. They didn’t experience lovelessness, loneliness, unfairness, cruelty or danger. Yet, in spite of this perfect existence, they still sinned. And in the millennium, under the next umbrella of perfection, man will sin again. The presence of Holiness won’t ensure righteous responses. Adam and Eve wanted autonomy and so will many of the children of men under Jesus’ reign. When it comes right down to it, what we seek is not a perfect world. What we demand is the right to decide who rules us. We are repelled by the idea that we must bow the knee to Jesus. Even in the presence of Perfection, our need to be our own god rises up to tempt us.
Today, we hear all kinds of excuses when people sin. “I just needed to be loved.” “I needed to make things fair.” May we not be fooled! These rationales were not the driving force. It was the failure to surrender to a holy God who rules all things well. It was the failure to trust Hope deferred.
Today, this will also characterize my battle with my own flesh. I cut to the chase and I ask God for the grace to surrender to His Will above my own.
Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you for Your grace today so that I am able to surrender in all the places I have set myself in charge. I lay down my pride and forfeit all rights to challenge Your Kingly rule over my life. Amen
Originally published Wednesday, 10 October 2018.
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