The Only Real Hope for Humanity on Earth
This past Sunday I ended my message with a quote from Dallas Willard. It is from his book, "The Renovation of the Heart." I believe it is a profound insight into the reality of our present situation, and I look forward to consuming his book entirely. Here is the quote: "He (Jesus) saves us by the realistic restoration of our heart to God and then by dwelling there with His Father through the distinctively divine Spirit. The heart thus renovated and inhabited is the only real hope of humanity on earth." Let that sink in for a minute.
We face a multitude of challenges and dangers in the world today. People have all sorts of solutions, political and otherwise. However, there is nothing that will have a realistic chance of radically changing the condition of humans on earth more than divine heart renovation and the indwelling of God. All other solutions pale in comparison. Now, we are not just talking about people who do not know Christ coming to know Him. We are referring to Christians beginning to act like Jesus in the power of the Spirit. In fact, if Christians would be conformed to the image of Christ, it would not take long for the people of the world to come to Him.
Just think of the radical changes that would be evident in every culture on earth, if even the majority of the people in each culture had a change of heart so complete that they acted and reacted like Jesus. Crime would be drastically reduced. Charitable giving would explode along with productivity. Morality would be elevated in every area of life. Now, realize that Jesus always intended for that to be the result of His coming to deliver us from sin. He came not to save us in our sins, but from our sins. He came to call us to holiness, which is a distinctly different way of thinking and acting than we see in those who don't know Him. We have missed the plan, and the world is suffering because we missed it. Let's get back to His way, the way of the transformed heart and life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 37-39.
We face a multitude of challenges and dangers in the world today. People have all sorts of solutions, political and otherwise. However, there is nothing that will have a realistic chance of radically changing the condition of humans on earth more than divine heart renovation and the indwelling of God. All other solutions pale in comparison. Now, we are not just talking about people who do not know Christ coming to know Him. We are referring to Christians beginning to act like Jesus in the power of the Spirit. In fact, if Christians would be conformed to the image of Christ, it would not take long for the people of the world to come to Him.
Just think of the radical changes that would be evident in every culture on earth, if even the majority of the people in each culture had a change of heart so complete that they acted and reacted like Jesus. Crime would be drastically reduced. Charitable giving would explode along with productivity. Morality would be elevated in every area of life. Now, realize that Jesus always intended for that to be the result of His coming to deliver us from sin. He came not to save us in our sins, but from our sins. He came to call us to holiness, which is a distinctly different way of thinking and acting than we see in those who don't know Him. We have missed the plan, and the world is suffering because we missed it. Let's get back to His way, the way of the transformed heart and life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 37-39.