Although many who are in the circles with which I associate have little good to say about Calvinistic theology, I would like to at least temporarily break ranks and point out that there are some important lessons we can learn from our reformed friends. The area that I am thinking of right now that we could learn from greatly is in the realm of human depravity. Although I don’t see this exactly the way the Calvinists do, and although this is probably not the way the Calvinists would word it, I firmly believe that it is quite healthy for me spiritually to understand that without Christ I am a filthy, rotten, self-centered, arrogant, and degenerate scumbag. Not exactly a pretty picture, I know, but this is my point.
1. It annihilates pride.
In his book Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis calls pride “The Great Sin”. He points out how pride was behind the fall of man when Satan endeavored to “be like God” and essentially convinced Adam and Eve that he and they knew better than God. Pride flies in the face of God’s plan for man because it decreases our dependence on Him and increases our dependence on self. It causes us to become spiteful and condescending toward others. It gives rise to all sorts of evil practices like racism, gossip, prejudice, class warfare, and power struggles of all sorts; but when we realize that before God, in and of ourselves, we are worthless minions, it keeps us from “looking down” on our fellow human beings.
2. It promotes spiritual and emotional healing.
This doctrine of depravity is an important part of what this blog is all about. When Jesus overheard the religious leaders asking His disciples why He eats with sinners His response was “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”. Since Jesus was well aware of the fact that every human being is a sinner, I believe He was almost sarcastically pointing out that only people who know and admit that they are sick have any chance of finding healing. Why go to the doctor if you don’t believe anything is wrong with you? In their own eyes the religious leaders were “righteous” and had no need for the “Great Physician”. If you have any kind of emotional or spiritual infirmity - and we all do - you must come to the realization that you are desperately in need of Christ and His atoning work before you have any hope of truly being healed. If you are broken and penitent before God, you are the person Jesus came for.
3. It fills us with a heart of true thanksgiving.
In keeping with the spirit of the season I would like to point out that this is a key to truly being thankful. When I come to the stunning realization that I am a filthy, rotten sinner on the path to a certain judgment, and the only reason I will not be separated from God forever is because “He gave His only begotten Son” to come and take my punishment so that I can be redeemed, I am driven to a humble attitude of overwhelming gratitude for the incredible mercy, love, and grace of God. An unthankful heart is an insult to the inconceivable benevolence of our God. True thanksgiving is not just saying trite cliches about how much we have compared to the rest of the world, it is about understanding that we as human beings were hopelessly lost, broken, and alone until the incarnate Son of God came to this earth and took our punishment so that our ransom can be paid in full. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
