Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.
The idea that man is born with a sinful nature is difficult to grasp for some people. A little baby is so innocent and helpless. Yet, even little babies learn early on how to lie. A baby cries and mother comes running. It does not take the baby very long to become deceptive and cry just to get mother’s attention even though there is nothing to cry about. This scenario can get way out of hand in just a short while unless mother learns to ignore the crying, for just a little while at least, to see if the child will eventually settle down on his own. I believe a lot of young parents have a lot to learn in this area.
I once had a conversation with a man in which he told me that it is ridiculous to say children are sinners. I asked him if his young children ever disobeyed him or did anything against his will. I named a few possibilities like lying, cheating, selfishness, etc. Of course, he had to say they did. I then asked him if he taught his children to do these things. Of course, he had to say he didn’t. The fact was that he spent a good deal of effort teaching them to do right, because children, as well as the rest of us, naturally sin even from infancy. We all know we do not have to teach our children to sin. That comes to them easily (Genesis 8:21).
The Bible teaches the total depravity or wickedness of man (Romans 3:10, 23). This is because man has a sinful nature; something demonstrated by Adam and Eve from the very beginning and passed on to the rest of us. The Apostle Paul talked about the sinful nature of man a lot. Read chapter 8 of Romans (Listen To Audio Version Here) and count how many times he uses the phrase “sinful nature”, which is way of describing the depravity of man. Another word he uses is the word carnal. The New Living Translation of the Bible translates the phrase “of the flesh” as “sinful nature”.
Sounds hopeless, doesn’t it? Thank God, it isn’t hopeless. For one, there is a lot of misconception about the total depravity of man. Total depravity does not mean that man is totally evil. Man's total depravity affects every area of his life—he is blighted, but not everything about him is totally bad. His depravity is total in that without God's grace he would be forever lost and apart from God. (Know What You Believe: Connecting Faith and Truth
Secondly, our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior provides us a new nature.2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This does not mean our old nature goes away, but that the new, godly nature Christ gives empowers us to overcome the old (Romans 7:14-25).
What great consolation! 03-06-09
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