Posted: 08/31/2012 at 10:58am | IP Logged

http://dannykorakas.wordpress.com/2012/09/01/christianity/

"Christianity" if I may use this term in its "true_ context and expression, correctly teaches that humanity's main problem is sin. The essence of prophecy addresses much of the same as well as the need for relationship. What then is the solution and why has there been such a lack of a "sin solution" after thousands of years? Even if you accept the Christian diagnosis of the sin problem, there doesn't seem to be any particular reason why one must look only to Christianity for the solution. You may say, "Okay, I understand that if you build your identity or moral compass on anything but "God," it leads to a personal or societal breakdown. But why must the solution be Jesus or "Christianity?" Why can’t some other religion work as well, or just my own personal faith in "God?"

The answer to these questions is profound and yet simple in that there is a fundamental difference between the ways other religions or belief systems tell us to seek salvation and the way described in the Gospels of Jesus. All other major faiths have founders who are teachers that show or point the way to a perceived salvation. Only Jesus Christ claimed to actually "be" the way of salvation. The difference is so great that the chasm is that of "salvation through moral effort" which is far different than "salvation through grace" which is a gift through faith and not of our own efforts.

In the book titled: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll comes to realize that he is "an incongruous compound of good and evil." He believes that his bad nature is holding his good nature back. He sincerely aspires to do good and lasting things, but he cannot follow through on them.

Therefore he comes up with a potion that can separate out his two conflicting natures. His hope is that his good self, which will come out during the day, will be free from the influence of evil and will be able to realize its goals and potential. However, when he takes the potion one night and his bad side comes out, he is far more evil than expected. He describes his evil self using the following and ironic classical Christian wording:

"I knew myself, at the first breath of this new life, to be more wicked, tenfold more wicked, sold a slave to my original evil; and the thought in that moment, braced and delighted me like wine...(Edward Hyde's) every act and thought centered on self."

Edward Hyde is so named prophetically, not just because he is hideous in reflecting the human sin-nature but because he is "hidden." He thinks solely of himself and his own desires; he doesn’t care in the slightest who he hurts in order to gratify himself. He kills if someone gets in his way (We can also kill relationships, trust, emotions, ect.) We must conclude that even the best of people hide from themselves what is deep within - an enormous capacity for self-absorption in regard to our own interests and behavior patterns over those of all others.

Self-aggrandizement or should we say, "emotional greed" is at the foundation of so much of the world’s misery. It is the reason that the rich are indifferent to the plight of the poor. It is the reason for most violence, crime, governmental corruption, and warfare in the world. It is at the heart of the disintegration of families. We "Hyde" from ourselves and our self-centered capacity for acts of evil, but situations arise that act like a "potion," and out quickly, our individual sin in its pure form is manifested.

Once Jekyll realizes that he has this easy capacity for evil acts, he decides to clamp down heavily on this terrible self-centeredness and pride at the core of his being. In a sense, Jekyll finds "religion" or a form of spiritual awakening. He humbly repents and resolves not to take the potion anymore. He devotes himself to charity and good works, partially as atonement for what Edward Hyde has done, and partially as an effort to simply smother his selfish nature with acts of unselfishness.

However, one day Dr Jekyll is sitting on a bench in Regents Park, thinking about all the good he has been doing, and how much better a man he was (despite Edward Hyde) than the great majority of people around him. Quote:

"I resolved in my future conduct to redeem the past; and I can say with honesty that my resolve was fruitful of some good. You know how earnestly, in the last months and year, I labored to relieve suffering; you know that much was done for others...But as I smiled, comparing myself with other men, comparing my active goodwill with the lazy cruelty of their neglect...at the very moment of that vain-glorious thought, a qualm came over me, a horrid nausea and the most dreadful shuddering...I looked down...I was once more Edward Hyde."

In this obvious and deadly turn of events and for the first time, Jekyll becomes Hyde involuntarily, without the potion, and this is the beginning of the end. Unable to control his transformations any longer, Jekyll kills himself. The prophetic insight is clear. Jekyll would eventually become Hyde without the potion. Like so many other people, Jekyll knows he is a sinner, so he tries desperately to cover his sin with great piles of good works. Yet his efforts do not actually shrivel or lessen his pride and self-centeredness - they only aggravated it. They led him to a sense of superiority, self-righteousness, pride, and suddenly -- look! Jekyll becomes Hyde, not in spite of his goodness, but because of his perceived goodness.

Sin, is only resolved by grace and a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. Our efforts and works will always fall short and any deviation from the love and power of grace will quickly manifest as the greatest of sin - assuming the position of God (idolatry) in the judging of others after we have tasted grace ourselves. Many types of "transitions" are being prophesied in this hour. Maybe we are getting the cart in front of the horse. Maybe, the transition that is in order is one from self-righteousness and self-promotion to humility and unconditional love.