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Seduced by the Desire to Be Good Persons
Stand Firm, Alabama ^ | 4/28/2005 | Rick Harris

Posted on 04/28/2005 2:32:54 PM PDT by sionnsar

I suppose that, to one degree or another, we all act as if the world is divided into camps of good and bad people, and we all tend to defend our imagined membership in the camp of the good. Unfortunately, this is not harmless self-deception, but rather it is a deadly serious theological issue. If I believe that I am basically a good person, and if I believe that you are basically a good person, then I will find it difficult to incorporate into my belief system the notion that we both are in danger of God’s condemnation. I won’t want or need to acknowledge my own sinfulness, and I won’t want to hold you accountable for yours, because to do so would make me feel as if I am being harsh. The Episcopal Church, in its inclusivity, wants to accommodate this belief in our own goodness, as shown by this message to seekers on the ECUSA website:

“God has made all that there is, and all that God has made is good, including us.”

In the movie, Dogma, George Carlin played a Roman Catholic cardinal. The character was a brilliant lampoon of modern theologians whose goal is to make the church more acceptable to our modern culture. Carlin’s cardinal called a press conference and unveiled a new image for Christ. Instead of hanging on the cross, He was presented as our, “Buddy Jesus,” the Son of God re-imagined as a thoroughly hip, friendly, and inclusive kind of guy.

Yes, the picture is a cartoon. But it is uncomfortably close to the Jesus now being presented by many mainline denominations. No more need for a challenging Messiah who came to earth to call us all to repentance. No need for Jesus to hang on the cross in atonement for our sins. After all, He’s a good guy; you’re a good guy; I’m a good guy. All we need is for all of us good guys hang out together and maybe share a little bread and wine.

We should hardly be surprised or dismayed when many of our fellow Episcopalians (as well as members of other prominent denominations) respond to challenging Scripture passages, such as John 14:6, with a statement something like this one: “I am sure that God is more compassionate than I am, and I know some non-Christians who are really good people. I would not send them to hell, and I can’t believe that God would do that either.” After all, we don’t want to be intolerant; we don’t want to be elitists or exclusivists; we don’t want to take part in an enterprise that will have painful outcomes for others, even if that enterprise goes by the name of Christianity. We just want to be good persons.

The idea that we are all good persons is of course a dangerous lie being peddled by the enemy. None of us is inherently a good person, nor can any of us be transformed into a good person by working really hard at it. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee’s self-image was that of a good person, and in his pride he could not see the truth that was so obvious to the tax collector. This is the truth, offered to us by the Truth incarnate: We are all sinners. There is none among us who is good. No, not one. And if our church has forgotten how to teach us this unalterable fact, its earlier traditions can remind us. Here for example, is a prayer from an old liturgy for Ash Wednesday, last seen in the 1892 Book of Common Prayer:

“Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judgment with thy servants, who are vile earth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thine anger from us who meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults, and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

We start, always, by acknowledging our own sinful natures and our own sins. And we humbly ask God to repent us- because we cannot even do that by ourselves.

The fact is, I am being slowly choked to death by thorns in this ever-so-seductive material world. The enemy leads me deeper into the thorns by insistently whispering in my ears that I am a good person. In my pride, I believe him. And I find myself so deep into the thorn patch, and held so fast inside it, that I cannot get out by myself.

I come to realize that I need a Savior.

It is a hard thing to turn loose, this desire to be a good person. I let go of it, then I snatch it back. But only when I rid myself of the notion that I am a good person can I appreciate the magnitude of God’s supreme gift of grace, the death of His only Son on the cross in atonement for my sins. Only then can I approach anyone else and offer the Gospel’s redeeming message, realizing even then that I cannot bring anyone to the Father. Only the Way, the Truth, and the Life can do that.

As proclaimers of the Gospel, the question we must relentlessly put to the innovators in our church has nothing directly to do with whether the actions of General Convention 2003 were appropriate. The question is simpler, more basic, more direct.

The question is, are you a good person, or do you need a Savior?


TOPICS: Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: angpost6; ecusa

1 posted on 04/28/2005 2:32:57 PM PDT by sionnsar
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To: ahadams2; AnalogReigns; GatorGirl; KateatRFM; Alkhin; Peanut Gallery; tellw; nanetteclaret; ...
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this moderately high-volume ping list (typically 3-7 pings/day).
This list is pinged by sionnsar and newheart.

Resource for Traditional Anglicans: http://trad-anglican.faithweb.com

Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15

2 posted on 04/28/2005 2:33:21 PM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || Iran Azadi || Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?)
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To: sionnsar
The question is, are you a good person, or do you need a Savior?

Good question.

3 posted on 04/28/2005 2:36:01 PM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real political victory, take your issue to court.)
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To: sionnsar

Good reading. Thanks for posting it.


4 posted on 04/28/2005 5:05:59 PM PDT by SuzyQue (Remember to think.)
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To: sionnsar
Sionnsar, this is an excellent and for the Orthodox, timely article. On Tuesday night last we had the final Bridegroom service of this year's Holy Week. In that service is the hymn of a harlot, Kassiani about her sinfulness and repentance, It is one of the most powerful hymns of Great Lent and a great contrast to much of what modern "mainline" Christianity teaches.

"Woe to me! For me the night is an ecstasy of excess, dark and moonless and full of sinful desire. Receive the sources of my tears, You Who gathers into the clouds the waters of the sea. Incline the groanings of my heart You Who in your ineffable condescension bowed down the Heavens.

I will embrace and kiss Your sacred feet and wipe them again with the tresses of the hair of my head. Your feet, at whose feet Eve hid herself in fear when she heard your footsteps while you were walking in Paradise in the twilight. O my Saviour and Soul-Saver! Who can ever track down the multitude of my sins and the depths of Your Judgment? Do not disregard me Your Servant, You, Whose mercy is boundless!"

Here's link to an audio of the hymn: http://realserver.goarch.org/ram/gr/kassiani.ram
5 posted on 04/28/2005 5:23:52 PM PDT by Kolokotronis ("Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3))
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To: sionnsar

Genesis 3:4
Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.


6 posted on 04/28/2005 6:34:19 PM PDT by Raycpa
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To: sionnsar
And we humbly ask God to repent us- because we cannot even do that by ourselves.

I need some help and clarification with this concept. How, exactly, can God "repent me"? What is my role in this? Nothing? Am I completely passive? I just wait until God gives me a "new mind"? Is there any effort required on my part (even if it will never be enough, and Christ's grace will make up what I lack)?

Why is it that the scriptures usually speak of repentance as more of a proactive action? That is, something I must at least begin to do myself, rather than wait until it is done to me:

(Ezekiel 18:30) ... Repent, and turn yourselvesfrom all your transgressions.

(Matthew 3:2, 8) ... Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.

(Mark 1:15) ... Repent ye, and believe the gospel.

(Luke 13:3) ... Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(Luke 15:7) ...Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...

(Acts 2:38) ...Repent ye and be baptized every one of you.

want and try to turn away from the world and toward Christ.

Can I ever be perfect in this life? No. But does that mean I shouldn't strive to be good? Does that mean I shouldn't try to be like Christ, even though I will always fall short?

7 posted on 04/28/2005 9:00:01 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (Senate switchboard: 202-225-3121. Reach out and complain to someone.)
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To: Choose Ye This Day
I need some help and clarification with this concept. How, exactly, can God "repent me"? What is my role in this? Nothing? Am I completely passive? I just wait until God gives me a "new mind"? Is there any effort required on my part (even if it will never be enough, and Christ's grace will make up what I lack)? Why is it that the scriptures usually speak of repentance as more of a proactive action? That is, something I must at least begin to do myself, rather than wait until it is done to me:

Great questions, all. They might even lead one to the notion salvation is a mystery, rather than a formula.

8 posted on 04/28/2005 9:13:54 PM PDT by Woahhs (America is an idea, not an address.)
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To: Woahhs

And an ongoing process, a lifelong journey, rather than an event.


9 posted on 04/28/2005 9:17:14 PM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (Senate switchboard: 202-225-3121. Reach out and complain to someone.)
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To: Choose Ye This Day

That is what I think, that one must continue to repent and get better at catching one's transgressions, even if they appear to be passing evil thoughts. (I cursed my cat this morning for walking over the keyboard of my computer yet again -- and repented immediately and am exasperated at myself for continually having to repent of the same sin.) I think that praying that God will "repent us" may mean that we ask Him to make us more quickly repentant of the sins we continue to commit even as we know they are sins.


10 posted on 04/29/2005 4:38:31 AM PDT by KateatRFM
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To: Choose Ye This Day

"And an ongoing process, a lifelong journey, rather than an event"

That's very patristic of you!


11 posted on 04/29/2005 5:43:03 AM PDT by Kolokotronis ("Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3))
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To: Kolokotronis

I'm not smart enough to know what that means. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?


12 posted on 04/29/2005 7:14:01 AM PDT by Choose Ye This Day (Senate switchboard: 202-225-3121. Reach out and complain to someone.)
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To: Choose Ye This Day; Kolokotronis

That's a good thing. "Of the Fathers"


13 posted on 04/29/2005 7:52:09 AM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || Iran Azadi || Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?)
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To: Choose Ye This Day; sionnsar

As the noble sionnsar said, its a VERY good thing, at least coming from the likes of me! :)


14 posted on 04/29/2005 9:10:18 AM PDT by Kolokotronis ("Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3))
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To: Kolokotronis; Choose Ye This Day
A major correction is in order here:

As the noble sionnsar said...

15 posted on 04/29/2005 9:27:08 PM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† || Iran Azadi || Where are we going, and why are we in this handbasket?)
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To: KateatRFM

"am exasperated at myself for continually having to repent of the same sin.

Yeah, I sure am glad that never happens to me.

...

Ow! Darn that lightning...


16 posted on 05/01/2005 8:07:45 PM PDT by dsc
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To: sionnsar

Important truths in a great article. Thanks.


17 posted on 05/01/2005 8:40:15 PM PDT by Quix (HAVING A FORM of GODLINESS but DENYING ITS POWER. 2 TIM 3:5)
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