Sinfulness is part of our nature, yeah? “I am not perfect; I am only human!” we say on the back end of a blunder.
Ten million times I’ve been taught that “human beings are inherently sinful.” At his or her deep core every person is a depraved, broken, gnarly wretch like me. Popular Christian conditioning teaches us to talk about our humanity with nasty or naughty terms, and with Alexander Pope we confidently declare: “To err is human.”
If that is true, any kind of sin of makes some sense for humans, then, doesn’t it? Dogs bark. Foxes say ring-ding-dingey pa-pa-pow. And people ― normal, natural human beings ― regularly commit sin, which is just part of the deal. It is who we are. From here emerges a lippy and loveable logic that demands of all believers: “Stop focusing on morality or behavior; stop trying to be something that you are not. You are a person, which by nature means you are sinful. Take it easy. Strive no more! Bask in the grace baby. Love the love!”
So, was Jesus inherently sinful?“May it never be!” we shout proudly. “Of course not. He was perfect. He never sinned.”
Then, was Jesus a real ... Read More »
