stevengworld

The Core, Cross, & Cure

Words like depravity, total depravity, and total inability have been debated amongst Christians for many centuries, and the debate continues today. This debate prolongs because many advocates of both sides are busy reading the works of men instead the great Spirit-inspired work of God. Make no mistake, I do line up on one side of the debate, but when it comes to the bottom line, the Bible is clear.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Gen 5:6

It is here that all Christians must begin their biblical understanding of the core. The core of every human being is summed up in this verse, and the rest of the Bible elaborates on this truth, while also speaking of the new birth. The new birth is when God gives a person a new heart, thereby changing their core. The core of every human being, even the newborn babe fresh out of the womb (except for Jesus) is wicked! Kids are deemed innocent and adults tainted, yet God describes all people as wicked. He goes on to say that every intent of the thoughts of every person’s heart is only evil continually. The core is beyond messed up. One could even say the heart is the ruins of Eden. What our first parents did in the garden affected every other human being. In fact, things have been so dysfunctional since then, we use words like dysfunctional and tend to prescribe various medicines to help people cope with their core.

The only way to effectively cope with the core is to consider the cross. The cross is where human history meets its peak. From the garden to the cross to the new garden is the timeline we are on. “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” Romans 5:10. This verse best describes our timeline. We’re born wicked and deemed enemies of God by God. He’s not doling out innocent and tainted labels from birth to adolescence. He’s counting us as enemies. God then reconciles his people in the most pivotal point in history through the death of Jesus on the cross. The bloody, gruesome, piercing, hard to watch, ordained, predestined, and willing death that Jesus suffered on the cross at Calvary is the only way to deal with the wicked core of mankind.

The core is eternally affected and altered by the cross, which leads us to the cure. Once God reconciles a once wicked person to himself, he is reconciled to God in a peaceful relationship. We’re new creatures. We’re born again. We’re redeemed. We’re holy. We’re righteous. We’re children of God. We’re in Christ. We’re cured! And in addition to being cured, God goes on to say that we shall be saved by the life of Jesus.

Jesus is our cure. His cross-work is the cure to our wicked core. No questions about it. No judge, doctor, prescription, or happy thoughts will change our core. Some profess to help a person cope with it, but none cure it. Jesus not only promised to cure the core of mankind, he kept his promise.