One aspect of the gospel that gets ignored too often today is the fact that we – along with the entire cosmos – are fallen! We have lost that “goodness” that was proclaimed in the beginning of Genesis.
IF IT’S NATURAL, IT’S GOOD! NOT!
We tend to think that if something is “natural,” then it must be good; how God wanted it. We say, “it’s how God made me.”
But the Gospel message is that there is nothing “natural” in the world. Everything is fallen, and the image of God in us is distorted.
Diseases, illnesses, sicknesses, flaws, and defects permeate each of us – whether we know it or not.
Even the most beautiful, healthy, and intelligent person is not as he or she should be; not how God created them.
In other words, our existence now is the result of how we distorted our “natural” selves by allowing sin and death into the word to corrupt.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT CHRIST RECREATES US!
When we are baptised and chrismated, we “put on Christ.”
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27 RSV)
And this has the result of remaking us.
“Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 RSV)
So the gospel is the message that in Christ are we restored, healed, transformed, transfigured, glorified, and deified!
In Christ we are as God created us.
Only in Christ are we truly human.
OUR CHALLENGE TODAY
Missing from today’s conversations, unfortunately, is this question: what exactly does it mean to be human in Christ?
What exactly does it mean to be a “new creation”?
What does this look like and what are its implications for our lives?
This is our ongoing challenge. It’s our journey of discovery as we grow closer to Christ.
P.S. COME AND EXPLORE THESE QUESTIONS AT ST. ELIAS
I now invite you to enter deeper into the mystery of Christ with the Orthodox Church!
St. Elias Services
Saturdays, 5 pm (at St. John’s Parish House, 1458 Locust St, Dubuque, IA)
Sundays, 9:30 am (at Hillcrest Chapel, 2001 Asbury Rd, Dubuque, IA)
Or find your nearest Orthodox Church by clicking here.