The Line of Demarcation

“Mental Floss”, a tongue-in-cheek trivia magazine, in their November-December issue recently catalogued the “25 most important questions in the history of the universe.”

It’s a rather intriguing set of silly questions.  For example, “Can a pregnant woman drive in the carpool lane on the freeway.”   Here’s a good question, “Why do we call them ‘Grandfather Clocks?’”  Or this one, “Why is it so hard to tickle yourself?”  Still another, “Was turkey first a bird or a country?”   My favorite one on their list is, “Why does Hawaii have interstate highways?”

Paradoxical or humorous questions intrigue us. But they left out one critically important paradoxical question.  But of course they did, because “Mental Floss” is more humorous than serious.   Every once in awhile we get hit with a question or an issue that stops us in our tracks and hits home, and in today’s Romans scripture Paul poses just one such of those perplexing issues.   There is no passage of scripture that I personally identify with more than this passage from Romans 7.  “I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do the very thing I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (7:15) 

Some Christians say that Paul, in these verses, was referring to his life before his conversion experience; his old life before knowing Jesus.   But I don’t think so!  One of the reasons they put us through the pain and agony of learning Greek in seminary is for just such passages as these.  In the original Greek, this passage is written with all the verbs in the present tense.  Paul is describing the incredible inner conflict he feels between good and evil in his life right then and there, even after his conversion experience on the road to Damascus.

I would strongly suggest to you that this is a very important passage and Paul is talking about an issue that is very relevant to you and to me and to our time.

As our nation and our world becomes increasingly polarized, an attitude that seems to becoming more prevalent and pervasive is the idea that good is on one side and evil is on the other side.   Evil and sin has become something that we identify in the other.  We identify evil with the terrorists or insurgents, or with another religion, or another group, or another this, or another that.  We see evil and name evil, but it is most often identified in or with someone else.

Early in the 30 Years War in Germany and Europe from 1618–1648, there was a battle between two German armies, one representing the Catholic League and the other representing the Protestant Union. In those days the armies didn’t have uniforms so each army identified itself with a unique identifying battle cry so they wouldn’t kill their own people.  Ironically, in this particular battle, each army coincidentally chose the exact same battle cry.  Since they all were Germans they shouted it out in the same language.  So, the two armies attacked, killing each other indiscriminately, all the while both sides crying out their identifying slogan, “God is with us!” 

I find it peculiar that when you look at history and the annals of war, often when Christians introduce God into schemes of war, emphasis on being Christ-like, and the centrality of His cross and taking it up, seem to evaporate into thin air!

Personally, I believe whether it is used as a battle cry or casual slogan, or however, “God is with us” borders upon blasphemy. It is razor thin close.  I say that because with the attitude “God is with us” the “us” is still the focus, not God.  And I must confess I am guilty.  I have thought it. I have said it. I have especially implied it.   I am a Christian: “God is with me.”  I am a pastor: “God is with me.”  My belief system is the right one or best one: “God is with me.”  I am ‘born again’: “God is with me.” I have good values and am a moral person: “God is with me.”    I am a Democrat: “God is with me.”  I am a Republican: “God is with me.”  I am an American: “God is with me.”

“God is with me!”  “God is with us!”  Really, are we sure?  Are you sure?  Am I sure?  Could we stand before the throne of God so confidently, without doubt? Who says? The danger in that kind of thinking is that “me” and “us” remain at the center, and we can so delude ourselves by easily shaping and molding God to fit our image, our ideas, our schemes, our plans, our motivations, our attitudes, our lives.  There is no need or room for objective self-reflection because, after all, “God is with me.”  There is no need or room for honest confession or recognition of personal sin and the evil that might lurk within me because, after all, “God is with me.” 

I believe the apostle Paul would be very uncomfortable with “God is with me” and “God is with us” thinking and acting, especially based on what he is agonizingly struggling with in this Romans passage.  Paul finds himself caught and trapped in a deep spiritual quandary.

“I do not understanding my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but the very thing I hate.” (7:15 – present tense)  “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not do is what I do.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”  (7:19 – present tense)

In chapter 3, verse 23 Paul says, “…all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

For Paul, and for sound biblical Christianity, the line of demarcation between good and evil, sin and righteousness does not run between people; between groups, between political parties, between nations, between anything!  The line of demarcation between good and evil, sin and righteousness runs right smack down the middle of every individual human life on this planet – including down the middle of your life and down the middle of my life!

Paul is saying that even our best intentions are often invaded by our sinfulness. Sin desires to play a corrupting role in every deed we do. We do a good deed and then place ego back in the center and hope we’ll be rewarded and recognized for it. We work hard, and end up becoming workaholics and ignoring our families. We make a sacrifice for someone else, and feel selfish pride about our selfless act.

The evidence of Sin is everywhere from the schoolroom to the boardroom, in the home and the office, in business and politics, in communities and nations.

Glittering prosperity stands side by side with appalling poverty. Greedy executives raid the pension plans in the offices of corporate America; conflict and bloodshed all over the planet; children suffering from malnutrition and disease when the world has the resources to feed and bring medical aid to everyone -and not too many of us care all that much!

The line of demarcation between good and evil, sin and righteousness runs through every human heart on the planet. It’s everywhere. Now, I am not saying that everything we do is completely sinful.  That’s not at all what I mean.  But I am saying that every dimension of our life — personal, community, national, global and every human being on this planet is subject to sin and the duplicity of motive and action it can manifest in our lives.

So where does this leave us? What — or who — will get us out of this mess? Paul puts it this way: “Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (7:24). “Thanks be to God,” he continues, “though Jesus Christ our Lord!” (7:25). The only antidote to sin is total grace, a grace that comes to us through faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul describes it as “rescue,” and the rescuer is Jesus Christ with his broken body and shed blood that flows from the cross. 

Good intentions won’t rescue us.  The ends that justify the means won’t rescue us.   More education, more money, more discipline, more time, more second chances. None of this will rescue us.

Jesus Christ is our Rescuer. It was costly for him, because he died in the “rescue” process. But that’s what makes it grace.

Paul’s startling discovery, as he ponders the quandary before him, is that through Jesus Christ the rescue has already taken place.

Remember the coal miners that were trapped in the mine in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 2002 and rescued.  I remember a subsequent interview with this one miner, and I remember him saying that “it was a miracle” and it felt like he had been given his life back, and it had changed him completely, transforming him and the way he planned to live the balance of his life. 

It’s our business now to begin to live as though the rescue operation conducted by God through Jesus Christ is really true.

It begins by confessing, not just once, or occasionally, but every day that the line of demarcation between good and evil, sin and righteousness runs right down the middle of your life; acknowledging that sin is insidious, and it can and will corrupt even the best of us and our best intentions.

It continues by receiving the grace and forgiveness that flows from the cross of Jesus, for you and every other person on this planet. 

It extends even further yet, by being empowered and beginning to live your life based on the grace that flows from Jesus Christ.  That is to say, there’s no point staying in the coal mine when the rescue has been accomplished; there’s no point clinging to an old resentment; no point refusing to forgive; no point cheating, lusting, fighting, carping, harping, stealing, lying, deceiving — any of these things. It’s not who we are!  

Does this mean we become perfect and eventually rise above sin?  No way!  Never!  Remember, Paul stated his quandary in the “present” tense? The battle continues between good and evil, even thought the war has been won in Jesus Christ.  The line of demarcation runs through the middle of your life and mine.  Everyday we acknowledge our sin; every day we receive the grace that flows; every day we are empowered as God’s redeemed children – and tomorrow the process repeats all over again.  It is the humbling, yet empowering rhythm of the Christian life. 

“God is with us!”  I don’t think I will make that bold and often arrogant exclamation any more – if I ever do, only with great humility.  I think I will more often turn it around and ask, “Am I with God.”     The answer to that question always begins and ends at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ; where grace flows! “The body of Christ given for you.”  “The blood of Christ shed for you.”