“We are not merely imperfect creatures that need improvement: we are rebels that need lay down their arms”.
–C.S. Lewis, quoted in this morning’s sermon
“We are not merely imperfect creatures that need improvement: we are rebels that need lay down their arms”.
–C.S. Lewis, quoted in this morning’s sermon
All to Jesus I surrender,
I surrender all.
^^^^^^^^^^^
My life, my love, I give to Thee, Thou Lamb of God, who died for me/Oh, may I ever faithful be, My Saviour and my God!/I’ll live for Him who died for me: How happy then my life shall be!/I’ll live for Him who died for me, my Savior and my God!
^^^^^^^^^
Where I rebel, may God crush me, that I might find His grace.
taking up arms is such a reaction of our culture
surrender – laying down arms – uplocking our doors – inviting in those who are our enemies – now there is counter-culture on the scale that jesus beckons us to
i am reminded of a quote from Dalton Trumbo, in a speech to the Screen Writers Guild when accepting the Laurel Award in 1970.
The blacklist was a time of evil, and that no one on either side who survived it came through untouched by evil. Caught in a situation that had passed beyond the control of mere individuals, each person reacted as his nature, his needs, his convictions, and his particular circumstances compelled him to. There was bad faith and good, honesty and dishonesty, courage and cowardice, selflessness and opportunism, wisdom and stupidity, good and bad on both sides.
When you who are in your forties or younger look back with curiosity on that dark time, as I think occasionally you should, it will do no good to search for villains or heroes or saints or devils because there were none; there were only victims. Some suffered less than others, some grew and some diminished, but in the final tally we were all victims because almost without exception each of us felt compelled to say things he did not want to say, to do things that he did not want to do, to deliver and receive wounds he truly did not want to exchange. That is why none of us – right, left, or centre – emerged from that long nightmare without sin.
Bob, Lewis is not talking about battles between humans. He is talking about the absolute need for humans to surrender to God, for we are all, by our sinful natures, rebels against God.
You are correct in that we are all guilty of that rebellion.
“And remember, even the best among us cannot go 24 hours without committing some gross sin.”
As if we needed a microscope to determine our need for a Savior!
“Surely, you do not intend to reintroduce Old Hob, hoofs, horns and all, at this time of the day?”
“Well, I don’t know what the time of the day has to do with it, but yes, the Evil One is real, here, and a presence we should not give the cover of disbelief to.”
And the Lewis’ hits just keep on rolling….
KTF!!!…mrb