Want to know God?

Dayspring Baptist Church, Mobile

I don’t know about you but I hate it when things break. In a perfect world things would work properly and continue to do so. But things do indeed break in this world. And when something is broken you have two options: fix it or replace it.

These options are simple enough if we’re talking about something like a toy, an electronic device or an appliance. But what about our inner being? What do you do when you come to the point of realizing that your actual humanity is broken?

One option would be to fix it. But the problem is this option doesn’t work for the human soul. Perhaps you have already discovered this. Frustrated with your own shortcomings, you’ve made resolutions and determined to turn over a new leaf only to know in your heart of hearts that there’s still an inner depravity that isn’t really getting any better. The anger? Still there. The lust? Still there. And it’s not that you haven’t tried. You have. But nothing has really changed. That’s because we don’t have the ability to fix our broken selves.

So what do we do about our depravity and brokenness? Simply stated, there needs to be a replacement. We need a new mind and a new heart. Our very nature needs to be replaced with a different one. And this is what makes the gospel of Jesus good news. Jesus offers new life.

The Bible teaches us: All of us are infected with a sinful nature (Rom. 3:23). The end result of sin is spiritual death (Rom. 6:23). Jesus, who knew no sin, died in the place of sinners (Rom. 5:8). Those who turn to Jesus are made new on the inside (2 Cor. 5:17). All of this is a gift from God, not something we earn or deserve (Eph. 2:8–9).

We don’t have to live out our lives alienated from God. Jesus, with His own blood, has offered the perfect sacrifice for sin. And every single broken human who calls on His name will be saved and made new. That includes me. And it includes you.