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4 Navigation --------------- Homepage St. Matthew St. Matthew 2 St. Mark St. Luke St. Luke 2 St. John St. John 2 Acts of Apostles Acts of Apostles 2 --------------- The Letters --- Romans --- 1. Corinthias --- 2. Corinthias --- Galatians --- Ephesians --- Philippians --- Colossians --- 1. Thessalonians --- 2. Thessalonians --- 1. Timothy --- 2. Timothy --- Titus --- Philemon --- Hebrews --- James --- 1. Peter --- 2. Peter --- 1. John --- 2. John --- 3. John --- Jude --------------- The Apocalypse

Now this is not a particularly pleasant conclusion. We don't like the notion that there is something radically wrong with us. We would much prefer to believe that the difficulty can be cured with a little tinkering. Surely the Bible isn't so pessimistic! But the Bible gives us little comfort if we try to escape from this conclusion. Take a brief run down. Isaiah not only recognizes that he is a man of unclean lips, but acknowledges that he dwells among a people of unclean lips ( Isa. 6: 5). A later prophet points out that "all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" ( Isa. 64:6). Jeremiah reminds us that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt" ( Jer. 17:9). Nor is Jesus any easier on us. He reminds us that "out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness" ( Mark 7: 21, 22). The words he speaks to the Pharisees are addressed to all of us: "You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" ( Matt. 23: 27). He tells us, "When you have done all that is commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy servants'" ( Luke 17:10). Paul picks up the refrain, "None is righteous, no, not one" ( Rom. 3:10; see Ps. 14: 1, 2). Over and over again we are told that even our highest achievements are corrupted. This is only a sampling. And it strikes a harsh note which we do not like. And yet this is the Biblical reading of our plight. Notice that it is not the case that we are as bad as we can be, for in that case we should not even know that we were bad. It is rather that we are something good that has been spoiled. So although we are made in the image of God, the "image" has become very badly distorted. We can clarify this by a final insight from our mirror analogy. Rather than seeing our reflection in a perfect mirror, we now see our reflection as it appears in one of the mirrors at an amusement park. In such mirrors the glass is bent and the image is distorted. In one mirror we are two feet tall and three feet wide. In another we are nine feet tall and six inches wide. In a third we are just a blob of face, and mostly nose at that. The image has been distorted, twisted and spoiled, almost beyond recognition. That is the way we now stand in relation to God. The image of God in us has been distorted, twisted and spoiled, almost beyond recognition. God conquers death God gives us the power to conquer The Only Real "Answer" A Question You Can't Avoid Some Current Answers -- a Dime a Dozen The First Part of the Biblical Answer What Is the "Image of God"? Some Consequences The Second Part of the Biblical Answer What Sin Is Supplying Some Documentation What Sin Is Not Getting Straightened Out How Can I Be Changed? The Third Part of the Biblical Answer The First Step After the First Step The Heart of the Matter Not Once and for All Some Hints for Growing -- Tried and Tested A Final Warning Why Isn't "Individual Religion" Enough? The Case Against the Church -a Bagful of Objections When Did the Church Get Started? Just What Is a "Covenant"? The "New Covenant" Becomes a Possibility Those Words of Jesus to Peter Those "Upsetters of the World" A Rebuttal of the Case Against the Church Why the Church? Last Judgment? Second Coming? What Do They Mean? The Inescapability of Eschatology The Point of Biblical Eschatology: History Is Going Somewhere The Dangers of Literalism Exploring New Testament Eschatology The Kingdom of God A Few Bits of Help The Gift of God Schatology and "What I Do Today" What Happens When I Die? Sheol -- Where God Is Not Present The Community of the Resurrection Paul's Attempt to Describe the Christian Fact A "Spiritual Body" The Facts of the Case I Try to Live a Good Life. Why Isn't That Enough? The "Micah" Variation The "Worship and Action" Variation The "Therefore" Variation The Biblical faith that God is the Creator