To avoid belief in the lostness of mankind, many persons simply disregard the matter. They maintain that the concept of inherited lost condition (depravity) isn’t generally accepted as standard for human life. To believe in depravity and its consequences, in the biblical treatment of the doctrine, means that without some recourse every person (non-innocent) who has lived, is living, or will live, will be shut out from the presence of a holy God, a God who refuses to include imperfection in heaven’s environment. Further, that rejection is somehow related to a concept of punishment that does not, in the biblical treatment of the subject, have an end. Existence of the punishment is given the same ever present status as the existence of the heavenly blessing. Depravity seems somehow to be undemocratic, not fitting to the modern acceptance of flawed mankind – that person though terribly clumsy morally, should not be forever condemned before God. At least, those who try to be good and do the right thing must be acceptable, even if reluctantly and delayed – safe for whatever lower heaven there may be – or perhaps annihilation. So the arguments proceed. The arguments are not supported by the Christian gospel.
Society seems to miss the points of the argument of God as presented in Scripture. First is that nothing mankind can do is acceptable with God, if God and immortality are understood. Our good is never good enough. Second is, alone we can never rescue the soul. Our journey takes us to a cliff along an impassable gulf in our search for paradise. Third is that our sense of self value is skewed. We believe ourselves to be too good to lose. That we are dust in body is muted, but bodies belong to the natural world. Our life physiology and physical death prove it.
A mystery was born at human founding. A soul/spirit from God for every person was given, with the promise of immortality in it. Even the stain of sin could not eradicate the spiritual dimension. It was deemed worth preserving, and by a plan of redemption the soul is rescued for every person choosing the plan. That plan is for all. Verbal delivery of the plan was given to the Church of believers as the primary mission of the Church. It is focused in the belief that only in Christ is that plan made effective. Lostness became a given in our spiritual DNA. Redemption is an option given of God, but must be accepted to be activated. It is something of a mystery that we know more about Jesus and his heavenly theme, than we know of his concepts of hell. He spoke at length on both, and related them in a context. The point was to gain heavenly promise.
An article in TIME Magazine (6/30/2003) raised a point that during the tensions of the occupation of Iraq by Americans that to carry the Christian mission to Muslims might be tantamount to carrying a lighted match into a room full of incendiary materials. The success of the American army, the humbling of the Iraqian leadership and military, with the assumption of dominance over Muslim followers – this was not a time to carry the Christian mission to that nation. The article recognized the Great Commission of Matthew 28 as motivation for Christian missionaries, but not now to carry through that mission. What the article missed is this belief in the sinfulness of man that must be dealt with, as the Bible interprets it. If lostness truly represents the human condition, the current moment is always the right time. Persons will die tomorrow who must hear the Gospel today. If this is not true there may be no compelling need for the message at any time. Whatever faith pertaining to human necessity becomes acceptable. For the Christian, delay of peaceful communication of the gospel to the world at any time is unacceptable. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020