We can leave a lot to be desired. Some people are a full on trainwrecks when it comes to their personality and behavior. Can we change? Can a good person become better? Can a dysfunctional person become normal? Let’s start with the Bible’s explanation of why we are what we are.
God didn’t create people to be dysfunctional or evil in any way. The initial genetic code and environment was “very good”. There has been some corruption introduced along the way. In Genesis 3 our initial, common parents had one commandment–don’t eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Though it doesn’t say this, I surmise that this “tree” was an agent that could introduce radical genetic change. It changed Adam and Eve. The changes, which the Bible refers to as “sinful human nature” have been inherited by us all. They do take slightly different forms in each of us. Experience can also imprint on our genetic code, and we pass it along.
We are not just the product of our genetic nature, however. The experience of generations before us affected them and affected their parenting and environment in which they raised their children. A positive generation can produce positive offspring who may pass it on. A trauma filled generation can raise a traumatized generation who may pass that on.
There is a third layer of negative complexity. We occupy this planet with an angered and vengeful group of defeated and exiled spiritual beings. The Bible names Satan, who seems to be a “cherubim”. The rest are angels, now classified as demons. How many are there? Don’t know. What can they do? I am not sure of the full extent of their capability, but I can list: the ability to influence human minds, occasionally to possess the control of a human body, modest control of the weather, modest to severe control of disease, some ability to know the future (these all are biblical), and I would swear the ability to mess with technology. There could be other things.
We are born with a sinful nature that still has some aspects of the image of God (good qualities). We grow up in an uneven mess of the other factors and become a person with issues, sometimes severe issues. Can we move at all toward the image of God? Yes.
World religions (Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) and what I call “folk religion”, a common quasi-religious assumption of the way things works, all expect you to change to become good either entirely or good enough (whatever that means). For them this is the way to a positive life-after-death. Christianity disagrees. It announces that God’s standard for eternal life with Him is utter perfection, which we don’t possess from the moment we are conceived. Eternal life can only be achieved by being connected to Jesus and remain so until our death. Jesus fulfilled God’s requirements and we receive the credit for this through a connection that God creates for us to Jesus. Becoming good, or at least better, is not motivated by the pursuit of self-righteousness and personal salvation. It is motivated by loving God and wanting to be good. How much is possible?
We can change a great deal. It is a lifelong battle that is worth the fight. We all have some form of sinful nature that has informed the creation of our brain structure, hormonal system, everything, including our ability to die. These modifications to the original design can be huge obstacles to being Christ-like. Don’t be discouraged.
Let’s say you have substance abuse issues. They have ruined your life. You can call the underlying issue a disease. It is very disease-like. It is also sinful nature, so it is sin. You cannot help your susceptibility to this problem. You could have prevented the initiation of this problem. That was a bad choice of yours. Now you have to work with what you have. Take comfort that Christ forgives you if you want. Eternal life does not hang on you beating addiction. That said, fight the good fight to be sober. This aspect of your sinful nature will only end with your death. Respect that. But you can be free of addiction.
Let’s say that you are a homosexual. Homosexuality is not a variety of being human like having red hair. It is an aspect of sinful nature that not everyone experiences. From that standpoint you were born with it. Activating it may have come to you in a variety of ways: trauma, loneliness, seduction, pornography, bad parenting, etc. Now you have to deal with it. Will you normalize it and cut yourself off from Christ’s forgiveness? Don’t do it. Accept that you are a sinner in this way much like every other sin you have. Will you become non-homosexual? If it does have its root in your sinful nature then no. Can you corner these desires and live without acting our your homosexuality? Yes.
You can put in every sin that human beings manifest into this formula. We all have a whole array of sinfulness. Sometimes it only manifests in severe temptation. Other things are in our face 24 -7. Because God gives the Holy Spirit to those who are connected to Christ through Baptism and remain in Him, we can manage sinful nature and acquire the qualities of the nature of God. We can become a very decent human being for someone who has our corrupted form of body. Incidentally, the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit is why Christians can act hypocritically. Sometimes in a very big way. Making an effort to contain sinful nature is not only expected by God and everybody else, it is necessary to have a good witness to others.
Physically dying is technically a bad thing. It is kind of ugly. It is part of the sentence on sin. But other than these things it is a great moment for someone in Christ. We get rid of our sinful nature damaged body. We put on a sinless, and superior heavenly body. We step out of the reach of Satan and his cohort. We step into the visible presence of God. We leave the trauma and troubles of this fallen world. We enter the unimaginable glory of Heaven.
Until God says you are ready. Fight the fight. Confess your sins. Get back in the fight. God will reward your efforts on top of the grace He has already given.
Giving Christ 