Aspects of Christian Literature - Chapter 7

6-15-1989

We took our first test yesterday and I felt confident at having done well, so I treated myself to a shopping trip to Hamilton Place Mall yesterday afternoon.  Today I was ticked to see I had made an A- on the test.  (Thank you, Jesus!)

We discussed modern man's alienation and estrangement today.  I'll write my thoughts on his alienation and estrangement.

From Nature:  God has created a very beautiful world for man to enjoy.  He was commanded to care for it.  I believe man has become abusive toward nature, using her, stripping her, perhaps even raping her.  He has taken for his own greedy purposes and pleasure, and then dumps her (or makes her into a dump with his garbage).  He has left scars, and all nature cries out to her Creator for restoration to her original beauty.

From Man:  Man is basically a very selfish person.  He uses other people to satisfy his wants and desires, always watching out for number one.  Things like trust, companionship, sharing each other's burdens...these are almost gone.  Dependability...who can you depend on anymore?  Responsibility...unless there is self gain, who cares?  Every man likes to think he is king of his island, when truly he's just a weed on a desert, to be devoured by someone else for their own pleasure, and then spit out.

From Himself:  People can't handle the emotional pain it would cause to take a good look at one's self and do some honest soul searching.  So instead they cop out and compare themselves to others by pointing out the flaws of others, thus making themselves look good.  Pride is man's most prevalent, most destructive sin.  If he could ever chip away pride and see  himself as God sees him, then a real person could emerge...one that could be developed in the image of Christ.  That's far too threatening, so man keeps hi guard up and marches through life as a tin soldier, unreal.

From God:  Pride again is the cause of this alienation and estrangement.  Man wants to think of himself as self-sufficient, in control of his own destiny, his own boss.  As long as man sits on his own throne God is limited, and ultimately man will be rejected by his Creator and left to his own chosen destiny.

The world is becoming rapidly self-destructive because of selfishness.  Every man, every nation is out for self.  "United we stand, divided we fall..."  Only the Kingdom of God will stand throughout eternity, and few there be that enter in.