I've been thinking a lot about the obsession of our culture with self. All this talk about body image and me time and what I deserve bombards us. But I've discovered that this is distinctly linked to and ultimately rooted in a much greater problem with secular society - total depravity. In other words, before we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are completely depraved. John Piper defines the sinner's depravity as this:
"Total depravity means that apart from any enabling grace from God, our hardness and rebellion against God is total, everything we do in this rebellion is sin, our inability to submit to God or reform ourselves is total, and we are therefore totally deserving of eternal punishment."But society really doesn't like to talk about this. I mean, really. They label it "hate speech" and call us "negative thinkers" and "intolerant, religious bigots." And this of course is linked to their depravity and exaltation of self. In her book, The True Woman, though, Susan Hunt points out what society does like to talk about:
"Sin and slavery are not fashionable topics today. There is so much emphasis on self-image, self-esteem, self-worth, and self-actualization that talk of the total depravity and enslavement of the unredeemed sinner is most unpopular."That's just it. No one wants to talk about sin, because in their depravity, self is the motivation.
So let us as Christians first praise God for saving us from our depraved minds and revolutionizing our focus to exaltation of Him. Then let us petition God for the salvation of our friends and family and neighbours and leaders who have not been redeemed by our God. Let us pray for boldness and witness and speak up about sin and slavery. We can't cut corners with the gospel. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." It's not a popular message, but it's the truth. Let's speak the truth in love.