 Two
thousand years ago a baby was born in Bethlehem. Other babies were
born that day, but this birth was special. In order to bring salvation
to humanity and the world, God chose to become human, in Bethlehem
of all places. Incarnation is a church word that we use to describe
this miracle. People have debated the “How” of the miracle
for centuries. The real wonder is the “Why”.Some people will hold to the unrealistic view that humans are basically good; they just make mistakes or use poor judgment sometimes. All that is needed for salvation is more education and a good example to follow. And that is what a lot of people think about Jesus, the baby born in a stable and laid in the manger. He is a good teacher and good example, an outstanding human being (maybe even the best human being that ever lived!) but that is all. Christianity has believed and taught for centuries that humanity is basically evil; I know that is a “tainted” word in a lot of |
people’s
thinking. Maybe “sinful” is just as unpopular. “Self-centered” is
an accurate description, but it doesn’t immediately capture
the horror of what used to be called “man’s
inhumanity to man”. Students of history recall genocide, massacres
and wars. Students of current events think of murders, assaults, and
neglect—not only of persons, but also of our natural world. Grace and Peace, |