This world is certainly a mixed bag. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap our minds around the fact that beautiful sunsets and sandy beaches exist in the same world as hurricanes and earthquakes; that people call both stunning Victorian houses and slums, “home;” that we can simultaneously experience grief and gratitude. This is the reality of life on this planet. Yet, this bewilderment is nothing new- ever since the Fall of Man, man has been holding both the glory of God and the effects of sin.
Though banished from the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve continued to live in the same world as you and I- a world full of stunning sunrises, mountains, and community with others. They lived with laughter and joy. And yet, they lived as you and I in a world full of thorns and thistles and pain and sorrow. They knew the delight of being fruitful and multiplying and the anguish of a son perishing at the hands of another son.
As followers of Christ, we know this tension all too well. We know that we (and the rest of mankind) are created in the image of God and that because of this, human life is of the utmost value! But we also know that we are sinful beings, who, outside of Christ, are enemies of God and completely undeserving of His grace and mercy. This, of course, is why the gospel is so astounding! As Romans 5:8 tells us, “God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us.” And though we rejoice that we are now righteous in Christ and justified by faith, we still groan in this flesh. We still live with our sin and the effects of sin in a fallen world.
The truth is, we will continue to hold both until the return of Christ. On that glorious day there will be no more dichotomy: love will no longer reside alongside hate; friendship will not be contrasted with loneliness, nor grief with gratitude. Peace and joy will be known in and of itself, no longer to be shared with chaos, conflict, and tears. Happiness will know nothing of tragedy and lives ended early. No longer will beauty exist in the same space with anything foul.
Oh, how we long for that Day! But what of our lives until then? How are we to live in the meantime? Here are 4 thoughts to help us hold both well:
We acknowledge what is true. This means that we acknowledge the brokenness- the sinfulness- of both the world and of ourselves. We don’t have to pretend that evil doesn’t exist, and we certainly must never deceive ourselves by believing we are without sin. We must confront reality. We must let ourselves grieve, lament, and repent.
We focus our minds on the truth of the Gospel. While we acknowledge sin and suffering, this is not where our minds should set up camp! Instead, we are to fix our thoughts on the truth of the Gospel. Ironically, the reality of the presence of sin and a sin filled world should cause us to rejoice all the more in our salvation! When we turn our hearts and minds to the truth of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we can’t help but praise God for making a way to redeem our sinful souls. Even more, our hearts fill with hope in the present because we know He’s working all for our good. And still, hope abounds for the future as we know he will return one day to make all things new.
We ask God to help us hold both. It would be foolish to think we could perfectly carry the realities of sin and a sinful world and the glory of the gospel. We simply can’t do this in our own strength! Instead, we must be honest with our Heavenly Father when we’re struggling. Tell Him when the earthly realities seem too much- because sometimes they are. Ask Him to give you the wisdom and courage to live in this world. Above all, ask Him to guide your mind to the love of Christ and the truth of His word.
We hold out our hands to a broken world. If we are in Christ, we have no other option than to open our hearts and hands to those who are hurting. This takes many forms! We are to uplift, encourage, provide for, pray for, and share the gospel with others. As long as we’re living before Christ’s Second Coming, we will have endless opportunities to hold out our hand to a broken world. As a song I love says, “And I’ll hold out my heart, broken before, open the scars, open the door, and I will hope with my mind dreams unsure, wait for the day, the day I am pure, and I will love with my soul a world that’s not right, I will lay down my life, I will lose the fight, and I will hold out my hand…in a broken world” (Keith Naylor, In A Broken World).
Praise God for the Gospel and praise God that He never leaves us! These are the truths we cling to as we live in a world that is simultaneously full of God’s glory and marred by sin. I pray we will hold both well until He returns at last.
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