Continued from yesterday.

Monday morning, November 10, 2008 [sunny and a bit chilly—430],

[CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY]

In an effort to be "Fair & Balanced," I must hasten to tell you that Steve Brown also said this: "Man is basically evil with a proclivity for good." As you might imagine, he was using these two opposing notions in an effort to cause his listeners to think, and I am certain that his pedagogical method worked (I was there and saw it with my own eyes!).
Although no poll was taken, I am certain that there were decidedly more "takers" for the "Man is good with a proclivity for evil" notion than there were for "Man is evil with a proclivity for good" notion. I mean, after all, man is so selfish and self-centered that he cannot imagine that he is anything but good, with, yes, maybe a hint of evil surfacing every now and then.
Now, if you can, imagine yourself sitting at a lunch table with several people you have never before seen, having a discussion around these two opposing notions. Imagine trying to convince even one of them that man is basically evil with a proclivity for good. Trust me, it is difficult enough to convince one that man is good with a proclivity for evil; however, when both are used together, most always choose the "man is good with a proclivity for evil" notion.
Now, imagine yourself sitting at the same table having this discussion KNOWING that both notions are incorrect—terribly incorrect—and also knowing that Steve Brown (and they had come to hear him, not you!) had just come down on the "man is evil with a proclivity for good" side of the fence. If your imagination is working, you have probably already broken out in hives, or at least a sweat!
Imagine that you knew that there is a third piece of this "pie" that Steve never mentioned, the piece that, in your opinion, is THE truth of the matter: "Man is evil—period! I can imagine that your part of the conversation would have gone something like this: Man not only has no proclivity for good, he doesn't even have the capacity for it. Scene change: you are now sitting at the table alone!
For the life of me, I cannot imagine why Steve never mentioned this piece of the "pie!" Yea, right! I can, however, imagine that, if he had mentioned it and claimed it as truth, this trip to the Cove would have been his last one and I don't fault him for wanting to make return trips!
I, however, don't have to be concerned with that concern, so I will take the liberty of pushing the envelope even further with this: there is not one blessed (no pun intended) thing man can do about his complete and total depravity. Really! I am not teasing. The fact is, there is nothing he can do even to desire to be Good!
Again, man does not need God's help; instead, he needs for God to do for him what he could never do for himself, even with God's help—snatch him out of the pit and give him Life!

MORE TO COME—SOON!

Grace & peace,
Mac