Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday February 26, 2008

A few years ago I commented on a statement by Will Durant in his volume, Christ and Caesar, part of his multi-volume The Story of Civilization. The quote:

"He (Christ) could forgive any fault, but unbelief."

Will Durant, early Socialist professor and prolific writer understood more about the scope of Christ's message, mission and actions than do most writers of biblical commentary, what with in practice if not doctrinal statement, the idea that sins which are outside the boundaries of what they have done or can honestly with feeling imagine they could engage in are somehow in the realm of the unforgivable. His statement above proves this, although Durant did not buy much of the miraculous including Virgin Birth, literal resurrection and Deity of Christ among other things. Christ could forgive any fault but unbelief. I am thankful for the biblical truth stated by an agnostic.

The Columbia Don further stated a truth about Christ that our current religio/politico crowd should pay close attention to. This statement sheds far more light on the clash between Caesar and Christ than anything I have heard in debates or from pulpits. Most rhetoric seems to center around parties, rather than substance. Note Durant's statement about the political/philosophical difference between Caesar and Christ concerning society's basic needs.

"Caesar hoped to reform men by changing institution and laws. Christ wished to remake institutions and lesson laws by changing men."

It amazes me that so many preachers on both sides of the aisle fail to see that in our modern world Caesar is no longer pitted against Christ, but if you examine the candidates Christ is not a part of the debate, nor is his Name brought to the table, let alone His principles for human relations. Each candidate has some lip service to some sort of Christ, but the Biblical Christ is absent from the scene.

Biblically speaking hope springs from within and in spite of the often harsh realities of living in the 21st Century, men and women can and do find faith to overcome enormous odds and to strive to identify and learn how to apply the civil principles taught by Jesus Christ.

In the current debates it is well documented and commented on that the "Race Card," the "Gender Card," and the "Age Card," are not only played, but done so with not a modicum of shame. To effectively apply the mandates of Christ for a prosperous society a radical change to men and women is essential. To begin to think along the lines of sacrifice, of giving, of respecting, of refusing to take advantage of the weaker brother or sister, is absent. I simply hear and read of ways to attempt to satiate ingrained greed and enable indolence. These are just two of many characteristics of the human race that must be overcome from the inside out.

Even a nice socialist knew this.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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