The Loss of Innocence
The past ten days or so I have been fast-tracking plans to re-enter the political arena through being a candidate for Fort Collins City Council. I will share more and you will hear from me about how you can support my effort. You can check out my website at www.kensummers.us
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” Genesis 3:7 ESV
This last weekend my friend Darren Fred shared a message at Timberline Church that challenged m thinking about “the fall” and how it relates to “human nature.”
The concept about the desire to know – the desire to experience – leads to a curiosity that more often than not backfires in the realm of human experience. There is a saying that, “ignorance is bliss.” When that “ignorance” is related to experiences that bring more harm and confusion to our life that is certainly the case. But the “point of the spear” of temptation seems to be tied to this issue.
For Adam and Eve it was, “What will it be like to ‘know good and evil?'” “Perhaps we are missing out on something.” “Is God protecting us, or is He ‘holding back’on us?” What they found in their “experiment” was that “knowing” can promise much, but deliver something that is unexpected. They found “their eyes opened” and they experienced something that is common to “knowing evil” and that is guilt and shame.
There disobedience, severed the connection with God that they had enjoyed and now they were “on their own.” They did not have the covering that came from God when they were created, but had to “cover themselves.” Then God did make them clothes from an animal; so we see death was needed to cover their shame. They lost their “innocence” and in doing so had to face the consequences.
I recall the haunting words of a teen from one of our Teen Challenge programs. She said, “I wanted to ‘know” what it was like to be high on meth, and now I wish I never did.” But we see “innocence” is mocked in our culture. People stand aghast, at the teen or young adult that faces a sense of “being out of it” with comments like, “you’ve never been drunk?!” ” “You’re are still a virgin!?” “You have never tried drugs?!” But often those same individuals find themselves eventually (if they haven’t already) regretting their lost “innocence.”
I think of the admonitions and observations in the New Testament. “…but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16:19 NIV) “It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.” (Ephesians 5:12 NIV)
There is a way to deal with our lost innocence. It is found in forgiveness and a new life in Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) “…all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24 NIV)
God’s ways are for our good. God’s grace is redemptive. God’s plan is restorative. Heaven will be Eden restored. It will be innocence recovered. “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 21:27 NIV)
Prayer for today… Lord, thank You that we can trust You to watch out for our lives. You desire us to know Your peace and perfect plan being worked out in our lives. Thank You for Your saving grace and work of redemption.