The world is a mess

Have you ever wondered why the world is in such a mess?

That's what we will be looking at this evening in our bible study (Romans 5:12-20).

You pick up the International section of the paper and read of terrorism and war and genocide.

You read the national section and you find political payoffs (especially here in Chicago) and lies and scams and churches set on fire.

If you go through the local section,  you are going to find rapes and abuse and murder and arson.

If you go through the business section, you will find scandals, fraud, and graft embezzlement.

If you even go through the sports section, you are going to find drug use, illegal gambling and adultery.

And especially, if you go through the entertainment section, you will find scandals and sins - to many to even mention.

Evil exists.  But why?  Why is the world a mess?

Paul shares that the world is a mess because of sin, and sin came into this world through the first man, Adam (who was a real person).

Paul writes in Romans 5:12, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

The "one man" is Adam.

Adam's sin didn't just mess up his life, it has messed up the life of everyone since.

Why Adam and not Eve?

The Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:13,14 that Eve was deceived, but Adam made a conscious choice to sin. 

So, because of Adam's sin, sin is present.  The penalty of sin is death.  And sin is pervasive.

What are the results of Adam's sin?

Natural disasters and deformities in our world.

Physical decay and death (our chest begins to drop into our drawers)

Emotional distress and disappointment.

Relational distance and discord.

Spiritual discontentment and darkness.

How do I deal with sin?

Receive God's grace.  Receive Jesus.

Paul writes in Romans 5:17, "Through the sin of one man (that's Adam), death begin to rule, but now how much greater is the results of what was done by one other man, Jesus Christ?"

Receive God's grace daily.  I sin daily.  Therefore I must receive God's grace daily.

Why not pray something like this?  "Father, I thank you for your grace.  I want to be a part of the solution and not the problem of the world being a mess.  Help me Oh God, to accept, live and walk in your grace and forgiveness.  In your name, Amen."

Just a thought for a Wednesday.