Barth: sin as universal enmity

Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Meditation:
    But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
    —Romans 5:8-11 (ESV)
Quotation:
    We may all be inclined to think of man’s countless foolish and selfish intentions, his twisted and mischievous words and deeds. From all these, sin can be known, as a tree can be known from its fruits. Yet these outward signs are not sin itself, the wages of which are death. Sin is not confined to the evil things we do. It is the evil within us, the evil which we are. Shall we call it our pride or our laziness, or shall we call it the deceit of our life? Let us call it for once the great defiance which turns us again and again into the enemies of God and of our fellowmen, even of our own selves.
    ... Karl Barth (1886-1968), Deliverance to the Captives, Harper, 1961, p. 146 (see the book)
    See also Rom. 5:8-11; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 8:6-7; 2 Cor. 5:18-21; Col. 1:19-23; 1 Pet. 3:18-19
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, stay with me, for I stray when you leave me to myself. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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