Ensign: Strange Case

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3


AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS                       21 October 2016

Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.


Yes, Robert Louis Stevenson's original 1886 novella had no "The" (i.e. The Strange Case ...) and this week's episode of the fairy tale and now literary-work-out-of-copyright inspired series Once Upon A Time elaborated on that ... with a twist. Almost since the original story came out, "Jekyll and Hyde" has come to refer to opposing aspects of an individual. Where one aspect of them is good, another is bad, or where one side is weak, another is strong.


Unlike the fictional character, we don't require chemicals to achieve the transformation.


We do a great job of that ourselves. And trying to kill the evil part of ourselves as Regina one of the show's main characters tried to do to her Evil Queen persona won't work because, as much as we desire to remove our capacity to act against the will of God ... there's a reason we're referred to in Scripture as being born -- though not directly, it's more a transfer of the first created man's disobedience to God -- with a sin nature. (Romans 5, let's work with this.) If we could remove it ourselves (there's evidence Rumpelstiltskin has tried to) we wouldn't need a Savior, would we?


That's a subject -- okay, subjects -- for another day.


Our "strange case" where two aspects of us act, we may feel, independently of our control, isn't really strange at all. The control we have is not something we make a decision that we will exercise at some point in the future. Mild-mannered Jekyll doesn't necessarily have to be good, and uninhibited Hyde doesn't necessarily have to be bad. Although like Augustine we do have the luxury to say "Oh Lord, make me pure -- just not yet" we don't know when our final "yet" comes. Not for nothing do we hear through Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:2 that NOW is the accepted time, NOW is the day of salvation.


Capitalizations mine.


To be in Christ and be a "new creature" (see six verses back, 5:17) does mean we're changed, yes, from one out of fellowship with God Our Father to one who is. But we're still capable of sin -- and if you and I are honest, we sin (act not as God wants us to) daily. I was about to say "die daily", per Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 15:31, but few of us are or believe we are called to physically die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


Yet, anyway.


As new creatures (if the King James reading is uncomfortable, try "new beings") after we've chosen Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we still have the sin nature. We still need to ask for forgiveness, of God, of others, of ourselves. We still need the conviction that what we've done IS sin, and that's the Holy Spirit's job, in ourselves and in everyone else. (John 16:8-15.) You and I can live the godliest lives possible and share the truth about salvation through Jesus Christ and never "win" a single person to Him. But that is still the Spirit working in us, and on them, and our fault lies not in our failure. Our fault lies in not serving and magnifying Him in both our Jekyll and Hyde aspects.

Oh yes we can,


David


P.S. I write this devotional to keep in touch with you, and I hope it encourages you and me too! If it's not or you want me to get lost, please let me know. Thank you!

Thank YOU, Lord, that we can come to You in prayer and that we can count on You to provide for all our needs, even when we don't know what they are. And let us come to You in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of that fence and all over the world.

Thank You as well, Lord, for everyone in leadership and service both here and abroad. Thank You for the opportunities we have and the promise of new life through You by Your Son Our Brother, Jesus Christ.

And may we all seek and have a blessed week! Amen.