We all want to get better, don't we?  In fact most of us are trying in most areas of our lives to get better.  It's part of our cultural way of thinking.  We think things are supposed to work better, faster and more precisely.  In the recesses of our minds, most of us even believe we are getting faster and stronger and smarter - and that aging is not really affecting us that much.
 
We all think things are generally evolving in a positive direction.  The word, "evolution" was first used in this way in the 17th century to mean, "growth to maturity and the development of an individual living thing."  Though evolutionary thinking colors much of our thinking, Christians often have a negative reaction to the word because of its tie Darwin's book of 1859 "The Origin of the Species."  Interestingly, however, Darwin only used the word evolution one time in this entire book (and that was in last paragraph).  Allegedly, he did not want to use the word because he did not intend his theory to carry the idea that things were always necessarily improving/progressing, but rather changing.  Over time, though, evolution has come to mean continued (often) incremental improvement over time.
 
Why spend so much time discussing this word?  It's because we need to understand the evolutionary worldview we all share, and recognize its limits when it comes to our souls.  People have not been improving in character or spirit over the last 6 millennia; we are no more trustworthy or just than our ancestors.  We struggle with temptation and sin the way that mankind has always struggled.  "No one is righteous, not even one." (Romans 3:10)
 
We must realize that our inner man does not simply need to evolution, but Revolution.  We need a sudden and radical change in our inner person.  The Bible calls it being "Born Again." (John 3:3) That's revolutionary - it's a total redo, an extreme makeover in the image of Jesus.  This happens at conversion, yet it is also a Kingdom way of life.  Our souls continually need to be infused with the Life of Christ, not just with better focus and efforts on our part.  Another way to translate the expression "Born Again" is to be "Born from Above."  We need the Holy Spirit from above to revolutionalize the way we think, feel and do business!
 
Are your spirit and soul more informed by a worldview of evolution of Revolution?  I invite you to freshly call out to God for an internal revolution today.  Our lives of faith begin in the Spirit, and they only grow in the Spirit.

With You,

Pastor Tom

tgriffith@rolcboston.org

www.rolcboston.org