From the Inside … Out
Aristotle said that to be a good person, you need to make a practice of doing good, or practicing good habits. By continually practicing good habits, you acclimate yourself to being a good person. Practicing good habits eventually turns you into a good person who has good intentions toward others. Notice this view sees good working from the outside in. That is, by doing good deeds, you change your inner nature into a good nature. You become a good person by doing good things. The problem with Aristotle’s view is that one may be good outwardly, and yet may be full of evil thoughts and desires inwardly.
Christ turns this whole argument on its head in the Sermon on the Mount. Christ said “Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-18). In regards to lust, Christ argued that someone may still be filled with lust and therefore commit adultery in their heart even if they abstain outwardly from adultery. He said “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30).
Christians recognize that the heart must be right with God before we can love our neighbors. Contrary to Aristotle, we don’t become good people by practicing good habits. We are changed from the inside out by God. God changes our hearts, and grants us faith. In doing so, He begins to change us inwardly, which then enables us to love our neighbors. Our hearts are sinful, or as the prophet Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9). God gives us a new heart, as we pray in Psalm 51: “Create in me a pure heart, O God.” This new heart is one that delights in God and His will, and in turns seeks to love our neighbors as ourselves.
In Christ,
Rev. David L. Putz, Pastor
Holy Cross Lutheran Church (LCMS)
Crawfordsville, Indiana
Good things are happening at Holy Cross! Praise God for that. When we keep Word and Sacrament ministry at the heart of what we do, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is sown. As we share the Word, God gives the growth and we rejoice as humble stewards of the God who changes lives and hearts. Help us always, Lord, to keep Your Word at the center of our life together under your Holy Cross!
Please continue to pray for our congregation and each other. Don’t forget to visit our church website www.holycross-crawfordsville.org to find links for all our services on YouTube.