In the early days of my Christian life, during the late 1970’s, I was introduced to the doctrine of original sin. First promoted in the 2nd century by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, then established by St Augustine a century later, it became central to reformers such as Luther and Calvin. Hence our exposure to original sin today, though the reformed church. The doctrine takes Paul’s presentation of sin coming into the world through one man Adam, and consequentially in all of humanity (see Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:22, and Psalm 51:5). Essentially the doctrine says we are born sinful. Now that humankind is sinful is without any doubt. I just have to look into my own selfish heart, look around me, down the ages of history, in last night’s news, and in the going on’s around town. Way back then in the 1970’s, however, there was a constant niggle in the back of my mind. It has taken me a few decades to understand this niggle and fully express it. The niggle started in Genesis (1:26-31, and 2:25) where it always appeared to me humankind was first good before it was bad. In light of all these great theologians and the influence of the reformed church who am I to question where sin originated. However, reading well and wide, I have discovered many other reputable voices that think alike. And after all are we not each to formulate, as best we can, what we actually believe? Perhaps the doctrine should really be original goodness! The following words attributed to Nelson Mandela, but actually from the book “Return to Love,” by Marianne Williamson, describe the doctrine of original goodness perfectly, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.” These words paraphrase the two Genesis readings above – God created man and woman wonderfully good! Read Psalm 139:13,14. He did this on the sixth day, and he was very pleased. Friends, let us celebrate that we are good beyond measure, it is who we are, it is written in our DNA – we are created in the very beautiful image of God. Yes, something has gone terrible wrong, we all know that. God knew it too, which is why his plan was always to restore his image in us through Jesus his son. But, we start good, first, never forget that, and despite sin we are good again, because God is good and God makes us good again. That is the final word, not original sin.

I read a tweet a few days ago, actually on Friday 10th, published by Billy Graham’s son Franklin. He was commenting on the Mexican wall and current USA immigration issues. Here it is: Cities in biblical times had walls and gates for protection. When there was a threat, the gates were closed – temporarily. Now I’m only using this as an illustration, I’m not venturing into American politics or current American religious divisions. What I am doing is examining how we read and quote the bible, especially paying attention to how Jesus used Old Testament scripture. Jesus had two approaches to the Old Testament. "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But now I tell you…” This is Bible Study 101! The Old Testament must always be seen through Jesus’ eyes. Everything in the Law, which Jesus said would be fulfilled and last forever, is summed up in these words, "Teacher," he asked, "Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus answered, " "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: "Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments." Jesus consistently ignored or even denied exclusionary, punitive, and triumphalistic texts in his own inspired Hebrew Bible in favour of passages that emphasized inclusion, mercy, and honesty. He read the Scriptures in a spiritual and selective way (He did this, we are not to). Think about it? Is this not why Jesus was accused of teaching as one with authority and why the Teachers of the Law hated him. He interpreted (or reinterpreted) the old teachings of the law, and they didn’t like it! It was no longer the way it used to be. “This is my blood of the New Covenant.” Getting back to the tweet. Such an idea of ‘Christian’ community would have been an anathema to Jesus. Jesus left quotes such as these out of his vocabulary. In their place he spoke new words like these, “So the master said to the servant, "Go out to the country roads and lanes and make people come in, so that my house will be full.” We must very carefully when banding the Old Testament around. In short WWJD? Read the Old Testament through Jesus' eyes, and see how he quoted it in the gospels. You will soon get a handle on what is gospel and what is not!

Union with God and Holy Communion. The end goal of our salvation, of our life of faith, is to be union with God. It’s all over the Scriptures. Ezekiel says God puts his spirit in us, Paul tells us in Colossians the secret of life is to be in Christ, and Jesus says we must be in them (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) just like they, the Father and the Son are in each other. And we unholy people can be in this holy God, not because we are good but because God is good. Imperfections and all, God invites us to be in him. This act, this invitation, we call grace! When we are in union with God we transform. This is the great miracle of grace, we are invited in before we are changed, and then we change, from within. This is the only possible outcome of our union! Union transforms! Enter into this mystery and be forever changed. Now Holy Communion is the place where we act this out symbolically! The imagery is stunning. o Our ordinary imperfect lives are mirrored in the ordinary bread and wine (think also of baptism and water). God uses the ordinary to become extra ordinary. It is God who changes the one into the other, not us. All we do is to bring our ordinary lives into God’s amazing presence. The simple living out of our ordinary imperfect lives, offered to God, is all God needs. As Leonard Cohen writes in his song, The Anthem “Forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.” o “Eat me and drink me,” Jesus says. How much easier can it get? The most basic instinct we have to survive, to eat and to drink, are the very symbols Jesus uses to daily remind us of our union with Him. In one voice he says take this bread and eat it, take this cup and drink from it; and in another voice he says, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you are not a part of me. It is as clear as daylight – the ordinary act of eating bread, and drinking wine are symbols and reminders of our union with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It’s so simple. The great unfathomable mystery of union with God is experienced by us in the simple act of eating and drinking. The divine touches the human and the two become one.