Truth Suppressors

Is it really possible for people to become better?  Central Michigan University thinks so, at least that is what one newspaper article claims.  Ryan Berlin of the Morning Sun reports, "Officials at CMU want people to make ethical decisions and become better people."  Also in the article is a quote from provost Gary Shapiro: "Let's treat people with respect, let's not get carried away in the moment, treat others the way you want to be treated, these are the kind of things that we would like to be represented in the university."  A very interesting approach to say the least, but does it sound familiar to you?  

In Matthew 7, Jesus summarizes the law and the prophets with the following: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  It would seem that CMU is on the trail of the teachings of Christ.  But not so fast.  If the University truly wishes to help people become better, are they going achieve it through instituting the "doing unto others" philosophy.  After all, Jesus Himself promotes it as a simplified version of the law and the prophets.  

Let us be careful of non sequiturs as we approach the situation.  First, we must know what makes a good person, or if such a thing exists.  Scripture tells us that a "no one is good, not one," (Romans 3:10) and that all have sinned (Romans 3:23).  Instead we are told that humankind is made up of "truth suppressors" (Romans 1).  We cannot find goodness if we wanted to (Ecclesiastes 7:20), but who do we have to blame, what causes our inability to reach truth and goodness?  Our nature is evil in its very essence (Galatians 5:7).  Simply "doing unto others" doesn't undo that nature that inhabits the depths of our mind and soul.  That that behaviour may be desirable, it does not make good people.  

What then?  What delivers us from our truth suppression into a state of actual goodness?  Paul provides the answer in Romans 6, saying we are no long bound to our old selves, no longer slaves, no longer suppressors of Truth, but actually good through the Grace of the Savior.

Doing unto others is a behaviour to be commended, yet it it doesn't make a good person, only Jesus can do that.

Blessings.