1 John 5:18
We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.
Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a story of man’s inner capacity for evil, told by Robert Louis Stevenson to illustrate his own Heart of Darkness, which is the title of a novel by Joseph Conrad that tells the same story. How odd it is that today, we are taught that man is basically good and we should follow our heart and trust our feelings. The apostle John knew better 2,000 years ago thanks to the Holy Spirit and his time walking with Jesus during his earthly ministry. It is John’s account that tells us of Nicodemus and the need to be born again in John 3. He may have thought that, as a leader, that he was just fine the way he was because he was basically good.
Jesus said otherwise but the world is no longer listening. The heart is deceitful above all things, Jeremiah wrote, but people love the darkness and fear the light, especially the Light of the World because he shines a light on our sin. This is why we cringe at our own sin. Therefore, if we claim to be born again and continue in our old way of sin, we are Mr. Hyde pretending to be Dr. Jekyll. God is not fooled, even if our churches and loved ones are, for a time. The heart of darkness will be exposed.
Dear Lord, thank you that you are real and we who believe are born again. Protect us from the evil one and from our deceitful desires. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church