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Hey Patricia (and others), I believe that innocence can be/has been/is being/will be restored. I will argue this as the word nerd that I am, with references to the Webster's in my classroom & a few general references to the Holy Writ :-)
Innocent comes from the Latin word "innocens," which literally means not doing wrong/harm/injury to. Yeah, the handy-dandy Webster's tells me that nocens is actually a present participle form; it doesn't mean not having done wrong, but rather, means not *presently* doing wrong.
Nocens comes from the Latin verb "nocere," to harm, related to the word "necare," to kill, which itself came from a prehistoric word for dead body. So innocence, literally, at its very word-core, is referring to the opposite of what brings death.
In that sense, it's all too obvious that we humans lost our innocence somewhere along the way (whether before or "at" the Fall). Yes, so many of our actions have been injury-producing, death-producing. Yes, Russ, there were injury & death to relationships w/God and w/others (and even relationship "with oneself," if you'll excuse the expression), as well as injury and death to the physical body.
I think all those mystical references in the Gospels to life, especially the dozens of references in John, are referring (at least in great part) to the supernatural restoration of our innocence. Our spirits are being restored, we are being recreated so that we will no longer do wrong, no longer harm or injure God/others/self. We are not patched up, damaged goods, but "new creations" (as Paul described us in 2 Corinthians 5 and Galatians 6).
Think about John 10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." The Enemy still wants to come after our innocence, without which there can be no true joy. How could a self-aware injury-producer, death-producer experience true joy?? Yes, Russ, for such a "miserable creature" death would be a relief. But there's another answer that came through the new Adam, Christ, through his embodiment, crucifixion, & resurrection.
The damaged-goods relationship is the one we had with God pre-Christ. (Maybe even pre-Fall, as Russ argues.) Our ability to walk in grace may mean our willingness to choose to accept our new-found innocence in Him; without acceptance of this grace, we shrink back from God, missing the point...? Hmm. The Calvinists might say that God gives us the grace to accept his grace, or something like that, right? (Hey, Rod, are you out there? ;-))
As for "like a child"...I think Jesus was referring not to the "innocence" but to the low-status, relatively powerless & dependent nature of children. The I-wanna-work-to-earn-back-my-place-with-God folks are being so reasonable & so "grown up" about it, but it just won't fly. It can't. The problem is too serious, in a too difficult place for us to reach, like trying to operate on your own brain tumor.
I'm begging you, accept God's amazing offer: reclaim your innocence, people!!
And on that thought, I'll yield the floor to someone else. Any takers? |
