Without Papers

In Renovation of the Heart Dallas Willard writes:

“The revolution of Jesus is in the first place and continuously a revolution of the human heart or spirit. It did not and does not proceed by means of the formation of social institutions and laws, the outer forms of our existence, intending that these would then impose a good order of life upon who come under their power.” (p.15)

When I first read this I thought, “wow, since I’ve devoted most of my life trying to understand social institutions and laws, I guess I’ve wasted my life. I need to leave political science immediately.”

But then I thought about it …. if Jesus’s revolution is about a revolution of the heart, if its not about external control to induce good behavior, then it has implications for social institutions.

Social institutions should impose as few limitations as possible on the choices individuals make. If the heart is to be changed it is to be changed in an environment where people are free to make their own mistakes. Free to be challenged by the mistakes others make. Free to have an opportunity to learn and grow in such an environment. And free to be able to turn over their freedom to Christ and become a slave to righteousness.

This is not the world we live in, which suggests there are changes to be made in our social institutions. And studying the conditions underwhich changes in social institutions occur may not be a comple waste of time.

Please tell me what you think…. I don’t want to waste another moment.