the presence of Christ in the midst of struggle

Rosaria Butterfield was interviewed for World Magazine last month. She has written a new book titled “Openness unhindered”. The article is titled “No free passes.” There was one exchange that I want to share with you. The exchange catches the flavor and intent of the last verse of Romans 14.  read the Holy Word of God from Roman 14: 18-23.

Marvin Olasky said to Rosaria; You write in this new book that it is not the absence of sin that commends believers but the presence of Christ in the midst of struggle. That’s what sets believers apart. You also say the doctrine of original sin is the most democratizing idea in all of human history. How So?

Rosaria answered; We are all on the same page, struggling with an indwelling sin. Some people see their original sin pattern as a cuddly tiger:” It’s a little tiger. If I buy it a collar and name it Fluffy, it won’t hurt me” Three months later , it’s destroyed your marriage and your family and eaten you alive. What if you buy a house with a beautiful garden and decide your method of gardening is, “let it flourish, no need to beat back the pests?”

Olasky; Hey, that’s my method of gardening. Why doesn’t it work?

Rosaria; The master gardener says, “It needs to be pruned. It needs to be battled. “That’s the nature of my soul, and my humanity after Adam. If I let go, I will become a danger to myself and to you.