better hope

I’ve disappointed more than one of my friends and family, and probably some of my readers, by my opinion that we Christians put way too much faith in political power. I’ve said many times in many different ways that power can enforce behavior but not belief, and that you’ll never change a heart with a law. Saving souls isn’t something the government can do; as Chuck Colson famously said, “Salvation doesn’t come on Air Force One.”

I doubt I’ve changed many minds. In fact, almost everyone I know still thinks a conservative Supreme Court will counter our moral decline.

But here, in Hebrews 7:18-19, I find what appears to me to be some support for my belief: “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.”

Jesus came precisely because laws can’t save us. Laws make it very clear how we should be, but have no power to actually make us that way. At most, they can make us do things we wouldn’t otherwise in those situations where someone is watching. (Don’t believe me? Ever hit your brakes when you see a cop?) It’s like the thing about cats: you can’t train them to stay off the counter. You can only train them to stay off the counter when you’re in the room.

There is no hope in the law. There’s a world of hope in changed hearts. Wouldn’t this be an amazing country if people wanted to be morally and ethically good? If no one wanted to use drugs or gamble or hurt anyone else? We’ve been unable to solve those problems despite a comprehensive legal code and the best police forces in the world, because too many hearts are wicked.

Here’s the thing: only Jesus can change a heart. Jesus showed us what a perfect life looks life, and died himself to cover our imperfections. Jesus is the very Word that spoke this world into being. Jesus is the omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Lord of the universe. He’s not only a better hope, he’s our only hope.

Only Jesus can change a heart, but any one of us can introduce someone to Jesus.