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Can one's self-will mend a flawed heart and mind?
(A movie review for: Minority Report)
The movie Minority Report suggests that it can; however, one questions the validity of such a premise in the real world.
When Worldviews collide:
The movie Minority Report states two distinct worldviews: The first view hints that humanity is morally flawed, while the second view suggests that humanity can correct its own flaws through self-will. Not only are these views distinct, but also once one looks at them carefully, they will appear grossly in opposition to each other. Perhaps this distinction was not the movie's intention. Nonetheless, that is the outcome. The first worldview the movie preaches to its audience is that humans are flawed and corrupted at their core. Surprisingly, the standard sermon from Hollywood's movies is that institutions and governments are evil, not the people. However, Minority Report suggests that people are intrinsically evil, as well. An investigative agent in the movie states: "There's a flaw, it's human, it always is."
The movie centers around three humans who have the ability to see murders before they happen. When these people are asleep, they dream of murders which occur in the future. Consequently, over time it is realized their dreams are never wrong. Thus, the government puts these three people into a sleep mode. They then use these dreamers to catch and stop all future murders in Washington, D.C. For years it seems to work. Then an investigator is sent from the U.S. Attorney General's office to investigate if the system is as good as it seems to be. During one of the investigator's initial visits to the building where the three pre-nogs are kept, the head police officer over the pre-nogs department, John Anderson, played by Tom Cruse, tells the investigator that the system using the pre-nogs is perfect. He states this because he believes the pre-nogs are never wrong in their predictions. The investigator responds by commenting that "there's a flaw, it's human, it always is."
The investigator's response is clear. He insinuates that humans are corrupt. Consequently, since people run this pre-nog system, flaws must be present, for a corrupting moral flaw is inherent in all people. Therefore there is always some moral corruption present when people are involved. Majority Report, therefore, promotes a very damning statement against mankind: This worldview insists that humanity is morally flawed.
The second worldview present in the movie is that free will can save mankind from its moral flaw. In the movie, this concept is stated or insinuated by more than a few different people at different times; the makers of the movie seemed eager to preach this view. For example, John Anderson (Tom Cruse) had this to say: "You know your own future, which means you can change it if you want to, you still have a choice." The statement "you still have a choice" answers the question that the movie asks through the first worldview: How does mankind fix its moral flaw? According to Minority Report, free will is the answer that will fix the flaw in human beings.
Salvation according to Minority Report:
Before one asks if this logic lines up to the scriptures, one must first ask if this logic even lines up to plain reason and common sense. The answer is no. If humanity is so dysfunctional, then how can something so dysfunctional and flawed supposedly fix itself? The natural free will that is intrinsic in man, ultimately leads to flaws, not to perfection.
Taking into consideration that man is flawed leads one to ask what precisely is in man that is "flawed?" What makes man flawed? In the movie, the director, who controlled the pre-nogs department, was found out to be greedy and to be a murderer. These sins make the director flawed. Therefore, the flaw is in human morality. But why is humanity morally so flawed? One must discover the answer to this burning question to learn if indeed self-will can correct the flaw. The movie considers the premise that free will can fix whatever is making mankind flawed. Yet, how can self-will correct a flaw without first knowing what the specific flaw is? First, one must find the source of the flaw in man. Perhaps, instead of the flaw being a person's self-will, the heart is where the flaw originates, because the heart is the spring and overflow of all the affections and desires. The self-will of an individual comes about when both the heart's affections and the mind's information come together. From this synthesis of heart and mind, a choice is made. Therefore, the flaw of mankind is the result of choices made based upon a mind that has been corrupted by the affections of the heart. Thus, the end result is a corrupted free- will, because both places-heart and mind--are already flawed. Consequently, the whole system in man, which is used to make choices, is in serious disarray. Mankind is bound by deception and infected with the deadliest virus ever to come to the human race-sin.
Thus, it becomes apparent just how glaringly unreasonable it is to suggest that mankind's will is capable of saving itself when the will is the problem. The self-will attempting to mend itself would be as useless as broken tools used to fix a broken engine.
Salvation according to Scripture:
The movie Minority Report preaches that humanity can save itself; however, I will argue that Jesus Christ is a far better preacher than Steven Spielberg. The scriptures, for the most part, are in line with the first worldview that Minority Report makes: mankind is inwardly corrupt. However, the scriptures do not suggest the same saving method as the second worldview does in the movie. Jesus Christ teaches a vastly different truth.
The Lord Jesus Christ sheds light on the human condition: "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin," John 8:34. Likewise, in the eighth chapter of John, Jesus states in verse 44: "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him." Then Paul, in Romans 7:8, has this to say: "But sin, taking opportunity . . . produced in me all manner of evil desire."
Jesus is clear on what precisely is mankind's flaw. Humanity is enslaved by sin and the devil. Sin totally ruins and darkens all mental, emotional, and reasoning power. Sinners who sin commit treason against the most High God. What salvation does Jesus provide?
In Matthew 11: 28-30Jesus declares, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Christ speaks to all who acknowledge their immorality and sin. To those who labor against their flaw and the heavy weight of sin and who fall prey to their sin so terribly, Jesus says come to me, and I will give you rest and relief from this burden. I will heal the heart and ease the mind. Christ invites us to rest our souls on His Name and He will "give [us] rest." Christ will make the Fame of His Mercy known; He will not fail which is why the Psalmist (Psalm 109:21) trusted his forgiveness on God's commitment to His Name, and people have this same trust today in Christ Jesus.
What does it mean to trust in Jesus? The New Testament states, " that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God," 1 John 5:10-13. To see more [i]
How does God heal a flawed and sin-enslaved will that is ruled by the heart and mind? God heals by the power of His Holy Spirit, which renews and creates in each person a new spiritually alive, working will, heart and mind. The power of the Holy Spirit defeats the power of sin and the grasp of the devil on the human will and restores to the human will the Kingdom of Christ. In so doing, Christ can then lead and shape each individual's self-will. The scripture says: "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them," Ezekiel 36:27.
God is infinitely wise. He designed a means of saving people by taking away their sins. He also saves them from their sin-crippled hearts, which had been crippling their wills. Consequently, God infallibly fashioned a way to bring home His children so that they can be with Him forever. What a loving God we serve! In John 6:39, Jesus Christ says: "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day." The Lord never fails in His promise to send the Holy Spirit so that we are both forgiven of our sin and also have the power to live a godly life, out of joy. Since humankind is enslaved by sin, he/she would never follow God without the working of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. Before salvation the heart was spiritually dead, but now the Spirit gives spiritual life to a person. The Holy Spirit creates a need in each person to desire and enjoy God, overcoming all other desires which war against will.
The words of the prophet Jeremiah ring true: "I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me, 32:6-8."
Food for thought:
Luke 19:19, "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 25 "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29 "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one risen from the dead.' "
Compare the previous quote to the following one from the movie: "You know your own future, which means you can change it if you want to, you still have a choice." - John Anderson
Do you see any inconsistency? Jesus Christ, while instructing with this parable, makes clear this truth: Mankind is "flawed" by sin. An individual's heart, mind, and accordingly, their will are so corrupted by sin's power that even if a dead man came from the grave and foretold their future and the bad future consequence (hell) which came about because they lived so wickedly, this still would not be enough to overcome the flaw of sin's power in man. People still would not have the power of will to choose a different path for their lives. This is not to say that if you knew your future it might help sometimes to steer you away from some bad choices. But knowing your future does not carry the power to completely steer you always from all bad moral choices. Therefore it is not the remedy needed to save mankind. Therefore, even if you saw your future it would not be the remedy needed to save you. But, most importantly, this foresight does not help any man or woman to see the true beauty of Christ and to choose to live for Him, on which all other choices find their true weight of significance. Without true joyful trust and faith in Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, no choice is acceptable to God the Father. Once a person chooses Christ, all choices are now weighed by their love and trust for God. A person's future will lead in either one of two directions: one leads into the arms of God in heaven, and the other leads into the arms of the devil in hell. The ability to know one's future choices gives no power to anyone. Only Jesus Christ, who was crucified for the sins of the world, provides life-giving power to change the flaw in the human heart and will. Only one hope remains for the world if people want to fix their moral flaw: the gospel of Jesus Christ!
In this light, it becomes evident why Jesus taught so much, why He gave so many signs to prove His divinity, and finally, why He died on the cross: Humanity is hopeless to save themselves. Christ knew this truth; therefore, out of divine and infinite mercy, He did accomplish everything needed to save His church. Jesus Christ, in His office of High Priest, came to Earth to be human to become for His bride complete salvation. His sacrifice purchased for humankind the gift of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Christ knew the condition of our seriously flawed and corroded heart: "He knew all men . . . He knew what was in man." Therefore, Christ, with His blood, bought this gift for everyone: "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them", Ezekiel 36:27. This filling of the Holy Spirit is a healing balm, which mends flawed, sin-corrupted hearts, minds, and wills. The Spirit scrapes away the calluses of vain and treacherous thinking. One example of treacherous thinking is the belief that living for one's self could bring real goodness and happiness. Once thought is purified, the spirit of God gives each person a clear vision of Christ's beauty and glory, which before had been blinded by sin. Jesus, in His office of King, prophet, and priest, accomplished so much for humankind. A renewed and spiritually alive heart and mind is just one such accomplishment. Jesus willingly sacrificed His life so that each person could receive this ultimate gift of forgiveness of sins and also of spiritual life and restoration of all our facilities that had been ruined by the curse of our sin. Praise God Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be: the Lamb of God, who takes way the sins of the world and restores the brokenhearted, by His completion of His life, death and resurrection!
Psalm 3:8, "Salvation belongs to the LORD." Therefore, in light of what has been discussed, I encourage all to fall at the feet of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Confess your sin and wickedness to Him and trust in Him that He lovingly died, for the sins of world, when He suffered so dreadfully on the cross. Come to Jesus as a beggar with only broken hearts and sin to offer as acceptance for His free love and grace, knowing He is willing to receive all who come to Him, to make Him their treasure. Follow Jesus Christ and rest all your confidence that He will, by the power of His Holy Spirit and promise, renew your inward man so that your heart, mind and will are properly set toward Him, the fountain of all Pleasure. Amen
Yours in Christ: Oshea Davis
- I would like to thank http://www.firstediting.com/ for their editorial service
[i] Act: 17:24-31, "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being . . . Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent (This passage means to repent of sin and in return believe God does exist; furthermore, believe that God did send Jesus Christ to Earth to die on the cross so that sins are cleansed. God knows each heart and knows if confession is insincere. A life lived in love, enjoyment, and devotion in Jesus is the outward sign if a true confession.), 31 "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man (Jesus Christ) whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."
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