DON’T BLAME THE GHETTO

My wife jokingly told me yesterday that I don’t know the difference between a ghetto and a rural community. I had a good laugh. If she is right then it is probably because the rural community where I grew up in Jamaica was a ghetto.

The ‘ghetto’ is far from a theatrical production performed by seasoned actors upon a stage, viewed and indulged in by an aloof audience. It is a very real phenomenon existing in the most educated and wealthiest of societies.

I’ve been in Jamaican, Canadian and many American ghettos and the only differences I’ve seen and experienced are the faces of the people living in them. The primary product of the ghetto is the ghetto culture, which breeds and perpetuates a ghetto mentality. This mentality is an organism that poisons the social order by imposing itself upon the ignorant, the uneducated and the naïve and it is a corrupt politician’s primary tool in politicking. But the ghetto culture and mentality are NOT the problem. They are only symptoms of the real problem. The real problem is the sin nature in man, which nurtures and perpetuates a culture of sin.

The Apostle Paul tells us about this in Romans 7:15-23 (KJV). He was talking to the Roman Christians who had been struggling with sin. He began by telling them that sometimes we don’t understand what it is that we do because of our sinful nature.

"For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members."

Paul explains that he does the things he hates and does not do the things that he wants to do. He had a battle raging within himself, as we all do. He said that when he did the things that he didn’t want to do, it was the sin dwelling in his sinful nature. He said he wanted to do what was good but that he couldn’t. He said evil was present with him. He further said that his inner man (his born-again Spirit) loved God’s law but that his sinful nature was warring against his inner man and was capturing him under the law of sin. He then asked a question in v. 24 and answered it in v. 25:

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

The Apostle Paul acknowledged that he needed someone far greater than himself to rescue him. He thanked God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The opportunity is there for all of us to receive salvation. Paul recognized that with his thoughts, understanding and reasoning (mind) he served God but with his sinful nature he served sin. Look at what he said in Romans 8:5-6 (KJV) about why we serve each of them and what the pros and cons are.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Paul said that people serve the sinful nature because their thoughts understanding and reasoning are focused on what the sinful nature desires. This leads to death. He said if we set our thoughts, understanding and reasoning on the things that the Spirit desires, it brings us life and peace.

Therefore my friends, since we know this, are we going to allow the sin nature to dominate our born-again Spirits?

"And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:27 (KJV)

Be Blessed.