We live in a time of great division, it seems. The rhetoric, hatred, and blame-casting in politics seem to get worse each election cycle. In academia, even to mention conservative ideas or certain other topics often earns a tongue-lashing or can seemingly ruin a friendship. Many seem to see the world in terms of “us versus them” and if you’re not with “us” then you’re the enemy.

Why are we so divided, and why is there so much hostility towards the “other” – the other political party, the other gender, the other countries, the other social class, …? I believe part of the reason is our largely post-Christian society’s rejection of sin and the fall.

The Christian worldview tells us that we live in a broken, dying world (e.g. Gen. 3, 1 Cor. 15, Revelation, etc.). Adam and Eve sinned, and that broke the beautiful world God had made in terrible ways that remain with us to this day. Not only that, but through them, sin entered the world, and each of us sins every day. From that sin, we reap great suffering and conflict personally and as a society. The effects of the fall – in terms of the brokenness of the world and the sinfulness of every human being – mean that all of our lives fall far short of what we long for, and we see sorrow and brokenness all around us.

However, modern society no longer believes in Adam and Eve, the fall, the curse, and so on. Some even deny the very idea of sin. However, we can all clearly see that the world around us is broken. Suffering and problems abound. Children starve to death, people kill one another, crime persists, and the news is depressing. So many things are wrong that we have to avoid looking carefully around us or we might despair. Well, if all these problems are not the result of the fall and of sin, where do they come from?

In other words, we all recognize problems and brokenness around us – but where does it come from? If there was no fall, and people are not deeply flawed, then these problems must result from some kind of problem with our circumstances, or our society, laws, or social order. If only we had the right system, or the right government, the right leadership, the right social structure, then life would be the way it ought to be. If you’re a Democrat, then surely the problem must be those Republicans and if only the Democrats were in control of everything then we’d be able to set things right. And if you’re a Republican, well, if only the Republicans were in control of the government then we’d really be able to fix our problems.

This same line of thinking also leads to bloated laws. If something unfair or unjust happens, it must mean that something is wrong with our system, so we obviously need new laws or rules or (in the workplace) trainings to remedy the situation. With the right laws, rules, trainings, and leadership, surely there would be no problems.

The Bible says otherwise. Because of Adam and Eve’s rejection of God in the beginning, our world – and all its inhabitants – is deeply affected by sin. No human system, however well designed, can change that. We will still have crime, poverty, suffering, and hardship. Yes, good laws and just leaders can reduce problems and improve circumstances, but even with the absolute best this world has to offer we still will suffer.

So, let’s not join those around us in blaming this world’s problems on social structures, political parties, and leaders. Let’s put the blame squarely where it belongs: Sin. Because of the sin of humankind, our world is filled with problems and suffering. Our only hope is the great promise that one day Jesus will come again to set everything right, bringing a new heavens and a new earth. Only then will there no longer be any mourning or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4). Until then, the world around us will remain broken, as we, ourselves, will also.