Man in born into this world dead in his trespasses (Ephesians 2: 1)
This reality strikes modern hearers as unjust. It is unjust, in that it was Adam's fault to begin with, yet on the other hand, mankind is plagued with sin, which in itself intimates to man that he does not need to answer to anyone or anything, but instead he gets to make his own way in the world, just as Adam and Eve attempted when the ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Such knowledge is just too great for mankind. God is interested in leading us in the most intimate relationship, by the peace of Christ, which indwells us by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
God had breathed His Spirit into man in order to create him, then he put the man into a deep sleep and formed "woman", whom Adam named "Eve".
Since the fall of man, men and women walk the earth with a sense of alienation, of distance and loss. We have become preoccupied with ourselves, just as Adam and Eve immediately looked at themselves and found themselves wanting and inadequate.
The knowledge of Good and Evil, the standards of right and wrong, inevitably lead us to look at ourselves. In a sick sense, Adam and Eve "took their inventory", and discovered that "they were naked", even though they had been naked from the moment that they were formed from the earth and fashioned into living, speaking spirits by God.
They looked at themselves. This innate, inane, insane tendency is the root of every evil, for in looking at ourselves, in imposing on ourselves the demands of measuring up and stepping out into whatever we are deemed to seek, we will never measure up or succeed. By looking at ourselves, we ignore the inexhaustible supply of God the Father, who made all things in the Garden of Eden and all over the newly-formed Earth for their pleasure.
The problem of modern man, of mankind today, is that we look at ourselves, and only ourselves, for all the answers, for all of our needs. Instead of resting and receiving more from our Father, we look about on our own to get by, and thus we give in to whoever has the power to protect and guide us.
For this reason, above all others, it is wrong to make right and wrong a matter of might and throng. How many people stand on one side of an issue cannot determine forever the proper course or vale of anything. The changing opinions of one man, a leader, will lead others to change their opinions of anything. The needed status of men cannot rest in the needy state of mankind.
Man needs acceptance above all, and then everything else is taken care of. Jesus said it perfectly: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the rest shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
Added unto us, just as bountifully as the Garden of Eden, but moreso, because Jesus Christ died on the Cross not only to cleanse us of all sins forever, but also that we may receive Himself living in us through the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit accords to us God Himself within us, and ensures that He will never leave us nor forsake us, that we are convicted of righteousness, much better than convinced of "being right."
When people find that they want more for themselves, want to improve their fallen flesh, they then engage in every possible conduct or behavior, whether through pleasing themselves or doing good for others. No matter what any man does, for better or for worse, no one can make himself any better. Of himself, he is nothing and has nothing of merit to stand on or boast in. For all of man's accomplishments, nothing can ever be "good enough." "Vanity of vanities" cried out King Solomon. Not in our works, but in fearing God, resting in His redemption and righteousness, do we find Life and that more abundantly.
Instead of pointing men and women to the truth, hurting people who are overcome by their failures in this life, AA teaches people to identify with their fallen selves, then provides a "program" which keeps them in bondage, defined by their sin and their failures. Men and women need righteousness, but righteousness, as revealed by God, cannot be earned nor merited. Either we believe it and receive it, or we do not.
AA misdiagnoses the problem, and provides a "solution" which makes it worse. The program has a semblance of truth, as all cults do, but these distortions create more bondage.
The sense of "wrong-doing" in men cannot be removed with more "good doing". In fact, the sense of ill-will and ill-favor gets worse because for all of one's efforts, this body of death does not get better, but worse. No wonder men and women quit AA in complete despair and take their lives. They are fed the pablum which states "It works if you work it", but it can never work, for none of our works can break us free from the death within us.
God's gift of life breaks us free. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Under the New Covenant, there is nothing but blessed assurance for every person who receive the Gospel, that in Christ we receive remission of sins and full justification from everything that we could not find in the law of Moses (Acts 13: 38-39)
AA never gets rid of the sense of condemnation. In Christ, there is perfect freedom and trust, that He will be your God and you will know Him without any added steps or efforts on your part.
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