Watson and the Human Condition

As part of a future message series on the Lord's Supper, I have been reading several books on the subject (including the previous post, which was a book review of an excellent summary of the various views on the subject). Currently I am reading the thoughts of some of the Puritans.

Today was earmarked as a hunting day with my Dad. While I didn't see any deer, I did manage to work my way through Thomas Watson's work The Lord's Supper (Banner of Truth, Puritan Paperback series). As I was reading, I came across this powerful psychological truth:

It is hard for a man to look inward,

and see the face of his own soul.

The eye can see everything but itself.

Thomas Watson, The Lord's Supper, p 41.

The Puritan's were phenomenal students of the human person. As a vocational pastor as well as a licensed professional counselor, my two chief areas of study are the Immortal (God) and the mortal (humanity). Most don't seem to be aware that the Puritans (and the Reformed pastors and theologians in general), were equally consumed with these two spheres of study. Watson's statement is so very true, as we are all too often blinded to our own faults and dysfunctions.

Yet, faith requires that we do turn our eyes inward. Unless we see who we really are, we can never clearly see Christ. God can only be seen through the veil of our own humanity. To illustrate this, Watson goes on to say (note the change of metaphor):

The more bitterness we taste in sin,

the more sweetness we taste in Christ.

(p. 46)

In essence, I believe Watson is saying that until we come to grips with the darkness of our souls---the true and horrid depths of our own depravity---we cannot comprehend the biblical vision of God. As the stars are seen clearest from the deepest pit, so Christ is seen clearest from the depths and misery of acknowledged sinfulness .