Is in necessary for an individual to embrace the law before the can come to a position to embrace Christ?

I'm working for an organization this summer that goes into lower income and government subsidized housing complexes to do programming for the kids. Great organization. They really do their best to try to enrich all aspects of life for kids in the program (physically, educationally, spiritually, etc.).

Part of our curriculum this year is an emphasis on self-discipline. It seems common sense enough, right? Too many kids (especially the ones we call "disadvantaged") are controlled by their passions, and have an insatiable desire for immediate gratification. You can imagine the type of trouble this leads to. So it makes sense that you would want to foster a sense of self-discipline.

My question is: What is the good of teaching self-discipline to kids who have none (no sense of "the law") only to turn around and hope that they abandon themselves to Christ? Is it a necessary step, or is there a way to eliminate the middle man? Or am I totally off base here?

Some people can afford to live their lives without either self-control or abandoning themselves to Christ (by which I mean they can stay out of jail and live a comfortable life... though albeit not a full life). The "disadvantaged" cannot. I fear that a refusal to teach self-discipline first would relegate them to continued social/economic hardship.

At the same time, I know what it was like to grow up thinking I could do it on my own. I know what it's like to know the rules and have the impression that I've got the power to follow them, making myself a "good person." About the only thing this got me was the despairing knowledge that I can't do it, and I'm in desparate need of a savior. I guess I'd just like to save others that pain, but maybe I can't. Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe it's not possible to abandon yourself (your passions or your will) until you've hit rock bottom. Maybe the best thing I can do for those kids is teach them to control themselves, all the while telling them the straight up truth about the eventual pain (and eventual joy) doing so will cause.
posted by Stephen at 3:22 PM | |