Regarding: the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

I recently read Jekyll and Hyde. Well, if I were to be more accurate, I would say that today I read Jekyll and Hyde. It was a great book, quite enrapturing and intriguing. This is a book I would highly suggest that you read.

I picked up the book because of another book (actually a lecture that came from parts of the book) by Jeff Baldwin: the Deadliest Monster. While I am yet to set myself down and read this book, through various means I have been exposed to the majority of it's content, and am also recommending this book to all of my readers. It is an introduction to worldview, and Baldwin uses several fictional stories to outline and describe various understandings of the natures of man and God. In the lecture that I have heard (3 or 4 times), Baldwin argues that Stevenson's The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde presents an accurate view of human nature before salvation in the character of Jekyll (and Hyde).

SPOILER WARNING: if you haven't read the book, don't know the story, and don't want spoilers, go read the book (it is only about 80 pages), and come back :)

While reading the book unexpectedly I started relating my battles with sin to Jekyll's battles with Hyde. Particularly at the point in Jekyll's reflections when he is comparing himself (as Jekyll) to the people around him, and he concludes that he is a good guy, despite his flaws of being attached to Hyde. At the end of his comparisons he realized that his prideful thoughts have only resulted in his transforming back into Hyde.

One strong idea that I believe shows clearly in the book is that we can't harbor sin in a isolated corner of our lives. This in fact was the purpose of Hyde, to isolate Jekyll's good and his evil. The result was that he was able to be wholly impure and evil (as Hyde), although, when he was Jekyll he was still a mix of good and bad. Even with the (at first) moderated periods of indulgence (as Hyde) his sin (Hyde) was already taking over. It rose to the point where he had committed to abstain, but only to fall victim to the Hyde within him fighting to get out.

That to say, I believe this is a great reminder that we cannot let willfully indulge in any sin. Even from the beginning of Scriptures, God has been warning us to be severely cautious regarding sin (Genesis 4:7, 1 peter 5:6-11). Now, I mentioned earlier that Jekyll and Hyde presented human nature before salvation, that is resulting in complete sin, sensuality and indulgence. Let us make no mistake that it is only through Christ's power and aid that we can ever have any victory over sin. It is only through Christ's sacrifice that we are free from the presented spiral of inevitable evil. (Romans 6:1-14)

Romans 6:1-4

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

6/27/10

For the King,

~Andrew Voigt

Please consider reading both of those books, they are well worth your time.