PASTOR’S CORNER, Tyler Prater,, Fellowship Baptist Church, Liberal
It’s a question that haunts every generation: Why is the world so broken?
You don’t have to look far to ask it. Turn on the news, scroll through your phone, walk through your town. Pain, injustice, violence, poverty, loneliness – they’re everywhere. No matter how much progress we make technologically, politically, or socially, we can’t seem to solve the deepest problems of the human heart. We all feel it: Something’s not right. The world is not the way it’s supposed to be. But why?
Some people say the world is broken because people are uneducated, and if we just teach them better, things will improve. Others say poverty is the problem, and if we just redistribute resources, peace will follow. Still others blame bad systems, bad leaders, or bad luck. There’s some truth in all of that. Education, economics, and good leadership are important. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that even the best systems, the best leaders, and the best reforms cannot erase the darkness we find in every corner of the world – and in every corner of our hearts.
The Bible gives a brutally honest answer: the world is broken because of sin. That’s not a very popular word today. We’d rather talk about mistakes, weaknesses, or dysfunctions. But the Bible doesn’t sugarcoat it. Sin is not just a slip-up; it’s a deep, fundamental rebellion against God’s good design.
In the very beginning, the Bible tells us, God created the world “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no death, no sorrow, no division. Humans lived in perfect relationship with God, with each other, and with creation. But in Genesis 3, everything changes. Adam and Eve chose to trust themselves instead of trusting God. They wanted to define right and wrong on their own terms. And when they turned away from God, they unleashed a tidal wave of brokenness that has touched every generation since. Sin fractured our relationship with God, corrupted our relationships with one another, and introduced suffering and death into the world. The Bible says, “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men” (Romans 5:12). That’s why injustice, violence, greed, and heartbreak exist—not just “out there,” but within us. As the Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put it, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.”
If the story ended there, it would be unbearably tragic. But God, in His great love, did not abandon His creation. From the moment sin entered the world, God set into motion a rescue plan. The entire story of the Bible points to Jesus Christ – the One who would come to defeat sin and death and make all things new. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus accomplished what we could never do. He paid the penalty for sin, broke the power of death, and began the work of restoring what was lost. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.” The world is still broken, yes. But Jesus’ resurrection is proof that brokenness will not have the last word.
Right now, we live in the “already but not yet.” Jesus has already won the decisive victory over sin and death, but the full restoration of creation is still to come. One day, the Bible promises, God will wipe away every tear. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). Until that day, we are called to be agents of healing in a hurting world. If you are a follower of Christ, you are part of God’s restoration project. You are called to love your neighbor, seek justice, show mercy, and share the good news that there is hope beyond the headlines. It can feel overwhelming. What difference can one person make? But remember, Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in His name matters (Matthew 10:42). Small acts of faithfulness shine brightly in a dark world.
Maybe you’re reading this and feeling the weight of the world’s brokenness—or the brokenness in your own life. Here’s the invitation: Come to Jesus. He doesn’t promise an easy life, but He promises forgiveness, hope, and a future. The world is broken. But the story isn’t over. And in Christ, broken things can be made whole again – including you.
