ecently I did what any red-blooded American male would – I went to see “Terminator: Salvation.” Explosions, killer robots, gritty battles … even a cameo by Ahh-nold. However, the character Marcus intrigued me most. Condemned to death but remorseful, Marcus was given a second chance by donating his body to science. The result was a character with the heart of a man, the body of a Terminator – and a mind caught in the middle. Marcus knew he was human, yet he saw a different reality in parts of his body, which was built to kill humans.

Marcus embodies the conflict between what we know we should be and what we actually are. Sound familiar? Paul described this struggle in Romans 7:21-24. (Of course I don’t envision screenwriters flipping through the New Testament to determine their half-man-half-robot’s psychological profile.) 
 
This Bible passage is part of a larger section of Romans (chapters 5-8) in which Paul contrasts life “in Adam” and life “in Christ.” Paul says in Adam we retain the image of God, yet we fall far short … and we’re powerless to do anything about it. We are slaves to our “flesh.”

Like Marcus, humanity finds itself caught in an inner struggle. Our hearts are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Yet, God promised he would give us a heart transplant (Ezekiel 36:25-27). This comes through allowing the Spirit of Christ to save us and transform us from the inside out (Romans 7:25).

I almost expected Marcus would come across a video of an old Billy Graham Crusade and give his robotic life to Jesus (with “Just As I Am” playing in the background) … but something tells me that wouldn’t have tested well in a focus group! But without giving it away, the final scene is a good picture of salvation. 

Editor's note: Our "Just For Men" columns reflect the perspectives and experiences of the writer.