Do you believe sin exists? I do. Do you believe sin is just a societal or religious constraint on behavior? I do not. Is sin really a big deal or is it just part of daily life? Do you think you sinned today? I have or I will. Do you believe there are consequences for sin? How do you deal with sin? Do you take sin seriously? I do. Let me share with you about understanding sin and how it brings me hope.
I have learned that sin is doing what God does not want us to do or conversely, not doing what He asks. All of us have behaviors that are sinful. Maybe we can agree that murder, stealing, or rape are acts of sin. However, I believe that many would question whether the following is sin: lying, cheating on taxes, yelling at people, taking a paper clip from work, gossiping, having an extra-marital affair, pre-marital sexual relations, homosexuality, or not believing in the one true God.
I have found that the Bible talks a lot about sin or the concept of good and evil. According to Clay Jones in his book, Why Does God Allow Evil, “The various forms of the words good and evil appear in the Bible almost 1100 times. Then when we add in the synonyms like sin, wicked, holy, right, wrong, righteous, unrighteous, love, hate, obey, and disobey and a host of others, that brings the number to more than 5000 times. And this does not include other variations of words for evil like bad, iniquity, corrupt, immoral, depraved, or profane. Nor does this include words for particular evils like covet, adultery, idolatry, pride, lying, lust, and so on. Nor words of particular types of goodness like honor, truthfulness, faithfulness, and humility. Nor words describing the inclination to do evil like temptation or seduction. Nor words about one getting in good standing again with God after doing evil, such as atonement, sacrifice (and the entire sacrificial system), repentance, and forgiveness. Nor words about the effects of evil, such as sorrow, sadness, sickness, pain, and death. Nor lengthy accounts of people sinning, like David and Bathsheba; of people suffering for their sin, like Judas; or of Jesus’ atonement for sin like the crucifixion accounts. Nor does it include words describing the final destinations of the evil and the good, such as judgment, hell, and heaven. Nor words describing the goodness of God.” I believe if the concept of sin is discussed that much in the Bible it ought to be of utmost importance to me.
Recently my pastor, Troy Dobbs gave a message about sin from 1 John 3:4-10. He pointed out the significance of understanding that sin is rebellion against God and how it originates from the devil. Thankfully, as a Christian, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross has freed me from sin’s judgment, but I am still tempted to sin and do sin against God on this side of heaven. Someone who confesses Jesus as Lord and has made commitment to Him is free from sins’ power and empowered to live a life defined by righteousness and love. “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:9-10 (ESV) John further describes our ability to love coming from God in 1 John 4:13-19, “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. (ESV)The Apostle Peter describes it, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” 2 Peter 1:3. (ESV)
In addition to what John says there are other truths about sin in scripture. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (ESV) I see how death is the result of sin when it’s not forgiven by Jesus’ gift of salvation. God’s solution to sin is as simple as repenting of your sin and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. “For our sake he made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) John Stott described sin and death in this way. “Sin and death are inseparable – but usually the one who sins and the one who dies are the same person. At the cross, it was different, it was we who sinned, but He (Jesus Christ) who died to take away our sin.” It is because of this I have hope as I accept the grace that God has given me.
I pray you will join me in taking sin seriously, the consequences of sin and the solution to the problem of sin. It is by believing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we can escape from the consequences of sin. I pray if you have not already repented of your sin that you will now. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy during our everyday lives. Understanding that Jesus Christ allows us to access eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) This will allow us to have hope. At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and this will bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.
You can watch book trailer about my book.
You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
