I went with my daughter to the little town office in NH to register her car. While she filled out the forms, I looked around and saw a shelf full of books with a sign that invited me to take what I wanted. A little paperback with cover art that dated it to the early 1960’s captured my attention with the tithe – “Even If I’m Bad?” It was a book of children’s sermons published in 1962. I picked it up and pointed out the line to Christine observing that we would not say that to a child these days.
The clerk behind the desk joined the conversation asking why. I replied that we might say a child has made poor choices or even done wrong, but we likely would not describe them as ‘bad.’ It is a label that can have negative effect on self-image. She smiled and reflected on the shifting values of our culture. That little exchange made me think about the subject that is not talked about much these days – sin.
The Scripture does not
avoid that subject! Paul is absolute in
his inspired statement that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, NKJV) Some of you are sophisticated and reject the idea
that ‘sin’ is real, preferring to think that humanity is good; evil coming from
oppression, or lack of opportunity, or ignorance. The truth is that the evil is
this world is real and results from sin flourishing in the minds and hearts of
those who reject God’s love and light.
David’s song is the lament of a person who has come to know his own failures. "Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds— they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just." (Psalm 51:2-4, NLT) He had been swept up by his passions in the process betraying his friends, causing a man’s murder, and abusing his royal power. Yes, he sinned! He is not a unique example. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that there are places in our hearts, things in our lives, that are wrong, that are beyond the plan of God for us.
One of the reasons we avoid
the subject of sin is that we do not know that God has not abandoned us, consigning
us to live in guilt or shame. The grand
story of the Scripture is about a God Who saves, Who goes to great lengths
to restore us to Himself with forgiveness, and to change our ways – making sinners
into saints. We earn judgment, but we
are given grace. The Word says that "the
wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life
through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NLT)
The paradox of God’s plan is that He does confront our sinfulness, but not with condemnation. Instead, He loves us to life! Amazing grace is found in Him. We learn this- "God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT) He isn’t impressed with our attempts to save ourselves with discipline or ‘good’ deeds. He offers us salvation.
Christians
need not be sin-obsessed. Indeed, an obsession with ‘sin’ is likely to lead to
a fall. Our focus in on the love of the Father, on worshiping Him in a way that
leads us to life. If we try to defeat temptation and sin by emptying our lives
of them, we only create a large vacuum that needs to be filled. The Word
teaches us that we defeat sin by not by our own will to change but rather by
letting Christ do for us what we cannot do for ourselves- make us God’s own
child!
The transformation is described as ‘light overcoming the darkness.’ There is no way to make a dark room light without introducing a source of energy that brings light waves into that room. Similarly we cannot escape the darkness of our natural state unless the Light of Christ is introduced to us. Jesus says “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8.12)
Got
a sin problem?
You’re not alone. Remember this - common is not normal, nor is it
acceptable. Christ came to set us free, to save us from our sin! Believe that and move from death to life,
from darkness to light, from despair to hope, from guilt to freedom!
Here
is a word from the Word. May the promise compel us to a new way of life, where
sin’s power is broken and the beauty of a whole and holy life shines through
us.
"Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we
have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest
privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to
sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure."
(Romans 5:1-3, NLT)
_________
(Video of this blog at this link)
Here’s
a great little song from years past, best sung then by The Imperials. Enjoy!)
From
the start
You held a place in my heart
A place that no one else could fill
Sin kept Your Spirit from workin' in me
I couldn't look at life honestly
Until
the day my will gave way
To the truth that I found in You
I never knew how good it could be
To stand in Your presence totally free
Now
I'm forgiven
Now I have a reason
For livin' livin'
Jesus keeps givin' and givin'
And givin' givin'
'Til my heart overflows
I can see Me
As a person who's free
Even when I slip and fall
You are a God who forgives and forgets
Now I wanna give Him my all
I
know this love He's placed in my heart
is a love that will never depart
Sin brought me here to the end of my rope
Now You've given me a brand new hope
I'm
forgiven forgiven
I'm forgiven I'm forgiven
Bruce Hibbard, Hadley Hockensmith, Michael Omartian © 1980 Curb Word Music
CCLI License #810055
