The Basics
Day 3: Sin
We read a lot about sin in the Bible, and that might make you cringe. You’ve probably sat in a church pew, heard a preacher bang a pulpit and yell, “The wages of sin are death!”. It sounds scary, and without knowing the pastor, I’m guessing that was his or her goal. This is all true, the wages of sin are death, but those words come from Romans 6:23. The second part of that verse says, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” More pastors should bang the pulpit and scream that part!
The word “sin” literally means to “miss the mark.” If you can imagine an archer shooting an arrow at a target and missing, maybe by a little, maybe by a lot, but either way, he missed. Even the best archer in the world can’t hit a bullseye every single time, yet that is what would be required of us to not experience death if it wasn’t for the saving grace of God.
You see, God brings sin to the surface so that we can recognize our need for God. God desires more than anything to be in a relationship with you and me, and the only way we can be in a relationship with him is if we are willing to admit that we “miss the mark.” It’s the first step of the 12-steps for any recovery program, “The ability to recognize and admit that one is experiencing an addiction problem.” Because it’s only after we recognize and admit that someone can help us that we begin to heal. Have you ever been around someone unwilling to admit they are wrong? It’s impossible to have a relationship with those types of people, and it’s impossible for them to ever change.
Sin is not good, but the recognition of sin is very good. Because the recognition of sin is the first part of repentance, there is power in confession. It is the key that unlocks our relationship with the Lord. We see this in Genesis when God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman.
Adam and Eve hid in the garden after they sinned because that’s what we do. We hide in shame when we sin and run away from community with God. When God came walking in the garden looking for his friends, he asked, “where are you?” God knew exactly where Adam and Eve were located. I mean, he is the creator of the universe. What he was asking was, “what is going on in your heart?”. That is when Adam stepped out and confessed, “I am naked and afraid because I have sinned.”
After Adam confessed, God punished them because there are always consequences to our sin. They were banned from the perfect garden. Yet what we see is that God followed them outside of the garden. He continued to be in community with them. Why? Because they were willing to recognize and admit they were in sin.
When we recognize and confess our sins, there may be some consequences, but that is the first step to being in community with God. Being in community with God repenting is better than not being in community with God because of denial.
We are always going to sin because we are human. No matter how hard we try, no matter how good an archer we are, we will miss the mark. But God has grace for us because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Paul addresses this, he says “look, you are going to sin, and God will forgive you, but don’t use this as an excuse to keep on sinning, try your hardest not to sin and be a good ambassador for God.”
When we sin, we recognize and admit it, then we turn them away (repent) and continue to obey and trust God.
Scripture of the Day
“5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
– 1 John 1:5- 10