“For the wages of
sin is death...” (Rom. 6:23a).
One writer asked, “What
would you put on your list of the most important things to pursue and attain
during your life-time? Some of the things that a lot of people would probably
put on their list would fall under the categories of wealth, respect, happiness,
and health. However, two things that Jesus said should be at the top of our
list are avoiding sin and obtaining eternal life” (Pastor Jeff Miles).
Society has a way of
downplaying sin, yet Jesus and the Bible do not. Sin is a very serious issue.
Studies have proven that sin can add sadness to our hearts. It can lower our
self-esteem. It allows bitterness and resentment in. It can leave us with a
significant amount of guilt. And it can allow doubt to creep in. But more than
any of these things, sin creates separation from God (Kelli Mahoney, What
are the Emotional Effects of Sin, see
http://christianteens.about.com/od/christianliving/tp/What-Are-The-Emotional-Effects-Of-Sin.htm).
God hates sin since He
is infinitely good and just. He banished Adam and Eve from His presence in the
Garden of Eden on account of their sin. He had Joshua and the Israelite army
destroy the Canaanites on account of “every abominable act which the Lord hates
they have done for their gods” (Deut. 12:31). God had been patient with them
for 600 years (Gen. 15:16: Deut. 9:4), yet eventually His justice for their
sins had to be served. And it was on account of sin that Moses never entered
the Promised Land (Num. 20:12).
So why does God hate
sin and consider it to be as serious as He does? “Sin is a violation of God’s
law, and His law is a description of His own perfect moral character, a mirror
or transcript of divine holiness. We cannot separate God’s law from God
Himself. Thus, to commit a sin is not just to break some impersonal, arbitrary
rule; rather, it is a rebellion against God personally. To break God’s law is
an insult to God, a blow against God, a slap in His face, a contradiction of
His very nature” (Jack Cottrell, The Faith Once For All, p. 163).
R.C. Sproul said, “Sin is
cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act
of supreme ingratitude toward One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has
given us life itself. Have you ever considered the deeper implications of the slightest
sin, of the most minute (sin)? What are we saying to our Creator when we
disobey Him at the slightest point? We are saying “No” to the righteousness of
God. We are saying, “God, Your law is not good. My judgment is better than
Yours. Your authority does not apply to me. I am above and beyond Your
jurisdiction. I have the right to do what I want to do, not what You command me
to do.”
The slightest sin is an
act of defiance against cosmic authority. It is a revolutionary act, a
rebellious act where we are setting ourselves in opposition to the One to whom
we owe everything. It is an insult to His holiness…What could be more serious
than this? (Holiness, p. 151-152).
Thankfully, we are not
saved by keeping the law; we are saved by grace through faith alone in what
Jesus has done for us on the cross (Eph. 2:8-9). “He became sin who knew no sin
so that we might become the righteousness of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:21). Even still,
we are commanded to avoid sin at all possible cost, for sin is a snare with
serious consequences (Mark 9:42-50). Therefore, I encourage you to “throw off
your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust
and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put
on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Eph.
4:22-24 NLT).
In His service,
Matt
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