Recently, I've seen several posts and blog entries discussing sin, whether particular actions are sins, and how we, as Christians really have no business judging sins, or those who commit them. Is there a point when how someone else acts or believes becomes anyone elses business?
Many of these questions I have pondered myself in the past, and seeing these questions in print the last couple days has caused me to think on these questions once again, and brought me to the place I should find myself much more often than I do, in prayer with my Lord. Naturally, I was surprised when He answered by directing me to His Word...
John 8:10-12
New King James Version (NKJV)
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She said, "No one, Lord."
And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Then He led me to Romans:
Romans 3:23
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
Then there was Luke:
Luke 13 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
Okay then! It would seem, I'm no better than anyone else! Just as I've always been told, I'm a sinner, just as the folks sitting in jail for stealing, fighting and even murder are sinners. Jesus died for their sins at the same time, and in the same way as he did for mine.
Then read verse 5 of Luke 13:
" I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Hmmm. This thought He deemed important enough to repeat! It rather reminds me of an earlier verse, where Jesus is talking to the prostitute. Yes, He forgave her, but He did more than that. He added a qualification: "go and sin no more."
All righty then! Now we begin to see the difference! Yes, we have all sinned, and being human, odds are we're all going to stumble and sin again. We can all thank God for His faithfulness to hear our pleas and reach down and help us back up. When we ask, in all earnestness, He is more than willing to forgive us, but, there is a qualification. We have to really mean it! We have to mean it so much that we are willing to stop what we were doing. We have to "go and sin no more" It's not the sin so much as it is the habitual sin, the unwillingness to reject the flesh and strive to be Holy as He is Holy.
Now the "big" question would seem to be, what constitutes a sin? Again, God makes it so simple even I can figure it out. Go to His Word. Most everything I can think of is covered. If you're not sure, don't try to figure it out yourself. Ask Him. If He says it's wrong, it is.
Once you've got all that figured out, please keep one more thing in mind. This one makes me shudder to think I may be guilty of it myself:
Matthew 18:6-7(NKJV)
6 "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"
This is where I believe we need to stand up to the world. I cannot judge someone else for their lifestyle, and I certainly can't expect someone who is living in the world to live by the same standards I would expect to see in a Christian brother or sister. However, when a group gets together and starts forcing that lifestyle upon me, or more importantly, my children, then I need to step in. I should be able to say no to my tax dollars being used to teach what God has proclaimed to be wrong.
Neither can I judge someone who has legally opted to abort their child. He will forgive even that. But don't even try to convince me or any of my children that it is an option for them. And don't bother trying to convince me that it is okay for my tax dollars to fund the murder of innocent babes. It's not gonna fly. But hey, it's your millstone necklace..
