What is Sin?
Jesus started his ministry preaching, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). He had arrived on the scene, and being almighty God, the way, the truth and the life, he would be obedient to his Father, until the very end. He saw humanity needed to be righted from their course toward eternal damnation and having the same desire of his Father, he would show us the way to eternal life. This can only be accomplished by understanding what sin is and repenting, handing our lives over to God, who desires that we live with him forever.
Sin is the direct disobedience of breaking God’s laws and commandments. Jesus said in John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.“. He had just told his own disciples that the greatest love was to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Love calls each of us to love. In Mark 12:34-36, Jesus told us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor. It calls us to deny self and put God first in our lives, then our love for God and his love in us, will show itself in how we treat and live with our neighbor.
As the church began to grow, God would use his disciples to help us to understand sin much better. We can read many scriptures about sin, but two that I think are important are Galatians 5 and Colossians 3. Galatians 5 speaks about the war with ourselves, due to the temptations our own flesh and the Spirit of God calling us to live in freedom, as God’s sons and daughters. We read in Gal 5:16, “I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.” It goes on to say, “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ [Jesus] have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.“
This is important to stop and consider. Here we see the contrast of a disciple following and living for God verses what the world espouses and lives out. We must reflect first looking at ourselves and ask if any of these things are still a part of our lives. Then we must come before God repenting by asking Jesus to forgive and cleanse us. We are promised in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we say, ‘We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, ‘We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.‘”
First we must realize sin in our lives, repent of it and God will forgive us and cleanse us. Self deceit leaves us believing anything goes or the little things don’t really matter to God. We need to be challenged in our thinking praying and reflecting upon God’s sacred word; especially where it goes against what the world says. If you consider what the life in the Spirit is, it is in direct contrast to the flesh and the world. God wants us to live fully and allow the fruit of the Spirit to be manifested in our lives, in order to live boldly and proclaim his kingdom everywhere and in every situation.
We see in Colossians 3, another understanding of sin. It is easy to see this in the world we live in. Staring in verse 2 we read, “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” Do you want to be with God forever, to appear with him in glory? Our thoughts must be on those things above, not rooted in this world and our own flesh.
Right after this, we read, “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God* is coming [upon the disobedient]. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.” You see, God created us in his image and he wants to bring the fulness of that image to fruition. Only when we put to death what took root in our lives will this happen.
Are you addicted to passions, to drugs or drinking, to putting on airs before others. God wants us to place our lives squarely in his hands, repenting of those things that are hurting us so, he can build his kingdom anew within us. Will you come to Jesus and ask him to forgive you, to heal you and strengthen you? He wants this more than you can imagine. He wants you to live victoriously in this life. He wants you to live forever in his love. I pray you will consider this and allow God to free you. If you really want this, pray this prayer:
“Jesus, forgive my sins and cleanse me. Give me your Spirit and the fruit of your Spirit to live according to the law of love. Set me free and break all bondage in my life. Come into my life and let me live fully for you. Amen!”
Whether this is the first time or you are renewing your commitment to God, write me and let me know that you prayed this prayer. I will pray for your continued growth. May God richly bless you in this time with hope, joy and love!