Thought for Today
Genesis 4:6 The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."
Exodus 29:14 But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Romans 8:6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
“The whole man is overwhelmed – as by a deluge-from head to foot, so that no part is immune from sin and all that proceeds from him is to be imputed to sin. As Paul says, all turnings of the thoughts to the flesh are enmities against God [Rom. 8:7], and are therefore death [Rom. 8:6].” (Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.1.9)
“ There is a pervasiveness of sin through all life.” (McKim, Coffee with Calvin, pg. 6)
I have definitely procrastinated in reflecting on McKim’s devotional thoughts on the subject of sin. I do not focus too many of my own Thoughts, sermons or writings on the subject of sin. Just to make sure there is no confusion, I am anti-sin. I am against sin. I do not condone sin in any form or fashion.
Any discussion of sin must begin with a definition of sin. When I was a youth, I understood sin as breaking one of the 10 Commandments. Reading the Bible, especially the Torah, quickly reveals that the subject is more voluminous and complex than simply obeying those 10 Commandments. Sin is, “the human condition of separation from God that arises from opposition to God’s purposes. It may be breaking God’s law, failing to do what God wills, or rebellion.” (Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, pg. 260)
There are sins of commission; there are sins of omission. Some sins are deliberate; some sins are unintended. Almost without exception, all sins are seductive, attractive and often seem inconsequential. Regrettably, since Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, sin has been pervasive throughout Creation and history.
Remember, however, my opening words, I am anti-sin. I am against sin. I do not condone sin in any form or fashion. So, what are Christians to do about this attractive, seductive, pervasive phenomenon? A good start might to be remembering Jesus’ words during his own temptation, "Matthew 4:4 It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.
Irrespective of Calvin’s opinion, McKim’s assertions, even of all the wonderful sermons of our faith history, sin is not and should not be the focus of human life. The apostle Paul does offer some very insightful words about sin, especially in the Epistle to the Romans which Calvin quoted. I concur with Paul, “Romans 3:22 For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . 8:3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh . . . 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
If Paul is correct and we all have sinned, we should focus our lives on God’s forgiveness, God’s grace and our own salvation. Paul also wrote elsewhere, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—” Our faith is in the Jesus who said, "Luke 10:27 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." We just need to focus our lives on doing that.
Let your life radiate love, trust God,
Pastor Ray