WATCHWORD:
8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:8-9
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24
Meditation:
Sin, Sin, Sin
That scripture passage from first John should sound very familiar. For many of us, we hear that every Sunday leading into that portion of the service that speaks to forgiveness. We repeat that promise because we, indeed, are sinners and because it is so important. This passage has power, containing two of the most significant truths of our Christian faith: the recognition that we are sinners and that God is a forgiving God and he forgives our sins.
We acknowledge that we are sinners, often adding saved by grace, and that is true. But what sins have we committed? How do we define sin? And do we intentionally violate something to qualify is a sinner?
Merriam Webster defines Sin as an offense against religious or moral law. Seven words to define it for the dictionary. When I change the question to “What is Sin in the eyes of the Christian church? Wow! Page after page and it looks a bit like we Christians are in competition with ancient Judaism and their 613 laws.
Part of our Christian faith is to acknowledge that we are sinners, it’s in our genealogy all the way back to Adam and Eve. If we were to be honest with ourselves, and we should, we would have to agree that there are times when we are pretty self-centered. That side of our character shows up in our thoughts, and our deeds. We often pray about those flaws, and then turn around and go right out and repeat, and repeat again. (Repeat again? Just a little redundant, like our sinful nature.)
Can’t you hear Flip Wilson saying, “The devil made me do it!”? That’s us. We wimp-out with such clichés as “I’m only human” or “I made a mistake”, or the ever popular, “Whoops”. Guess what, when we make those comments we are engaging in self-deception. We may honestly think we don’t lie to other people, but we routinely lie to ourselves to feel less guilty.
So, in the eyes of God, what is sin? I don’t know! But, I know what it isn’t. Sin isn’t a mere mistake, it isn’t a “Whoops”, nor is it something to be taken lightly. One theologian has written: “Sin is a violation of the perfect and holy law of the only true God.” That is really helpful, isn’t it? No! I’m still not sure what that means in practical, everyday words and actions.
But, this is what I believe: I believe as Christians we do not intentionally violate God’s precepts. We do not intentionally offend His justice, glory, and honor. When I say that I am a sinner, it is a statement of fact that actually doesn’t need to be stated. Sin, in thought, word and deed, is a daily reality of all Christians. After all, we are only human. [Where did I hear that before?]
Here’s my closing argument. We are sinners who believe in Jesus as Christ. God forgives. Take comfort in verse 9, If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You have heard that confession is good for the soul. Well, it is. We confess to God, to our Lord and Savior, and we are cleansed. Thank God! Amen.
Closing Prayer:
Eternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and turned from our neighbors. We have refused to bear the troubles of others. We have ignored the pain of the world, and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. O God, in your great mercy forgive our sin and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments; through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
