Three Little Letters

 

 

S I N

I know, I know, you don’t want to talk about or read about sin…But hear me out…it might sway your thinking.  At least to the point that you might want to change the way you see and do things…

Three little letters with a very big consequence.  But what actually is SIN?

One dictionary definition states: “transgressions of divine law; any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a wilful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle; any reprehensible or regrettable action, behaviour, lapse; great fault or offence.” 

You’ve heard of the story “The Scarlet Letter“. A story where the symbol “A” is put on a women who committed adultery. It was meant to be a symbol of shame.  The moral of The Scarlet Letter is that secret sin leads to guilt and pain. Hester is publicly punished, which causes her pain. Hester learns from her sin, and grows strong, a direct result from her punishment. The scarlet letter “A” later became a blessing to Hester, changing her into an honest person with good virtues, through the grace and mercy of God.

But why is this little three letter word so appalled.  It’s because it is a spiritual problem, within the heart and concerns a relationship with God. There are many in today’s society who want to cast God out, out of everything. Why might this be…could it be a feeling of guilt. If you are struggling with this little word in your life…know this…you are dealing with the accusations of Satan not God.  God has a remedy for all that ails you!

 

Sin is like a credit card…enjoy now…pay later!

“There are four things every person has more of than they know; sins, debt, years, and foes.”
-Persian Proverb

 

My Grandma used to say “Be sure your sins will find you out.”

She used to say this when I would try to lie about something I’d done that I knew wasn’t right and sure enough she’d find out and confront me with it.  Like the time I said I was going over to a friends house, whose mother was always baking.  Grandma knew the lady would give me something irresistible, like peach pie.  But then I had to go home for supper and if I didn’t eat all my supper, Grandma knew I had eaten something, when she told me not to.

 

It’s the same when a shoplifter has something in their pocket and tries to say “it’s not mine”, “I don’t know how it got there”.  The camera’s were watching.  They thought they were in the clear because they didn’t see the cameras.  But with the evidence in the pocket, well there was no disputing the crime.

 

With sin, our hearts are hardened and we don’t care about anything or anyone.  When we conceal our sin we put ourselves in prison and it eats away at us making us miserable.  Like a drug addict who is only looking at their next fix.  They will lie, steal, cheat, sometimes even kill just to get that next fix.  Eventually their life wastes away.  They are really only 30 but they look 60.  Their teeth fall out, they lose weight and get sick because there is nothing left on their bones.  This is the same with sin.   None of us are without sin.  “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23.  We have all sinned and disobeyed God and hurt others.   But remember “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”  Galatians 6:7

 

So many today worship the earth, the climate, their car, themselves, anything that God is removed from. 

Today we hear Jesus’ name being spouted as a curse word, when it should be revered.

Remember when stores were closed on Sundays, and people went to church and kept the day, a day of rest.

We used to respect our parents now there are those who want to be divorced from them.

Killing is rampant today.  From those who want to shoot up the neighbourhood, to those who want to kill babies in the womb. 

We don’t need to constantly swear when expressing ourselves. 

Committing adultery, or using children for sex-trafficking, using drugs to harm ourselves. 

Where does it get you when you take what doesn’t belong to you. 

Lying about anything just gets you into more and more hot water.  Once you tell one, you have to tell more to get out of the first one.  It becomes like a hamster on a wheel. 

 You don’t really need everything the Jones’ have, because you want it.  Do you need it.

Doesn’t God supply your every need?  

Psalm 34:4,  “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

 

There is a remedy…for this thing called SIN

The story of the adulteress who was brought before Jesus by the Pharisees, who thought, according to the law of Moses, she should be stoned.  But Jesus said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  John 8:7.  With that, Jesus showed her compassion and asked if none of them condemned her, why should He.  So He told her to “go and sin no more”. v.11   That’s all He asks of us too. 

It’s Liberating!!

     God’s first judgement came by water.  Remember the story of Noah (Genesis 6-9).

Judgement on humanity is a bitter thing.  God has wondrous words for us in the bible, but also has information that are strong warnings of what will come if we don’t repent or change the way we see.