We Often Have A Problem With Sin That We Don’t Know We Have
We just got our front door fixed. That may not seem like a big deal except we didn’t know it was broken! We purchased a new screen door and when Tom came to install it he noticed that the door wasn’t plumb. I’m not talking about the color although it wasn’t that either. The front door had not been installed properly and the sides were not vertical. Tom asked if we noticed that the door was difficult to open and close. Frankly I hadn’t noticed. I tried it and sure enough he was right. Then he asked if we wanted it fixed at the same time he installed the screen door. My answer was “Absolutely!”
Our problem with our front door is kind of like our problem with sin. Sin is when God says something is broken in our lives. It can be in our lives and we don’t even notice it. But it’s always destructive. At first it bothers us but after a while we get used to it and go on with it as part of our life.
Definition of Sin
According to 1 John 3:4 sin is lawlessness. It’s breaking God’s law. That’s it. If God says don’t do it and we do it, it’s sin. It is so simple a child can understand.
Yet we as grown-ups make it complicated. We explain our sin so that it seems less black and white. We justify our sin by saying things like this:
- “Oh, it wasn’t that bad! It was just a little sin.”
- “I don’t consider that stealing, everyone does it.”
- “It’s not sin if no one gets hurt.”
- “It’s okay to talk about people. I heard the pastor do it!”
Whether it is what some might call a little lie or cheating on your time-card or expenses it is sin. Our hearts learn to live with sin. God doesn’t.
[Tweet “Our hearts learn to live with sin. God doesn’t.”]
The first thing that goes when we sin is our joy and peace. We grieve the Spirit when we sin and He no longer fills us with His good desires Ephesians 4:30.
Acknowledging our Sin
My friend Tom is going to like this, although he knows enough to not let it go to his head. In my illustration about our front door, Tom is like the Holy Spirit. There are times when the Holy Spirit will point out something that’s broken in our life, when we’ve sinned. Each time He does we have a choice as to whether we are going to keep living with a part of our life broken or if we’re going to fix it.
There is nothing easier than for a Christian to fix a problem with sin. That’s because Jesus already fixed it when He died to pay for our sins. What the Father wants us to do is acknowledge the sin, to agree with Him it’s wrong. That’s what confession is.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
If you don’t have joy today the first thing to look for is sin. When you know you’ve sinned acknowledge it by agreeing with God it is sin and thank Him for forgiving you because Jesus already paid for your sin. Soon your joy will be back!
[Tweet “There is nothing easier than for a Christian to fix a problem with sin.”]
Do you have a question or comment? Please leave it below.
The picture you’ve attached has reminded me an illustration about sin, I’ve heard in my youth. It goes like this: As believers, our hearts are belonging to Jesus. But one day, the devil knocks the door of our heart and asks if he can put a nail in the wall inside. We let him, since it’s not a big deal. Next day he knocks again, and asks if he can hand a hat on his nail and we let him. Next day, again he asks if he can hang his umbrella, then his coat, and so on. After some time, he is coming with a demand to stay in our hearts, since there are already so many his belongings in our hearts.
I don’t know if this illustration is theologically correct, but is very true in life.
Thank you Ward for all your posts, I’m reading them with a blessing they are for me
Brother Henryk, I think your illustration is good and theologically correct in that we can give the devil a foothold at times in our hearts (Eph. 4:26-27). Yes, we have to be diligent each day to stand firm. It is always good to hear from you! Thank you for your words of encouragement. Please greet Danuta for me and Margaret. We miss you both and like keeping up with you on FB.