Believers recognize the depravity of sin, but many continue
to have a careless attitude about it. We hear people argue, "Everyone sins at
times, so don't worry about it. Confess, and God will forgive."
If we are honest with ourselves about the nature of
disobedience, we know the issue isn't that simple. God is faithful to forgive (1
John 1:9), but His gracious provision isn't designed as license to transgress.
Commandments are in place to protect us from enslavement, which is the natural
result of persistent wrongdoing. Each choice to break God's rules, even for
"little" sins, adds another link to our slavery chain, which eventually is long
enough to wrap tightly around our heart. When that happens, it hinders us from
enjoying the Lord's blessings.
Any sin, no matter how insignificant it seems, is rebellion
against the Lord. God didn't come up with the idea of scales for wrongdoing; we
did. We think a lie weighs only a little, whereas stealing is heavy; we view
adultery as hefty but less substantial than homicide. Likewise, we reason that a
lie needs only a small bit of forgiveness and grace, while murder requires
generous amounts of both. Yet God's perspective differs from this man-made
notion. Jesus still had to die on the cross to forgive a lie. Though different
sins cause different amounts of damage, it takes the same sacrifice to pay the
penalty for theft as it does to pardon murder.
We are privileged to have a Father who breaks our human
chains. However, we are not freed so that we can disobey; rather, God offers us
freedom from the domination of sin.
Read
more at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/our-casual-view-of-sin-122708/#dMOr3KEBCirLJtR2.99
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