Sin: An Introduction (Part One)

The idea of sin; there are few other realities of Christianity more despised by detractors, more feared by the faint-hearted, or more fundamental to the faithful. Yet, I think that the great loss of our generation is a loss of meditation on sin.

I will lay out some reasons for discussing sin below.

I think a studied gaze on sin would be fruitful; more, for the Christian it is necessary. If someone could not see their skin disease, a mirror might help relieve them of their delusion; likewise, to see our sins is the first step in being freed of our own diseases and delusions. The greater degree to which we see and know our sin, the greater our appreciation  of Jesus. To know our sin will drive us to Jesus. 

"Evil is Right There with Me" (Rom 7:21)

If we need a reason to have consistent consideration of sin, it is a verse like this. Paul, speaking of the struggle of the believer with sin within, speaks of the law, lets say here the principle, that evil is present when he wants to do good. What in the world does that mean? It means possibly a few things, but at least that there is no unadulterated good deed that is done, for evil is present at the elbow of every decent deed. Would that not make us watchful? Guards doing their duty are tempted to sleep; believers, doing their good, are tempted to pervert it. The only difference is that sin is insidious (well, sleep also is - it is a fair parallel). In any case, if sin is everywhere and at all times, present, we should be present to fight it. 

"Who Can Understand It?" (Jer 17:9)

Jeremiah, now here's a book to give us some perspective on sin. Well, this verse is justly top drawer in this discussion. As we saw above, sin is always present, but it gets worse. Jeremiah gives us two more dangers about this beast: it is deceitful, delusive; also, it cannot be understood fully; some wells might be shallow, but sin is a well of near infinite depth, and most of us rarely dare to measure it in ourselves. Should we then throw up our hands in despair - "it can't be done!" - no, no, read on. God gives us the solution: "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind" (Jer 17:10). So then, we go to God and daily ask him for greater understanding of that yawning chasm of our sin - what a terrifying prospect. Yet remember, O soul remember, to know your sin will drive you to Jesus; the greater the understanding  of sin, the greater the understanding of Christ's great love.

"If We Claim to Be Without Sin..." (Jn 1:8)

The average believer will not go so far as to claim that much...at least, not like this: "I have no sin." I've heard some extraordinarily blinded believers say this, but not many. Far more often, though, is this: "Yeah, I'm a sinner - O, you know, just, it's been rough, going through things - I don't know, I can't really explain, but you know what I mean..." - I, in fact, do not know what believers mean by that sort of thing, except that they are claiming, by the by, to be without sin for sin not described is just fluff. Wouldn't a cake make entirely of icing be simply terrible?; worse is a believer with all filler words and no substantial explanation of their sin. That aside, the consequence of this is worse: "we deceive ourselves" - we participate in blinding our eyes and crippling our Christian walk. "No, No!" the text seems to cry, "confess and be healed!" - and is there a stop to confession? Only if there is a stop to sin. If sin flows, let confession flow. Otherwise, it'll be a blighting of our effectiveness as Christians, for where confession is, there is the forgiving and purifying power of our just and faithful Saviour, amen. 

"Always Before Me" (Ps 51:3)

I was meditating on this verse recently and the the context clearly constrains it. David has committed sins upon sins, and then he is confronted by it. He feels the awfulness of it, the slight against the Lord. As I thought more, though, I felt the grip of the context relax, even as my breath tightened. I daily commit sin: do I love as I ought; do I glorify God in all I do? "No, no, none of that now," thinks my mind, shoving away such thoughts. Its unavoidable though: I commit sin always; the real question is, is it always before me? For if it is, then (like David) it will drive us to the humble magnificence of the consequent pleas of Ps 51, the "create in me a clean heart" and "cleanse me...wash me..." - to have it always before us will keep us from standing on our accomplishments and keep us in the steady stream of grace (Rom 5:2).

Why Sin is Worth Talking About

Above are some reasons for a Christians' constant, ruthless meditation of sin. To know the destructive power of sin and how it confronts us to forsake God's way for a path that despises the sacrifice and work of Christ, should make us shudder and push it away. We would pity the person who fought the wind, for it would be fruitless; Christians, when they do not clearly define their sin, are like that same person. We need to think hard on the issue of sin, the fact that it means to destroy us, and know our sin well. When Ahab sees Elijah approach him he says, "So you have found me, my enemy!" - if only we could be so quick to say the same of our sin. The first step, though, is to know it. Again, why do this at all? Clearly so that we can feel better about ourselves - no, of course not. It's so we could say this honestly with Paul:

"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

May it be so.