Saturday, August 11, 2012

How Bad Can You Be?

I have hesitated to post this for a while for several reasons. First, I don't want to be the kind of person who takes advantage of a tragic situation for personal gain. Second, everyone else is already weighing in, and I have to wonder if what I have to say is actually worth saying. And last, I really don't want to sound cold and heartless, because deep down, I'm really a decent guy!

That being said, here we go!

In case you haven't noticed, people are sinners. Every last person you have ever met is a sinner, and every person who has ever met you has met a sinner. Yes, you are a sinner too. Just like me. We're all a bunch of dirty sinners. This sin that we have committed is exactly the thing that separates us from God. Even the tiniest amount of sin is enough to leave us estranged from a perfect and holy God, and no amount of sin can move you farther away from God that a tiny bit. Estranged is estranged. Can a person be "more estranged" from God? I would say no. There is no enemy worse than a mortal enemy, and sin makes us mortal enemies with God.

I hope you're following so far, but I'll try and recap. Sin separates us from God, and even more true, the tiniest amount of sin completely and entirely separates us from God. There is no great sin that can leave you more separated from God than the tiny sin that left you entirely separated.

So the question really is this: why do we make one sin out to be worse than another? In this world, yes, some sins are worse than others. Of course it is worse to kill someone than to lie to them. But this is temporary. Whether you kill someone or lie to them, you have done enough to be separated from God for all of eternity, and I guarantee you that once you enter eternity, this life will not seem like such a big deal. After all, it only lasts a lifetime. Eternity will run for a million lifetimes and still be no closer to an end than it was a million lifetimes ago. Eternity matters infinitely more than your life. But if you are like me, you probably suffer from a faulty perspective at times.

During the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), Jesus addresses this very line of thinking head on. He tells them (and I'll paraphrase): "Of course we all know that a murderer is subject to judgment, but if you call your brother a fool, even if you just hate him, you too are in danger of hell fire. And of course we know that you really shouldn't commit adultery, but listen here! If you so much as look at a woman and get yourself excited, you are no better." This bit of scripture has been used many times as a witnessing tool to point out sin in someone else (like "You are an adulterer and a murderer, so of course you need Jesus!"), but we don't generally like that way the verses look when the light shines on our own hearts. Maybe you try and excuse your own behavior. Maybe you hide behind the fact that God loves you and will forgive you so what does it matter. Maybe you ignore the Bible completely. I don't know what works best for you, but I've used all three of these before, and I'll let you in on a little secret: none of them work.

Quite contrary in fact, as a Christian, my sin should disgust me just as much as it disgusts God (that's completely, utterly, and entirely, if you haven't been reading along). I should be as separated from sin as God is separated from sin, and again, that is entirely separated. No longer can I live my life subject to it. Paul said that I am not to give place to the devil (Eph. 4:27), and sin does just that. It's bad stuff, and a little is just too much.

Now fro some grace before you close this window, if you are a Christian, your sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus. His blood is entirely sufficient for all your sin: past, present and future. One slip up doesn't mean that God will cast you off like an old sock. Now, if you are not a Christian, don't let me discourage you, either. Yes, your sin is vile, and it disgusts God so much that He cannot even look at you. But Jesus blood is enough for you, too. Apart from Christ, you are entirely separated from God, and you cannot get farther away than that. But Jesus blood is tougher than all your sin, and I do mean all!

Sin is a big deal, probably far bigger than I even realize. Those three little letters are enough to send literally billions of people to a real and literal hell that has room enough for all of us. But Jesus, our solution, is far more powerful than I can begin to understand, too. As big and nasty as sin is, He is bigger. While sin can send the world to Hell, Jesus can break the power of death and set the world free.

Let me be crystal clear here. My God is big enough for me. My God is big enough for you. His power cannot be outmatched, and His forgiveness cannot be out-sinned. So I'll close to my two audiences:

Christian, Jesus didn't die so you could flounder through this life, just barely getting out alive. He paid your penalty on the cross, and He overcame sin and death. Everything He did, He did for you. There is no excuse for us to languish in sin any longer. We are commanded to overcome, so let's start the march today!

Sinner, Jesus died on the cross for you. His life was poured out so that you could pick it up and live. Apart from Christ, you can only look forward to an eternity in Hell, entirely separated from God, but what a waste! God sent His Son because He loves you. He wants so badly to spend eternity with you. Surrender your life to Him today. Don't wait, because you can't afford to wait another day.

Ryan Saffer
Community Site Coordinator