The Only Answer To The Problem Of Sin
Some time ago I was talking with a young Bible College student who was part of a campus ministry at a local college. She was fervent in her faith but seemed frustrated about her lack of success. She told me about a friend who was becoming aware of their own need for Jesus. Her friend was in a mess but was reluctant to give up drugs, casual sex and wild parties. The student minister went on to express sadness at her inability to convince her friend to give up these things.
I asked her why she wanted to burden her friend with being ‘good’. The Bible student tilted her head back and looked long and hard at me. “Do you mean to tell me?” she said, “that I should tell my friend that she can get saved and just keep on living in sin?”.
That was not what I was saying. However, either we are saved because God has chosen to love us and die for us, or because we can overcome sin ourselves. It’s one or the other; but not both.
The book of Galatians needs to be read and re-read by all Christians. It’s about breaking free from trying to earn God’s love. Galatians 3:3 summarises what most of us have experienced.
‘ are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh? Galatians 3:3
The Galatians knew salvation was through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but they believed growing up in Christ was by works. Having been saved by grace, they were now trying to grow up by their own efforts. What was once joyful salvation, turned into a dry fleshly struggle.
Recently, I was in a Christian bookshop flicking through chapter headings of a book. A particular chapter caught my eye, it was titled ‘Is Christianity A Superior Morality?’. My heart sunk at the thought of people believing that Jesus died for us so we could promote a ‘superior morality’.
After all, what is a sin, except trying to fill the void in our lives, that can only be filled by God’s love and grace? Yet in hundreds of subtle, and not so subtle ways the church empowers sin.
‘So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ‘ 1 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV)
Our church culture and teaching are so infused with works that we are blinded to it. And they are often our pet doctrines. Doctrines of ‘un-grace’ to make us good Christians. Teachings which imply the harder, the more, the longer, and the higher as means to the blessing of God. A culture which abhors certain sins, but promotes others. (Yes, just listen carefully at testimony time, some sins are very trendy!) We expose them to others or "whisper-shame" it and get all paranoid in the case that it rubs off on us.
There is only one answer to the problem of sin and His name is Jesus. The one who knows us and still chooses to love us. The one who accepts forgives and embraces. When we come to truly know and show forgiveness, unconditional love and acceptance, then we will get what victory over sin is all about.