WHAT HAVE WE CHRISTIANS DONE WITH THE WORD SIN?

WHAT HAVE WE CHRISTIANS DONE WITH THE WORD SIN?

Part 1

Many are putting a sign of equation between the word sin and religion. There are groups and sects within Christianity where they talk a lot about sin. They do not only talk about the things that the Bible call sin, but make a lot of their own rules. They might have made rules for what kind of clothes they should put on. Should they have long or short hair? Is it sinful to put on make-up? Maybe one shouldn’t use jewelries, at least not those that are big or expensive. Radio and television are considered to be sinful in certain circles. When I was small, I couldn’t sow nor knit on a Sunday. The Jews cannot do anything during Sabbath. In Israel they have special elevators for the Jews during their Sabbath. They are automatic and the Jews do not need to push a button. To play cards or go to a movie come in the category of sin for many. I could write many pages about the man-made sins. Some of the man-made rules might be more important than the restrictions mentioned in the Bible. Many people do not want to become a Christian on account of religion. That’s very sad.

God is not religious!

I was brought up with a lot of man-made rules and regulations. As a young adult I lived with one leg in the church and one in the world. When that period was over, I had a great need to hear that God is good. I had a wrong picture of God. I thought of Him as a very strict judge trying to find something wrong with me and when He had done so, He would punish me. One time when I had been very angry at God, I walked around almost waiting for a heavy stone to fall over me. When it didn’t happen, I started crying, understanding the truth about His love. I understood that God loves me and wants the best for me. My anger was directed at the wrong person. I should have been angry at the devil, but I understood that later.

I remember a time when the Lord told me how sad He was when people turned away from Him instead coming to Him for His love and comfort. He said that many had wrong pictures of Him and that had created fear. What kind of pictures do you and I give of God to other people? We might give a picture of God going around pointing a finger and looking for faults or we might go into the other ditch saying that everything is allowed as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody. God is love and doesn’t judge anybody is the saying of some people. I personally know of people saying that they pray to God, but they do not believe that Jesus is the only way to God. What are we supposed to believe?

The Bible is the Word of God for me and that’s where we will find the answer. I cannot live according to my emotions, but according to the Word.

In John 14:6 we read that Jesus is the Way, Truth and the Life and no one can come to the Father but by Him.

I want to bring us back to Adam and Eve and what happened in the garden of Eden. Everything was in the beginning perfect and they had a close relationship with God. The word sin didn’t exist. It was when Eve got tempted by the snake to eat the forbidden fruit in the garden and she in turn tempted Adam that sin entered. Disobedience brought sin into the world. We read in 1. Samuel 15:22 that obedience is better than sacrifice. We read in the old Testament about a lot of different offerings for different sins, but obedience is the best offering. When Eve and Adm had sinned, the way to God was closed. That was not opened before Jesus came to become the perfect Lamb, opening the closed door.

I’ll take you to Isaiah 53:4+5. Jesus has born our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus did all this on the Cross. How can we explain then that we are making sins and we are still getting sick? We cannot sin in our spirit, but in our soul and body. The solution and the answer are still in what Jesus has done.

What are we supposed to do with the sin? 1.John 1:9 is saying that when we sin, we should confess our sins and the Lord is faithful and just and He will forgive us our sins. He will also cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Some churches are teaching that it is unnecessary to confess our sins. They say that Jesus has taken everything on the Cross. They remove 1.John 1:9. They say that everything is based on grace. Some of these churches might want to be a counter- point to religion, but the Bible warns us and says that we should not remove anything from the Bible. When people stop confessing their sins, they might open up for secular thinking and start living more and more like the people in the world. Jesus took care of everything and we can live according to our desires. I do not say that everybody does this, but many. Next time I will write more about sin among the believers. Those in the world are sinning by rejecting Jesus as their Savior. They might not even see their need for Him.

Jesus did not want that the woman that was caught in adultery should be stoned. He did not condemn her, but said: DO NOT SIN ANYMORE!

Mother Else