Sin. How often do you get together with your friends and talk about your sin? How often do you try and hide your sin? When we have a clear view of our sin we then also have a clear need for Christ. Sin can be defined in three different ways, probably more than that, but we'll just be discussing three of them.
The first is sin as rebellion. In 2 Samuel we read about the unfortunate decision of David and his very obvious sin he got himself into. When we look at sin as rebellion is can better be described as "a voluntary transgression of a known law of God". There are times in our life when we wholeheartedly know that we have sinned. There are times we deliberately go against what God says just like David did.
A second way to define it is sin as enslavement. There are times in our life, and maybe you're currently feeling like this, where the sin in your life is a vicious cycle. John 8:34 says, "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'" If feels like no matter what you do, you can't seem to let go of it or stop the cycle.
The third and final way is sin as estrangement. This means that something has gone wrong in relationship. If we take it all the way back to the beginning, in Genesis 3:8-10, we see how sin can make us estranged. In these verses we see how Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree in which they were not supposed to. And they hid from God. They hid. Sometimes sin makes us want to pull away from God. We think we've done things so wrong that we no longer feel like we can approach God. We feel weighed down by our sin.
Despite all the sin in our life, let me offer you some encouragement. We have all sinned. We have all fallen short (Romans 3:23). And don't get me wrong, sin is a big deal, but what Jesus did is a bigger deal. I want you to know that you are not too far gone. God's grace is so far beyond your degree of "bad". Let me tell you also that playing the comparison game with sin will get you absolutely nowhere. Everyone has their own sin they are dealing with and there's no need to look at someone as more or less sinful than yourself. Jesus came to offer forgiveness. For everyone. He came to bring power to break our enslavement. He came to bridge relationship and to break our estrangement. God knows you and sees you and wants to have a relationship with you. He wants you to come to Him, confess your sin to Him, be saved from your sin, not turn away from Him because of your sin.
I leave you with this: I encourage you to read the following verses:
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Psalm 32
Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
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