People want me to join the whole ‘choice’ revolution: get behind things that I have not only been
taught but believe in my spirit are wrong – sin if you will. There is always someone who comments that
their ‘sin’ is no more wrong than other sin such as gossip or judgmental
condemnation. Guess what. You may offer me a choice of death by
drowning, poison, disease, or even falling off a cliff. But when it’s over, the truth is, the result
is death. If I take an overdose I will
probably die or have medical problems the rest of my life. If I jump off a bridge and live, it will be a
physical and emotional disaster, etc, etc.
Spiritually, choosing to sin is destruction or disaster. Yes, we all have our mistakes, our flaws and
our failures, but that is a given.
Choosing to honor a mistake makes it no longer a mistake. That applies to sin in general. I choose life and I choose to pray for the redemption
of those I love. I will not choose to
honor your sin any more than I choose to honor my own. They all must pass under the blood of Christ
and be washed away. Choosing to honor
sin is like choosing to take poison and expecting to live a normal, happy life
and then getting mad at others or at God when you don’t get that result.
So you say I have no right to pass judgment on you. I could not agree more. But I do have a right to seek to have good
judgment within myself. And I am
required to confess my own sin and not yours. I am called to pray for and sometimes caution those God has given to me. Yet you want me to say that ‘sin’ is every person’s private
opinion. I could not disagree more. The definition of sin is in God’s mind and
subject to God’s truth alone. The law
and the bible reveal sin as sin.
We can choose to discard that, but our rejection does not change God’s
truth.
Perhaps if we looked more closely at the reasons and the
outcomes of our actions, we would find the definition of sin less
confusing. Perhaps if we seek a true
relationship with our God and allow him to have the last word on sin, there
will be no confusion at all. But we all
have our ‘want to’ when it comes to sin.
Paul said that a person was blessed if his heart did not condemn him in
the freedoms he felt. That same Paul
said there were definite sins and God does not ‘humor’ them. The wisdom is knowing in your own heart
positively what is wrong and what is only a rule. I think in a few –very few- instances that
may be a personal thing.
The apostles convened and gave this directive under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit: abstain from things offered to idols, don’t drink
blood, and avoid sexual immorality.
Other than that, we were to follow God with our whole heart and serve
our brothers in Christ with humility. Of
course we can argue all day about what those things mean or we can take that as
a directive for ourselves and begin to follow Christ.
It is in my nature –even my calling- to warn and caution
people. That does not make me a
judgmental person. Accept your own
freedom if it truly is freedom but don’t destroy anyone else for it. That caution is from the Bible. If I warned you about traffic conditions, you
might ignore me but you would not condemn me for doing that. If I warned you about a safety issue, the
same would be true. But if I speak a
warning about a spiritual issue, I have suddenly set my self as a
self-righteous, condemning judge. Why do
that? Enjoy your own freedom in Christ
while you make your calling and chosen status before God certain. And allow me the same right because sin is
sin and grace is grace.
I was told the other night by a group of people who misinterpreted a very innocent remark (which was a simple agreement that people don't want to hear the truth) that the truth is what we want it to be - that we determine our own truth - and it is different for each individual. I didn't invite a confrontation so after a very awkward exchange, I backed out and disconnected to avoid any future confrontations. But, this seems to be the new "truth". And, as was pointed out, I don't get to decide the truth . . . I would also agree with that statement. However, I have come to a point where I feel that it is best to fix myself before I try to fix others. If I have an issue with something that has been directed at me, I will bluntly and boldly say so, rather than go behind someone's back and stir up discord . . . At least that's what I've been aiming for. But, I don't have the right to pass judgement on anyone regardless of their "sin", because I am a sinner. I do have the right to address my own grievance, which makes me "unthoughtful". The Pharisees scolded Jesus for associating with sinners . . . Jesus condemned sin, but he kicked the dust off his feet and went on, knowing that rejection of the truth and the sacrifice would end in ultimate destruction. Still, he offered love and forgiveness for those who would accept it . . . All this going back and forth, waging battles beyond our own boundaries, throwing stones, stirring up discord . . . Such a challenge to avoid - to overcome the temptation to become the offender when we are offended. Sin is in the world. I'm just trying to keep it out of my own house, and sometimes with little luck. But, then, I'm not as righteous as other people. It's a difficult dynamic - yes?
ReplyDeleteI have no misgivings about my own depravity. But I still believe that I have a right to a standard for living. There are those who wish us to drop our standard based on our own sinfulness. While I cannot judge another, for that is God's right alone, I must have judgment for living. And I must do my best to listen and obey the voice of my master. There are those who have told me that religious views are like private parts. They should be covered neatly in public. I don't buy it. And for that, I am often ridiculed. It is odd that those who scream 'don't judge!' judge so quickly. Yes. It is a difficult dynamic. Humility is illusive in humans. Perhaps I am too simple. But I will live as I believe I ought to and take the slight if I must. I am not trying to make others behave in some super religious way. But what should be obvious no longer is acceptable. A curious world.
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