Sin - the very mention of the word can conjure up many different emotions in many different ways. It can spawn the emotions of sadness, anger, even hate, but could it spawn the emotion of joy? I believe it can. Let me explain before you send me to the....
I was recently asked the questions: “Where do you Christians get off thinking you are better then everyone else?” and: “How do you have the audacity to call us sinners?”
Before I begin to answer these questions I would like to define in my words a brief definition of what sin is. I define sin as: “An action or inaction that goes against the very nature of who the God of the Bible is and what He is about.” Again this is my definition and it is just a brief one for the sake of this article.
The Bible tells us in John 15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (12) My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. NIV
And in: Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. NIV
So to answer these questions, I don’t believe any other Christian or I have the right to think myself or him- or herself higher than anyone else. The Bible clearly tells us that we are not.
Jesus’ command to us is, “Love each other as I have loved you,” not, “Think of yourself higher then others.” In fact if we do, we ourselves are sinning.
When I call people sinners it is only in the context of the Bible calling me a sinner, which the Bible clearly tells me I am. So where do I find joy in this? Again this is in the Bible where it tells me in Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (25) God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - (26) he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. NIV
This means that through our faith in Jesus and by His death on the cross we are justified in the eyes of God, meaning that our sins are forgiven and forgotten, allowing us to have an everlasting relationship with God. This is where I find joy.
It’s not that I find joy in sin itself. I find joy in the fact that because of Jesus I am able to find a way to forgive those who have sinned against me. I find joy knowing that through confession and repentance through Jesus my savoir, my sins that I have committed are forgiven. I also find joy in the fact that this, forgiveness of sin, is a free gift given to all who receive Jesus as truth.
Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. NIV
I love getting gifts.
Love where you live.
– Pastor Wayne Richardson, Community Baptist Church