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Tag: Sin

The Problem of Sin | Grace and Forgiveness

A Christian cannot have a reasonable discussion of sin and the consequences of sin without mentioning the crux of the Gospel; Jesus Christ died for sinners and offers forgiveness for their sins.  Discussions of sin often become bogged down in either the acts of sin themselves or bypass any mention of sin, allowing people to continue in their sin.  As we discussed in our previous post, the sin separated us from the fullness of God’s presence and made us deserving of death and separation from God.  Yet, in God’s gracious mercy, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we have the opportunity to not only be forgiven from our sins but also enter into the fullness of God’s presence.  We have been forgiven from our sins.  We lay before the cross of Jesus Christ, pouring our sin out on Christ, knowing that he sustains us and forgives us.  Furthermore, we have the opportunity to forgive ourselves and forgive one another. No matter the sin that we have done or the distance that we have traveled from God, everyone is offered the forgiveness in Jesus Christ and can extend the same forgiveness to one another.

The Problem of Sin | From The Beginning

At the beginning of time, God created everything and it declared it good, with everything how God intended it to exist. For a brief period of time, mankind lived in paradise, walking with God in intimate relationship and communion with the High King of heaven. Then, through the introduction of sin, the paradise created for the glory of God and the enjoyment of mankind became tainted by the corruptions of sin. We live in this world, where the effects of sin affect our daily life. To understand the problem of sin, we must go back to the beginning, to the moment where man introduced sin to the perfect paradise of creation. God had set mankind free in the garden of Eden to enjoy and gave one restriction; one tree they cannot eat its fruit. The serpent deceived Adam and Eve, enticing them to doubt the goodness and righteousness of God by eating the forbidden fruit. In that moment, Adam and Eve chose the promise that they would die for their actions, rather than enjoy the paradise God prepared for them. The sin of Adam is the sin of mankind who routinely chooses in false god’s and false promises. Yet, despite sin, God gives hope to mankind despite the rebellion of standing against God.

The Problem of Sin | Asking The Wrong Question

The Problem of Sin | Asking The Wrong Question

Whenever tragedy strikes, people move very quickly to determine the cause of the problem. These debate quickly devolve into name calling, finger pointing, and the useless jabbering of politicians and pundits all ignoring the root cause of pain and suffering. The issue has always been sin, the issue is still sin, and the issue will continue to be sin until we arrive on the other side of eternity by the grace of our Savior Jesus Christ. In more recent history, there has been an increase in calls to diminish the problem of issue and the response of prayer. Some, even from those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. In doing so, they neglect the grip of sin on the lives of mankind, and, even more dangerous, they diminish the message and power of the Gospel that Jesus saves mankind from our sins but His glorious grace. It seems, in our effort to be non-offensive and seeker friendly, we have forgotten what sin is and what it does to everyone sin encounters.  Understanding the nature of sin does not seek to heap on condemnation on a person, but rather to make much of the Gospel of that Jesus Christ came to save us.  It is only when we understand the depths of our depravity that we can begin to grasp great richness of grace.

Luke 5:12-26

Luke 5:12-26 Sin and Sickness

In Luke 5:12-26, Jesus engages in two miracles of healing.  First, there was the leper, who, under normal circumstances, would be unable to even approach Jesus.  They were unclean and regarded as a leper largely because of their sins.  Jesus called this same person to Himself in order to heal the sickness and disease.  Moreso, Jesus ordered the leper to present himself to the priests to verify the miracle and the forgiveness.  Immediately after this story, Luke continues with the well known story of the paralyzed man, lowered from the roof.  Knowing that he was being watched by the Pharisees and the scribes of the law, Jesus took the opportunity to put the fullness of his presence and personhood to the crowd.

The Death and Life of Jesus Christ

The Death and Life of Jesus Christ

The angel sat on the stone and informed the women of Jesus’ resurrection.  The women ran and told the disciples who investigated and reported that Jesus no longer resided in the grave.  The word spread throughout the country for all to hear; Jesus rose from the grave.  He had returned.  Over the next few days he appeared to His disciples and various other persons and they experienced the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Where once the King died, now He reigns victorious over heaven and earth, over death and life.

Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

The Seven Last Words of Christ: Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit

I like to believe that everyone held out hope until the very end.  Surely, this was not how the Savior would die.  This was not the death befitting a King, let alone the Savior of mankind.  Had Jesus’ mission failed?  Was this a sign that the reasons Christ came had not been accomplished?  For us today, we are able to review scripture and see that the death of Jesus Christ did not indicate that the mission had failed but rather that the consequences of our sins had been fulfilled.  Christ died a grueling death, arduous and straining for His last breaths until the end.  This was the moment, the crescendo of all human history coming to an apex here.  The world would be forever changed by the events of today and the spiritual fates of mankind would awaken to the fullness of a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Yet, in this moment, there was the pain of the people standing by watching friend, son, teacher, and prophet’s life come to a brutal close.  Even worse, Jesus died on the cross, a sinners death, trusting in the fullness of God.  

The Seven Last Words of Christ: It Is Finished

The Seven Last Words of Christ: It Is Finished

Jesus cried out for His Father in Heaven to rescue Him.  Christ, being fully God, understood that it would have been a simple task to bring a miraculous rescue to this excruciating circumstance.  Yet, the Hand of God stayed.  Jesus would die on the cross.  The consequences of sin would fall on Him.  The Father sent the Son explicitly for this purpose.  Mankind would be better for it.  

The Seven Last Words of Christ: I Thirst

The Seven Last Words of Christ: I Thirst

Jesus cried out for His Father in Heaven to rescue Him.  Christ, being fully God, understood that it would have been a simple task to bring a miraculous rescue to this excruciating circumstance.  Yet, the Hand of God stayed.  Jesus would die on the cross.  The consequences of sin would fall on Him.  The Father sent the Son explicitly for this purpose.  Mankind would be better for it.  

The Seven Last Words of Christ: Why Have You Forsaken me?

The Seven Last Words of Christ: Why Have You Forsaken Me

Jesus cried out for His Father in Heaven to rescue Him.  Christ, being fully God, understood that it would have been a simple task to bring a miraculous rescue to this excruciating circumstance.  Yet, the Hand of God stayed.  Jesus would die on the cross.  The consequences of sin would fall on Him.  The Father sent the Son explicitly for this purpose.  Mankind would be better for it.  

Making All Things new: From The End to Eternity

Making All Things New: From The End to Eternity

At the end of time, we will arrive at the beginning of our eternity.  Everything that God has done throughout the course of mankind has sought to return humanity to eternity with Him.  Out of love, Christ made a way for our salvation, for our redemption, and for our sanctification.  All of this in order that we would rest in eternity in the ecstatic presence of God.  There is no area that God showed himself to be unsuccessful and no action that was not accounted for before hand.  Jesus Christ was slain before the foundation of the world and heaven will collide with earth in pursuit of the people of God.