Theology Thursday
Q. 84. What doth every sin deserve?
A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
I often get into a habit of congratulating myself. I’m a pretty good guy. I’ve never murdered. Never hijacked a plane. My police record is clean. And you know what… I reckon I’m not so bad that I or anyone as not-bad as me deserve hell. Most of us probably think like that (these days). Do you?
Culturally speaking. We have a terrible grasp on sin. As a culture we have run with Rousseau in believing that we are inherently good. As children we are told, you are a good boy/girl who just does naughty things every now and then.
Additionally, So much of the bad that we or others do is because they are victims. It’s society’s fault, or your Year 4 teacher’s fault for not believing in you or maybe your parents fault for not supporting you properly.
The result is that we find it incredibly difficult to believe that a) we are sinners and b) that sin is worthy of divine punishment. Do you?
How bad is sin really? Well, the Bible has a number of ways of describing it. In Leviticus the metaphor is clean/unclean. Have you ever walked past someone who hasn’t washed in a long time? That’s the smell of sin in God’s nostrils. Sin is like raw sewage to His holiness.
That’s one way to think about it. Here’s probably the most important way. Imagine a good parent who gives their children everything they need to flourish and thrive in life. But the child decides one day to no longer speak to their parents. The child begins to be subtly destructive around the family home. And then accuses the parents of neglect and of being unloving.
This is the nature of sin. It is a relational rebellion. But of course. It’s also a legal one. Our ‘parent’ is God the creator, who is also the Judge. Our sins aren’t simply a relational rebellion but a criminal act on a cosmic scale.
It’s not that some sins aren’t worse than others - they are. But all sin is lawlessness. And God is not like us. He doesn’t and even can’t choose when to uphold His justice and when to let things slide. He IS justice. Holiness cannot allow this sin to go unpunished.
But that’s why Jesus is our only hope in life and death. Only Jesus can save us from the wages of sin. Because Jesus has paid the price on behalf of those who trust in Him. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For Today:
Pray:
Passages: Matthew 25:41, Galatians 3:10, Ephesians 5:6, James 2:10, Romans 3, 2 Corinthians 5:21
A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and that which is to come.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
I often get into a habit of congratulating myself. I’m a pretty good guy. I’ve never murdered. Never hijacked a plane. My police record is clean. And you know what… I reckon I’m not so bad that I or anyone as not-bad as me deserve hell. Most of us probably think like that (these days). Do you?
Culturally speaking. We have a terrible grasp on sin. As a culture we have run with Rousseau in believing that we are inherently good. As children we are told, you are a good boy/girl who just does naughty things every now and then.
Additionally, So much of the bad that we or others do is because they are victims. It’s society’s fault, or your Year 4 teacher’s fault for not believing in you or maybe your parents fault for not supporting you properly.
The result is that we find it incredibly difficult to believe that a) we are sinners and b) that sin is worthy of divine punishment. Do you?
How bad is sin really? Well, the Bible has a number of ways of describing it. In Leviticus the metaphor is clean/unclean. Have you ever walked past someone who hasn’t washed in a long time? That’s the smell of sin in God’s nostrils. Sin is like raw sewage to His holiness.
That’s one way to think about it. Here’s probably the most important way. Imagine a good parent who gives their children everything they need to flourish and thrive in life. But the child decides one day to no longer speak to their parents. The child begins to be subtly destructive around the family home. And then accuses the parents of neglect and of being unloving.
This is the nature of sin. It is a relational rebellion. But of course. It’s also a legal one. Our ‘parent’ is God the creator, who is also the Judge. Our sins aren’t simply a relational rebellion but a criminal act on a cosmic scale.
It’s not that some sins aren’t worse than others - they are. But all sin is lawlessness. And God is not like us. He doesn’t and even can’t choose when to uphold His justice and when to let things slide. He IS justice. Holiness cannot allow this sin to go unpunished.
But that’s why Jesus is our only hope in life and death. Only Jesus can save us from the wages of sin. Because Jesus has paid the price on behalf of those who trust in Him. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
For Today:
- Do you struggle with feeling how bad sin is?
- What sin do you need to repent of today?
- Why are you thankful for Jesus?
Pray:
- Praise the Father that He is perfect in His holiness.
- Give thanks for Jesus that He has paid the price for our sin and takes God’s wrath for us.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you repent of your sins and give thanks for salvation.
Passages: Matthew 25:41, Galatians 3:10, Ephesians 5:6, James 2:10, Romans 3, 2 Corinthians 5:21
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