Sin?

Sin, missing the mark……

We learned in bible school that the word sin, meant “falling short of the mark”. I was reminded of that by our pastor in church on Sunday.

I think there is a lot of real understanding about that word sin, but also much misunderstanding. Our pastor spoke on this to clear that up.

Some people use the word knowingly but often lightly, in a joking way, because it refers to something specific they are doing. I believe I did that years ago.

Others use it in a judgemental way to describe and call out specific sins they see, usually in other people, when in fact we all stand guilty of sin before a perfectly holy God. We can’t judge. Only a perfect God can.

We are not perfect.

So, what is sin, “missing the mark” in bible terms? What is “the mark” we keep missing?

Solomon, in Ecclesiastes 12:13, says “Fear (revere) God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”

Jesus, in Mark 12:30-31, in response to a question about which commandment was most important, quoted two of them, saying we are to “love God and love others”. The following is as it reads in the Amplified version:

30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’

31 This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

We fail to acknowledge God in our daily lives. We are driven by selfishness. We don’t love or honour others the way we should.

THAT is missing the mark, or sin. All the particular sins that people know of come under that umbrella. Not loving, honouring God, or your “neighbour” (the people around you).

Our personal behaviour impacts others. What we do when we ignore these two important commandments causes separation and division, which has a ripple effect, both now and later. It can affect generations.

We are all guilty to some degree or other, in this body of flesh. There is no escaping that fact. It has been this way since disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Disobedience of a single commandment. Eating the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve missed the mark. Selfishness came before loving and honouring God and each other.

They were deceived by the same adversary we face today. They wanted what was not theirs to have. Sin led to consequences and death.

However, God’s love and grace, both then and now, has always provided a way out from the deceptions of our adversary and the desires of our flesh.

Repentance. Obedience.

Today we have an enormous relief to our dilemma before a holy God, to whom we must one day give an account of how we have lived our lives. That way out is found in the life and death of Jesus, who gave His life to restore our relationship to God. He died for our sin. He died that we might live.

Think on that. He died for our sin. All of it. He took the death penalty for all of us. Our sin is forgiven, but think of the cost. The cost gives us pause. His death in our place. How do we live our lives once we understand this?

Think on these questions.

Is what I am doing honouring God?

Is what I am doing loving others, or even myself, in a God honouring way?

Is what I am doing causing separation or division?

Am I harming others? Myself?

Am I deeply selfish?

Am I actively choosing sin?

In what ways am I falling short of “the mark”?

What do I do now?

Repentance brings about grace. We all need grace.

Forgiveness is the gift of God for repentance. We all need forgiveness.

Jesus died to make the way back to God for us through repentance and forgiveness. Our salvation comes as we put our trust in what He did and is doing on our behalf. He rose from the grave and lives, making intercession for us today. He is “in our corner”, so to speak, as an intermediary. He paid the price of our sin.

Today is the day of salvation.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Come to Him.

Rest in Him.

There is forgiveness.

There is hope in Him.

There is direction.

There is LIFE in Him.

I have no regrets today about a life with Christ in it, though I am still learning (often imperfectly) how to live it out, day by day.

Join me in the journey!

Ann, October 2, 2023