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God is perfect in every way. Deuteronomy 3:24 reads “God is the rock. His works are perfect, and His ways are just. He is a faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just.”
Paul reminds us in Romans 3:23 of the wide chasm that exists between God and us: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
What separates us from God is our sinfulness - our selfishness.
I chuckle sometimes at how ridiculous we are as human beings (self included!). We get so over-consumed with the manifestations of sin. We look at people who consume alcohol and we say, "You are a sinner." We at look at those involved in sexual sin, and we point fingers and say, "You are a sinner." We look at people who are not in church regularly and we say, "You are a sinner." We look at those who are hostile, angry, jealous, prideful (won't ask for help - even prayer support), bitter, divisive, envious and we say, "Sin, sin, sin, sin, sin."
I chuckle at all of this because we are all sinners. We all sin. We all sin all the time. We all fall short of God's glorious standard.
Sin is so easy. Last night, we were coloring Easter eggs. Vicki had bought plastic coloring cups because she and Matthew use a cold-water coloring method. I like to go old-school, using food coloring and hot water. Without thinking, I poured the first cup of hot water in a plastic cup. I watched helplessly as the cup melted and the red dye flooded across the counter and onto the floor. What came from my mouth - even in whispers - was not pretty. And, I don't know why I thought my blunder was Vicki's fault, but I lobbed a sarcastic comment in her direction. Vicki is not easily offended, but when she is offended she takes time getting past it. And, so she stewed over my reaction for hours. Both of us sinned. There was no right or wrong in either of our actions or reactions.
And, if it's so very easy to slip into sin over the coloring of eggs, how easy must it be for me to sin each day and every day?
There's no way around it. We all sin. Sin, at its root, is the breaking of God's law to love Him and to love others without condition and prejudice. It's putting love of self above love of God and others. To love God means we put Him first in our lives and we submit to His plans for us - not our own plans. We completely love others above self in all things. All things. Self love (sin) oozes from us in our attitudes, actions, words, and body language.
Sin is looking out for Number One, and putting Number One above all others. We are born into this condition. It's called "Human Nature." Human Nature is simply the natural drive toward living a good Earthly life by Earthly standards. As good as that sounds, it is sinful because it always puts "self" ahead of others. It lives by Earthly rules rather than Godly rules. Human Nature cries out, "I want and I need (fill in the blank)." I catch myself asking college students, "What do you want to do after school?" when the question should be, "What does God want to do through your life after school?" See the difference?
Sin is intoxicating. The more we focus on "self" instead of God and others, the easier sin becomes. And, yes, there are rewards. And, those rewards are intoxicating. The rewards - financial, influential, physical - they feed our love of self. And, soon, we are living life completely for the advancement of self. Deep within us, we temper this love of self with an occasional donation - even a big one - to the church or a charitable cause. We can even serve a charitable cause, but this salve does not really cover our sinful nature. In fact, many give only to love the fact that they give. That is sinful. There's honestly no escaping it.
Matthew and I are cleaning out the old shed and moving stuff into the new shed. I told him that he would learn some things about me in the process, especially as we go through the old trunks that I have from high school and college. These old trunks are full of memorabilia and collectibles from my youth. I haven't peered in them or gone through them in decades. Now, with the shed project, it's time to sort through all the mess and purge some of it. I told Matthew, "Some of what we find may tarnish your image of me." He said, "But, you weren't a bad person." And, I said, "No, but I was living for me and me alone. I was living deep in sin - far from God. I was living for what life could give me. And, I wanted a lot."
Sin pulls us to look in the mirror and see only ourselves (and I extend that to our children, too - all that is mine). The problem is that self can never satisfy. How many times have you ever saved for a purchase, bought the item, and then immediately regretted it? Sure you have. It's because the feeding of self never satisfies. You can't have a house big enough to make you happy. You can't have enough clothes to make you happy. You can't go on enough trips to make you happy. You can't lose enough weight to make you happy. There aren't enough promotions to make you happy. At the gym, I see young women on a quest to be "beautiful." But, they are so thin that they look ancient. They are desperately feeding "self" and dying in the process. Sin is addictive.
The hymn "Love Lifted Me" by James Rowe (words) and Howard Smith (music) includes these words, "I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore, very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more."
Selfishness becomes a weight that drags us deeper and deeper into it.
Sin dehydrates us. It robs us of peace. I constantly hear people say things like, "I'm tired all the time" or "I can't sleep" or "I'm so weary" or "I'm so lonely" or "I'm so bored" or "I'm so angry" or "My life sucks" or "I need a friend" or "I just wish I could have one peaceful day." Friends, I have been there - so weary from "self" that self is all I can think about. I just put my head on the pillow and cried out, "Peace." This love of self is a chase that never ends and is never fulfilling. Sin robs us of peace because we’re always chasing something for self. It robs us of hope because we can’t see an end to the rat race and the stress. It robs us of love because we realize the person in the mirror can’t love us back, can’t hug us, can’t hold our hand, can’t console our tears. Sin is lonely. Sin is tired. Sin is depressed. Sin is sleepless. Sin is angry.
But, the hymn reminds us, "But, the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help, Love lifted me!"
Whose love? God's love. God looks down on our sinfulness and says, "I love you more than you love yourself. And, I want to free you from that self-bondage." And, He sent Jesus as our rescuer, our Savior from sin. And, Jesus calls us back to the purpose of life: Love God, and love others, and help others discover Jesus as Savior. Pour your life into God and into others and watch how peaceful, hopeful and loving your own life becomes. Turn from the mirror of self and sin, and look out the window to see God at work and the struggle of others - without prejudice. What would your day be like if you did nothing for self or with selfish motivation? What would your day look like if you used your workplace, your home, your errands to pour into others in the name of Jesus? I believe you would find a blessing beyond words.
Jesus and Jesus alone is the only way to escape the sinful bondage of Human Nature. Those who acknowledge their sinful nature, turn from it to recognize Jesus as their own only Hope from sin, will be restored with God - through Jesus - for all eternity. Jesus says, in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Jesus’ sacrifice provides salvation from the bondage of sin, and restores those who believe in Him with Almighty God and God’s plan for us. Paul writes in Romans 12:2, “Restoration will allow us to discern the will of God, what is acceptable to Him and perfect for us.”
Love lifted me! Jesus lifted me! Amen.
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