The Nature of Sin

For the past couple of months, our church has been working through a series called What & Why – identifying what we believe and why we believe it. While we’ve delved into some particularly juicy and thought-provoking themes, I get the feeling that many of us paid a bit closer attention this past Sunday and walked away feeling like the sermon had been directed towards each of us, individually. The subject matter was something we love to love and hate, wrestle with on a daily basis, and far too often, judge others by. The issue I am speaking of is sin.

Oh what a heavy word! I have to be honest, I was worried about posting this, but I realize that being afraid to share my beliefs or things that touch me personally is a ridiculous fear to have. I am aware that we’ve all got our opinions and preconceived notions about what it means, doesn’t mean, shouldn’t mean, etc. – but I personally wanted to post the scripture we were studying on Sunday because it resonated with me and I feel it could benefit many others.

Romans 7:14-24

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

While that passage might read differently to each of you, one of the things I walked away feeling was relief that, despite each of us being born with a sinful nature, God loves us anyway. Hates sin, but loves us. Not a single one of us is perfect and pure – and I think most of us are overcome by pressure to be perfect and guilt from not being able to live up to those standards. It’s in our nature to disobey. It’s by no means an excuse, but as Joseph pointed out on Sunday, sin is not a failure, sin is rebellion. There is no simple solution to break this naughty-behavior cycle for good, but I think it starts with placing your trust and faith in someone other than yourself and your common man (because we do not have the answers), with a little repentance mixed in.

But I’m not here to preach or moralize, just to share. If you’re feeling up to it, you can find the entire podcast here.

I realize the topic of faith and religion is a touchy one for many. If reading about this angers you, please just look the other way instead of making any inappropriate remarks. While I welcome any and all feedback and commentary on my blog, faith is never up for debate.