Minimizing Sin?

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“Aww shucks, I just rolled my eyes.” That’s what I wrote down, because that is what I think. Surely rolling eyes just isn’t that big a deal? Is it even a sin? Ok, maybe a small sin? It’s just so easy to justify. To ignore, deny, sweep under the rug, and minimize. Oh how easily my flesh can deceive me!

Laurie’s example of being quick to speak really hit me this week. Somehow I got to Proverbs and was amazed at how many verses speak to this. But what I found in Proverbs chapter six was a powerful reminder to me of how we really don’t take our sin seriously.

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers” (Prov. 6:16-19). So back to the eye rolling…haughty eyes are an abomination to the Lord! Forgive me, Lord.

If sin were not so serious, would we need the very life blood of the Son of God to cleanse us? If we minimize our sin, don’t we minimize the cross? If we deny our sin aren’t we denying our Savior?

In fact we are all sinners who deserve to be condemned to death.

In our memory verses this semester, God’s Word very clearly tells us that we once walked and lived in sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry (Col. 3:7). And it says that God’s wrath is coming because of these things (Col. 3:6).

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).

We do not need to be ashamed! “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).

We must not self-atone. That is just pride. I so needed to hear that because I do see how I try to make up for my sin, try to get it right, or even cover it up. Christ has atoned for our sin. He alone is the perfect and sufficient sacrifice. “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

Our Father made a way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I can’t see a thing in my daughter’s closet because there is no light! We must pick up the flash light by faith and have no fear to look and see the sin that remains. We simply must confess to our loving Father that we have sinned against Him and believe the truth of His Word! The parable of the prodigal son shows us the truth of who our Father is! There is no need to live in fear or shame. “And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

I don’t want to sin against my Father and yet I feel my flesh so strongly resist fasting. Fasting is a work against the flesh. My flesh wants to live on Easy Street. But as I consider all that Jesus did for me, how can I not count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (Phil. 3:8)?

May the Lord give us all much grace as we seek to fast and cry out to Him to change our hearts! May Jesus be glorified in each of us.

Learning to Live in the Garden of Grace

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