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Saturday, March 14, 2009

I Hate Sin and the Consequences Thereof

This is one of my mother's many sayings that I've adopted as my own. Something I've heard her say and tell me and teach me through since...well, since I can remember. I have been thinking much over this as God's brought me here recently dealing with pain and hurt myself. (See a couple blogs before this about pain.) Feelings of being so hurt that I am tempted to close off, shut down, so I can't feel. Not completely...just keep "going" in life without really "doing" life, if that makes sense. 

I hate sin. Not just dislike it. HATE it. I've grown tired of it. It makes me sick. sad. hurt. I look forward to the day it ends...in heaven. For now, I'll hate it.  I hate it in me. I hate it in you. I hate seeing it all around us. I don't care what it disguises itself as, I hate sin. Sin is sin is sin. I hate sin. 
Not only that...I hate sin's consequences. I hate what sin causes...what it brings with it. I hate the pain. guilt. shame.  I hate what it cost to get rid of it.
And yet it is. What is the purpose? Why? To make us feel bad? To make us drown in sorrow and guilt? Oh no!  What joy there can be, even in the midst of sin...when we see it as the backdrop it is. My hubby often says that sin is the backdrop for God's glory. Sin helps us see God's glory even clearer. Like black velvet behind a diamond ring. When forgiven, cleansed, set free...we see the depth of His love.
And THAT is glorious!
And so, in the midst of the fight against sin...not against each other...I will praise God. I am seeing more and more how the real enemy is not someone else. It's not even myself. It's the sin in me. The sin in you. Ultimately, Satan himself who rules this world and uses sin to his advantage.
Sin gets in the way of knowing God...not knowing about Him, KNOWING Him. The experiential knowledge of Him, what John 17:3 says eternal life is: knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. I want to KNOW him this way more than anything else. What keeps me from this is what I hate most- sin. Not so and so who...or that one who...or somebody else that...Sin. That is it's name. Sin keeps me from my Treasure. 
But praise be to Jesus! We're not left alone with Sin! We're set free from it's bondage through Christ Himself! He fights on my behalf. That is a hallelujah!  Free from and victory over my own sin. And free to truly love those who sin against and therefore hurt me.
Help us, Lord. Help us to treasure you most and to hate sin and its consequences. For your glory. For our joy in You.

2 comments:

sharon brobst said...

Amen! I am right with you!

Amber said...

girl, i love this post. I was going to comment on it when i read it last time...but who knows which little boy needed me! hehe! you know the feeling i am sure! Anyway, this concept of fighting against sin and not against eachother has been the curx of our marraige and the message we give to all pre-married couples! It has saved so many potential fights. Calling sin sin and dealling with it. Not that one is against the other but that we are on the same team both against sin. I think when this concept is applied personally and when it is applied to relationships it is life changing! Freedom comes like a flood!
I also love the idea that Gary said "sin is like a backdrop for God's Glory" the idea of the black velvet behind the diamond....so great! amen!

I've been meaining to asking you...have you read that book "Breathe" by Keri Kent? I saw it on your Shelfari and thought it looked good...so if you have...do you recomend it?