I have a fatal flaw. I was born a sinner. I try to be good, but I have no control of my actions. Sometimes I snap at my children and my wife. I have gone at least one mile an hour over the speed limit at some time in my life. 
I’ve lied, I’ve cheated. According to Jesus I have broken commandments that I didn’t even realize I had because of my heart (lust and hate=adultery and murder).
I really try to be good. I try not to sin but something in me won’t let me go. The Apostle Paul had the same problem. In Romans 7:18-20 says:
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.
At first glance that sounds very depressing. How in the world could we save ourselves from ourselves. We can’t! But look what Paul says just a few verses down in Romans 7:24-25
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Then in Romans 8:1-2 Paul said:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death
Wow! Eventhough I deserve condemnation, I am pardoned. Not for anything I did but through Jesus I have been forgiven for my sin. So actually the Breaking News is:
I’m Forgiven! I’ve got Grace!
How about you?
Filed under: Christian, faith, forgiveness, grace, salvation
I have that grace also! Romans is written to believers that already have the free gift of eternal life, so it’s explaining what had happened to them, and how they can be saved from the power of sin by His life Rom 5:8-10. At the moment we believed in Jesus for His gift of life we were clothed in His perfect rightousness 1 Cor 1:30. Justification is also a gift freely given Rom 5:16. This is all good news for the one who has believed Jesus promise! Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life John 6:47….alvin
Christianity sounds like you have to feel guilty and apologetic just for being born into our species. Lighten up! There are worse things than exceeding the speed limit by one mile. Snapping at spouse and spawn is all part of the human condition, Kevin. Nobody has inexhaustible patience. Everyone has their snapping point- I know I have. Takes a while to get me there, but it’s there all the same.In fact, I put up with the awful rudeness of a neighbour for 20 years because I was under the impression that he was retarded. Once I found out that he wasn’t, and was only pretending to be mentally backward in order to bully and abuse others, I let rip the next time he began his appalling behaviour and gave him a verbal blast that nearly swept him off his feet. After that- complete peace and quiet. That was anger in its right place.
The problem with dogma is that it makes sins out of things which are inescapable. If you weren’t capable of anger, you wouldn’t be able to fight for your life ( or your family’s) if need be. Let’s say you were the victim of a home invasion, with a pack of thugs crashing into your haven in the middle of the night, bashing your kids and trying to rape your wife. Would you say prayers to God, or would you beam out love and good vibes to said attackers? Not a chance! You’d wade into them and do whatever was necessary to protect your loved ones. That’s anger at work, and it can be beneficial. In fact, it wouldn’t even be a conscious decision of anger, for the autonomic nervous system kicks in on 8 cylinders in circumstances of such stress, and stays fired up for as long as is necessary.
Why is lust a sin when it’s absolutely essential for the propagation of the species? Your were conceived in lust. We all are. There may well be love mixed up with it, but love is not essential to propagate, and lust IS. Seems a little unfair of God to bestow that onto humans and then tell them that they’re evil for having those urges.
I wouldn’t take too much notice of what that fool, St Paul, says. He was the geezer who commanded Christian men with wives to live as though they had none, ie to turn their homes into sexless ( and possibly loveless) habitats- for what? Because the second coming was imminent? We know how wrong that was. Didn’t he also recommend that men should castrate themselves? The fellow had serious, serious head problems.
Loosen up, celebrate your humanity in all its complexity and enjoy life!
Francoise,
I concur with you that there are many times when we should “lighten up” and enjoy our lives, however the fact remains that there is a dark side to humanity.
I feel that the best way to deal with that “dark side” or “sin nature” is, in my opinion, for each of us to face it in our selves rather than project it onto others.
In my Tradition, (if you have been to an Anglican Church, you may have heard it) there is a certain prayer before a Penitential (we use it in Lent) Eucharist. It is called the Prayer of Humble Access, quoted below.
Some may see it as a “woe is me” sort of thing, however I see it as a recognition of the fact that I do have a “dark side” or “sin nature” and for me this prayer and far more importantly the Grace of Christ it points to, is the very wide and shining Gate of Heaven, a way to shed what is past and look forward to connection with and Communion with the Divine.
Prayer of Humble Access:
We do not presume to come to this Thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under Thy Table. But Thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ,and to drink His blood, that we may evermore dwell in Him,
and He in us. Amen.
Me too!
Born with a bent for doing wrong,
Endured a season of what seemed like “a spanking a day” (yep, that ornery)
The day came, though, when I trusted Jesus Christ for my salvation and the whole equation changed. Sins – forgiven. Debts – cancelled. Freedom – provided. All at His expense.
There’s still pain, but it’s usually associated with loving discipline now, and if I pay attention it’s better for me. (lots about that in Proverbs, the opening lines of Hebrews 2 and 12:4-11) I LOVE Hebrews 10 too, especially the last verse: But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
And He did it ALL!
Me too! I’m a sinner who recognizes and accepts what He’s done for me. Gotta love that “No Condemnation” logo!
Great Post, Kevin!
Phil—
Francoise,
I do enjoy life. Anyone who knows me knows that I live a fun filled life. I joke & live life to the fullest. But we all recognize as MIT said a dark side. It is just reality.
I’m just grateful for God’s Grace. I don’t deserve it.
Oh, my goodness! One mile over the speed limit? As Joan Crawford might have said, “Tina! Bring me the axe!” LOL
Kevin: It’s as if you are writing about me as well. Isn’t it wonderful? Isn’t God’s grace unfathomable?
Why do we create environments in our churches that make people feel unsafe to admit to error? We are whitewashed tombs! More afraid of the thoughts of men than we are about our relationship with God!
Francoise, it’s really more about realizing who we are before God. I know you claim not to believe in a god or God, but when you place faith in the fact God is, then you have to examine who you are before God.
Good post.
Check out these verses: John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 1 John 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Jesus Paid It All!!! No one will ever go to hell because of their sins. Jesus paid for all our sins from the day we were born until the day we die, every sin was placed on Christ. That’s why at the Great White Throne of Judgement sin isn’t mentioned one time. Works are mentioned, and of course they have sin in them. But not even works are given as the reason for being cast into the lake of fire! The reason is because their names were not found in the Book of Life. They didn’t believe Jesus promise of the free gift of eternal life to all that believe Him for it. John 6:47 Most assuredly I tell you he who believes in Me has eternal life!
Revelation 20:11-15 And everyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Everyone will be given a fair hearing, many thought their works would get them into heaven. Eternity could start for any of us any moment, all has to happen is our heart to stop beating for the last time.
Your either persuaded that what Jesus promised was true, or your not!
Crikey! How can a person sin on the day that they were born???!!!! Do they howl too loudly to be fed? LOL.
Seriously, folks, this dark side which you and God seem to find so unpalatable is the side which keeps you alive in times of stress and danger. Accept it. Nobody could or should be a Pollyanna all their days ( yecchh! revolting thought!). Why do you all seem to feel so bad because you were born a human being? What you are is surely the fault of your “manufacturer”, is it not?
Sure, there are wrong choices made in life- and many factors contribute to this- but why belabour yourselves and constantly dwell on your supposed “unworthiness”?? It doesn’t seem very healthy to me.
As for how we appear in the eyes of God – seeing that God, as I have previously mentioned – is no slouch when it comes to committing or ordering atrocities, perhaps it is WE who should be taking HIM to task, h’mmm?
Canadian Brian – too funny!!
Francoise, is it possible that what you see as an atrocity would be seen differently through the eyes of one who is unlimited in time, space, and knowledge? In other words, if you were suddenly able to know all things, for all times, would it change your view of finite happenings? Just a thought.
I should think that commanding your fans to rip open the bellies of pregnant women and tear out their foetuses can only be viewed as an atrocity. Problem with God followers is that they constantly let God off the hook. If humans were to command this, they’d be before a court of law. God commands it, and it’s OK, and excuses have to be made for him. A different standard for the two? Why?
Read Job 38-42 again, Francoise.
Francois: I cannot change your mind, or get you to see what we are talking about. I can’t give you any different view of God than what you have. That takes the work of the Holy Spirit.
Ditto Debbie.
Kevin, great new look!
I’ve neveriundestand who or what the Holy Spirit is.
Sorry- I’m very heat-affected- I meant to say “I have never understood who or what the Holy Ghost is”.
Francoise,
The Holy Spirit is God. God manifests Himself in the form of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to live in the believer the moment they become a follower of Jesus. Then we don’t have to live the Christian life on our own because we have the Holy Spirit’s power.
OK. It seems a bit nebulous to me.
Bryan, I’ve read Job ( yawn) and it was cribbed from older sources.
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