Spiritually Speaking
By James Washington
(Source: The Atlanta Voice)
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How do you master sin? Is sin for you not sin for me? What are the consequences of sin, or is it just a set of rules that someone down through history decided were moral conditions needed to keep society in check? I mean, is it not true that the culture and customs of a particular nation might make the stomachs of those in a different country turn inside out?
There are sins of the flesh as well as sins of the spirit. However, there seems to be universal acceptance of what is moral and immoral. As many people would agree with this, some believe ‘it’s yo thang…do what you wanna do. ’But isn’t morality a barometer for sin? Aren’t there rules for the ages that are etched in stone and never change?
There have been countless volumes of faith and dialogue devoted to Jesus’ blood contract with us that, in fact, freed us from our sins.“…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood…” Revelation 1:5.
It shouldn’t be complicated, but it appears that living morally, righteously, and between the lines is a struggle matched only by understanding the meaning of life itself. This is hard, I know, but is it worth it?
I don’t know about you, but the struggle to live without sin is a recognized and acknowledged impossibility. The beauty of this is that God is a God of another chance. The key once again is attitude, yours, not God’s. That attitude will eventually dictate the outcome. If it is God-centered, if it is truly controlled by a sense of humility and vulnerability in relation to God, if remorse is real, then perhaps mercy will be forthcoming. With the right attitude, then, in relation to the desired outcome, sins can be mastered. Confess them. Yeah, that’s right! Confess them to God. You see, confession to God is not like any other confession. Lying ain’t happening to God because truth can’t hide, won’t hide from you or the Lord. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteous.” 1 John 1:8-9.
The outcome, if we can comprehend it, is eternal life, which requires faith, belief, and a daily resolve to choose against sin in the name of the Lord. If you believe this life is all there is, I might understand deliberate sinful pursuits. If you believe in more, then the sinful mistakes are just those mistakes made not in the name of the Lord. “But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ.” 1 John 2:1. From time to time, Jesus deserves a break. His birthday might be a good place for us to start. It’s not that hard in reality to get the outcome you want. Remember the rules really are etched in stone.
May God bless and keep you always.
This column is from James Washington’s Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey toward spiritual enlightenment.
