Maybe Sin isn't the Bugaboo We've Made it Out to Be?

I think we might have the wrong idea of all this sin stuff. I first saw that my view of a devil and his 'war' with God doesn't jive with God's absolute and total control over his creation - his knowing "from the end to the beginning." If we recognize God as being TOTALLY omnipotent, that he planned and carried out the creation of *everything*, we've got to say *everything!* In believing that - his statement "It is good" - applies to all he set in motion - which carries over into the evil and sin that entered the world. If not, then God is not in control at all.

So - if you sit and contemplate that for a bit - sin might look a little different. God doesn't have an arch enemy - - he has a plan, created by Himself for this whole system - including the sin problem.

Actually - if you look at sin realistically and logically, it serves a very GOOD purpose for God and man. It is only through sin that we grow, mature, and realize our dependence and need for Him. God uses sin to serve Him. If you believe in a literal devil - then whatever he does, whatever dominion he is controlling was given to him by God - and he is only playing the part that God wrote for him.

When we sin - we always come to a crossroads. And that crossroads is where God is waiting for us. We sin - we feel the pain from having hurt our relationship with God, and at that moment we can give ourselves over to the sin completely or allow the guilt to pull us further away from God - or we can use it for the training God meant it - pull in closer to Him, realizing the true worth of the Gift he gave with His son, and just what brought Jesus brought to an end when he said... "It is finished."

Failing is what we are all about. :) We are programmed that way. I think if we had a healthy attitude towards it - rather than this make believe religious perfection we try to show everyone, we could use it the way God intended it in the first place. We really should take careful note of the way David reacted after his sins. Can you imagine the guilt one could allow to eat at them for a lifetime over premeditated murder - one that brought about the death of a baby? Somehow David was able to turn that into a deeper and deeper relationship with God. He came to that crossroads and walked away *with* God - not away from Him.

I just don't think God has the same problem with sin that we do. God wired us this way, and he took care of our failings and said that Christ died for sin... once for all. He simply wants us to draw near to him - ALWAYS. We can never take care of the sin on our own - yet as we draw closer and allow his will to take over, He will fill us with himself and he'll handle it.

God let us know that forgiveness for a multitude of sins was a good thing. He said that one who is forgiven much - loves much. What does that say about someone who feels they are 'pretty good folks' - and not really in need of a super sized portion of Jesus' sacrifice?

As Paul said - knowing this - we do NOT use it for an excuse of wanting to sin more. As God's children our whole existence is bent towards honoring Him by being his obedient servants - however - bottom line - we CAN'T do it.

When we sin - it has horizontal and vertical repercussions. It's how we HANDLE it that affects the relationships. If we cannot be honest with each other - or if we are trying to pass ourselves off to others as sinless - how can we identify, support, encourage others? We are unreachable, without mercy, and unloving. However, if we use our own sin problem to draw closer to God - and to help others do the same - then we are using God's training as I think He intended.

God simply doesn't see sin when He sees his children. But we are so wrapped up in the guilt of weakness and failure, I think it cripples us. A much loved child of His is transformed into a pretty useless nothing.

Alice