Sin & Shame
I am quite experienced at both of these topics. I could go for long time talking about my life-long struggle with sin. I learned very early how to be selfish and self-centered in my thinking. I could justify it and defend my behavior with the best. I also knew how to “fake it”. I could be struggling with sin and yet call others out for their sin.
Sin is in the simplest terms, missing the mark. I want to live a good and honorable life and sin seeks to destroy with temporary pleasure and promises. The Lord calls everyone to Himself. He created us to honor Him and live for Him. When we live for ourselves, we are living against our design. I’m not sure where I heard this quote: 1. Sin will take you further than you want to go 2. Sin will cost you more than you want to pay 3. Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.
The Lord has just recently created man and woman. He has recently created the birds, animals, fish, vegetation – everything on the earth. He gave specific instructions regarding all that they had access too. They were in charge of all of creation, but they were not allowed to eat of the fruit of one tree in the center of the garden. The enemy went right at them, speaking to the woman in the form of a serpent. He challenged her to eat the fruit. Check this out…
6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.
8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”
11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”
13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”(Genesis 3:6-13 NLT)
The story goes on to tell of their punishment and God’s response to their sin. By the way, God hates sin, but somehow loves the person who sins. He is able to distinguish between the two. If the story ended there, it would not have the hope and the restoration that God has now provided for my sin and shame.
Fast forward, hundreds and thousands of years and God comes to earth as a vulnerable baby. He lives a perfect life and became the Ultimate sacrifice needed to take away my sin. His death brought forgiveness, grace, mercy and displayed the love of God in the most complete and profound way. God’s heart was revealed through the life, death and resurrection of His Son. I still have a hard time getting my head around the depth of the Father’s love. Throughout His Word, He affirms His love for sinners like Adam, Eve and me.
I am embarrassed and ashamed about my sin. I am cleaned up and forgiven for my sin. The Lord uses me to introduce others to Him. It’s not about how good I can become. It’s about how vulnerable and shapeable I can be before Him. I live for Him, not for me. If I get those reversed, sin will destroy me.
Pressing On!
Dwayne