MAN: A REBEL AGAINST GOD

PSALM 53:1–3

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

(Romans 3:23).

The doctrine of sin comes to us not simply as information but as an indictment, and so we not only have a problem understanding it intellectually, we also have a problem dealing with it morally. There is nothing more repugnant to us as human beings than this indictment of our own sinfulness and depravity, and we need to plead an extra abundance of grace so that we might have ears to hear and eyes to see. We are, after all, masters of manipulating the data to make ourselves look better than we are.

Sin Is Not a Minor Matter

“To err is human, but to forgive is divine.” “Nobody’s perfect.” We hear statements like these all the time. What is the point of such cliches? Surely they imply a rather casual attitude toward sin. After all, everybody makes mistakes, so we should overlook it.

To persuade people that they are sinners is not difficult. Almost everybody will admit that some time in their lives they have done something wrong. It is not hard to convince people of that. But Christianity is not concerned with showing that people sin. Rather, Christianity is concerned with showing how radically serious sin is.

Sin Is Lawlessness

The Bible uses a variety of expressions to get across the idea of sin. Some of these are “rebellion against God,” “missing the mark,” “hatred of God,” and “disobedience.” Most important, however, is the idea of lawlessness. Disobeying the commands of God is the heart of what sin is all about.

The issue is “theonomy,” the law and rule of God, against “autonomy,” self-rule. Every sin, no matter how slight or small, is a manifestation of a gut-level drive for autonomy. Man’s revolt against God’s rule began in the Garden of Eden and has continued ever since. No one is exempt and even mankind’s best deeds are tainted by impure motives and selfishness.

CORAM DEO

Do you creatively try to justify or excuse your sins? Do you compare yourself with others, especially those with whom you compare favorably? The Bible forces us to compare ourselves to God’s perfect law, and leaves us with no excuse. If you’ve been making comparisons and excuses about a sin in your life, bow before God and ask Him to help you live by His standards and not by the world’s.

For further study: Leviticus 16; Romans 1:18–32

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