Paul told the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
These statements Paul made about himself ought to apply to every Christian.
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James concluded his epistle by emphasizing the importance of turning a fallen brother away from sin and back to Christ.
“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).
There are a few reminders for us in these verses.
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In Jeremiah 8, the prophet condemned the people of Jerusalem for their sins. The condemnation was not for an occasional misstep, but for the persistent practice of sin and their stubborn refusal to repudiate it: “Why then has this people, Jerusalem, turned away in apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return” (Jeremiah 8:5).
The deceit to which they held fast consisted of the lies of the scribes (Jeremiah 8:8) and of the priests who would say “‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11). They had become so accustomed to their sin that they were no longer “ashamed of the abomination they had done…and they did not know how to blush” (Jeremiah 8:12). They had replaced the Lord with “graven images” and “foreign idols” (Jeremiah 8:19).
After outlining this miserable state of the people, the prophet said, “Harvest is past, summer is ended, and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20).
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People often want to think of degrees of sin. They view some sins as particularly heinous (rape, murder, etc.), and others as being virtually innocent (“a little white lie”). Is it accurate to grade particular sins and judge them against one another in this way?
The fundamental question we have is this: Are some sins worse than others? Yes and no. It depends on what aspect of sin one has in mind. In this article, we will briefly examine this question.
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***UPDATED 09.21.09***
I have decided to take down the article that Jody had written. When I first received it I thought it would be a good idea to post it here because I believed it had some value for those who might read it. But after a week or so, I decided it would be wise to remove it for a couple of reasons.
First, I do not have the time to moderate comments on this post. This is naturally an emotionally charged issue that many people have strong opinions about. On top of that, the spiritual principles that relate to this situation are obviously important as well. I just don’t have time to thoughtfully and responsibly respond to each of the comments as they deserve.
Second, I was afraid that this might become a distraction to the gospel message, if it had not become such already. Paul told the brethren in Corinth that he refrained from doing something that was proper (receiving support from them) in order to “cause no hindrance to the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:12). Even if it was appropriate to post Jody’s article, with everything going on, especially his recent “not guilty” plea, it was a distraction to the valid points he was making, and perhaps indirectly, the rest of the material contained on this site.
For those reasons, I decided to remove his article. I hope you can understand the reasons behind my decision.
I would encourage you to remember the important lessons from this though – don’t flirt with sin. It can destroy your life. It can cause immense damage to the lives of those around you. Even if the sin you are tempted with or are currently caught up in is not like what Jody has done, remember that all sins separate us from God. If you have sin in your life, get rid of it. The momentary pleasure it can provide is not worth the consequences and punishment that come with it.
Many brethren have heard the sad and disturbing news of the gospel preacher from Auburn, KY allegedly having consensual sex with a 13 year old girl over the weekend. He has since turned himself in to the authorities and is being held on rape charges. In addition to being a preacher of the gospel, he is also a husband and father. The thought that such a man would do this is both puzzling and disturbing.
I don’t know this man very well. I met him briefly a year or so ago when I attended a gospel meeting at the church in Auburn where he worked. I won’t speculate as to why he did this or what path he took to get to this point. But there are some very important lessons in this story that all Christians need to remember.
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Writing from prison, Paul told the brethren in Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). This instruction was so important that Paul repeated it. He also gave a similar command to the church in Thessalonica when he wrote, “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
Whenever we see a command like this, we ought to take note of it. We do not have the option to either rejoice or not rejoice depending on our circumstances. We are to “rejoice always.” The reason why this command must be given is because it is sometimes difficult or unnatural to rejoice in certain circumstances. Our lives here are filled with trials. Job lamented, “Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil” (Job 14:1). The wise man noted the difficult nature of our existence here: “Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). It is sometimes difficult to rejoice. But as Christians we must do so.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
Available in print and digital format.
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