What struck me about today's passage was the beginning of chapter 6 that talked about deception and theft.
Stealing and deception encompass everything from the smallest deception to the biggest theft, and all of them are sin, not just the big ones. Whether we find something and don't bother to attempt to return it to it's rightful owner, keep extra change given us by a store, go bankrupt without making alternate arrangements to repay our debt, shoplift a $1 pack of gum or a $1 million painting - it is all sin.
One thing that keeps coming back to me too is that when we confess our sins to the person we have wronged, it doesn't end there. Where possible we need to make restitution. And we still need to confess our sin to God and ask Him for forgiveness, because no matter what we have done, we have sinned against His holy standard. This is something I need to remember to proactively teach our children as well. Apologizing to their siblings AND to God is necessary for complete restoration.
I also wanted to share this quote from last year's post as well.....
This commentary on bible.org had some good thoughts on these chapters...
The teaching of Leviticus on the Sin Offering has something very important to say to the Christian about personal sanctification. Whenever we sin, we need to remember that it is the shed blood of Christ which God has provided for our forgiveness. Repentance and confession is the means for experiencing that forgiveness and cleansing on a daily basis.
Knowing the high price which Christ has paid for our forgiveness should also cause us to take sin very seriously. Every sin, no matter how insignificant it may seem, required the blood of Christ to be shed. Let us never forget that while forgiveness is free, it was not obtained cheaply. Here is a motivation for godly living.
Then, too, let us be reminded of the seriousness of sin. God takes sin very seriously. God takes unintentional sin more seriously than we take willful sin. And God takes willful sin even more seriously than we wish to think about:
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29).
I am not for a moment suggesting that Christians are not eternally saved and secure, but I am suggesting that the willful sin of a wayward saint is a very sobering matter, and one which will not allow that wayward believer to sense any safety and security in what he or she is doing. Let us learn from both the Old and the New Testament how much God hates sin.
Finally, I must say to you that “ignorance is not bliss,” in spite of those who would have you think so. The Israelites were held accountable for the sins they committed ignorantly. Many contemporary Christians seem to think that if they don’t study their Bibles, if they don’t familiarize themselves with the standards and principles God has given in the Bible, they will not be responsible for their sins committed in ignorance. Not so! The Sin Offering strongly suggests that we had better become careful students of the revealed Word of God, for it is disobedience to His word that constitutes sin.
Today, because of Jesus' death on the cross, we no longer have to sacrifice animals. But we still need to confess sin. Genuine confession and repentance shows a realization of our sin, a recognition of God's holiness, humility before God, remorse for our sin, and willingness to turn away from this sin - all of which is required for true reconciliation and fellowship with God to be restored.It's amazing the extent our human nature will go to in order to conceal our sin, or even to attempt to justify it after it's been revealed.
The story in Mark about John the Baptist's beheading exemplifies this to a T.
Herodias had originally been married to Herod's brother Philip (ruler of Traconitis and Iturea), but she left him to marry Herod Antipas (ruler over Galilee). John the Baptist confronted the two on their adultery, exposing their sin and Herodias was livid. She needed to get rid of the one who had brought her sin to public attention. When Herod offered Herodias's daughter almost anything she wanted, Herodias seized her opportunity and had him killed. Though Herod respected John's integrity, he bowed to the pressure of his wife and peers and had John beheaded.
We're not likely to ask for anyone's head on a platter literally, but we too are susceptible to sin's quick downward spiral. Pride will lead to destruction. But humility will lead to restoration. Let us choose humility.
Tomorrow's passage: Leviticus 8-10, Mark 6:30-56
3 comments:
Powerful post! A great reminder for how terrible even the little sins are.
I've always felt sorry for Herodias' daughter. Can you imagine what it must have been like to her to ask for such a thing? Especially when she could have asked for anything else? I think the whole issue of tolerance was alive and well even back then...it was easier for Herod to just give her what she wanted than to look bad in front of his peeps, even if he and everyone else in attendance would agree that a head was not a suitable payment for a dance. Also it was easier for the daughter to go along with her mother's wishes than to say that she was not going to ask for something so horrible.
Now that is a convicting post. Thanks Tammy. I seem to gloss over the severity of sin in my life too often. I really appreciate the points about unintentional sin as well.
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