Have you ever reflected on how our view of sin differs from God’s? We develop shades and grades of sin. At times we can wink at sin. We accept it, not only in the culture but in ourselves. We proclaim it in such a way that, at times, we may be “low-key” minimizing sin’s damnable presence in our lives. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23),” we preach! Since everyone has done it, it can’t be that big of a deal…right?
23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23, NASB95
One of the “tools” of my devotional time that I took off the shelf this year is The Valley of Vision. It is a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. I am not a Puritan. Puritans did not have the market cornered on devotion and prayer to God. Still, the deep contemplative heart of these prayers give insight to a way of thinking of God that is helpful for those desiring to walk more closely. Notice this excerpt, which I have updated in several places to modernize the language.
Deliver me from the natural darkness of my own mind, from the corruptions of my heart, from the temptations to which I am exposed, from the daily snares that attend me. I am in constant danger while I am in this life; let [your] watchful eye be upon me for my [defense]… Until I finish my course with joy may I pursue it with diligence, in every part display the resources of the Christian, and adorn the doctrine of thee my God in all things.
The Valley of Vision, 25.
The substance of the prayer reflected an awe of God and His sovereign right and rule in the world; a dependence on God to guard against sin, and a desire that one’s life be a perfect reflection of the God who lovingly and loyally reigns.
Of particular interest to me was the mindset of fear that man might fall in some way into sin against God. Let that settle for a moment and then ask yourself, “Do I fear sinning against God?”
Notice some “select passages about sin and how it is to be dealt with:
31“I will fix your boundary from the Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River Euphrates; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you. 32“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. 33“They shall not live in your land, because they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Exodus 23:31–33 (NASB95)
God said to eradicate the presence of temptation to sin from our midst!
17“But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, 18so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God. To even hang out with Hittites or Jebusites may open us to their teaching about acceptable actions to their gods.
Deuteronomy 20:17–18 (NASB95)
11Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Psalm 119:11 (NASB95)
Treasure the Word of God so that it will give the foundation to keep us from any sin!
28“Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—
Mark 3:28–29 (NASB95)
Beware of sin, especially such that you might not be forgivable!
4You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
Hebrews 12:4 (NASB95)
Fight against sinning, even to the point of shedding blood!
God does not wink at sin or simply wash over our failures. He never diminishes His view of it. To redeem us from its consequences, He sent His most valuable agent, His own and only Son to die in our place as settlement for the judgment against our sin! God hates sin! He has reserved His wrath for it…
If God should so hate sin, should we not also? Should we not immediately join with the Puritans and fear even allowing the minutest of sins (from man’s perspective) to ever be named about us?
Sin is deadly. One last story: On my first overseas mission trip, I went to South Africa. There I was introduced to one of the deadliest species of snakes on the planet. After hearing all of the legends about this snake, honestly, it was a little difficult to sleep soundly just at the mere consideration that this snake had made its way into my presence. Fear. I don’t imagine that even having a vial of antivenom in my pocket would have given me the boldness to not be ever mindful of its presence. Sin is more deadly. We should treat it likewise.
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