Let's be completely honest with ourselves. Sin is infectious. If it were not for Jesus, we may as well be lepers in ancient Israel. All of us.
Tell me if you can relate to the following:
"14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it."
Paul said this about himself in Romans 7. He really taps into what sin really does right? It takes over and destroys, and the good that you should be capable of doing takes a back seat to this evil in our lives. I think that if it were us speaking in Romans 7 we might have tacked on at the end this phrase (or something like it)…
"And it is then that I feel wretched and undeserving of grace, asking 'Why God? I don't deserve your grace so why would you possibly forgive me?'"
I know that I often find myself saying that. I do something stupid like check out the latest virus ridden porn, or joke around at my roommates expense, or get a bit loose with my speech and then I regret it, like I should, but I also ungratefully and grudgingly ask God to forgive me. I see a problem with that.
Later on in chapter 7, Paul says this…"What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
I really want to focus on the last part…"Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Read that whole passage sometime. It is so passionate. Thank you God! You Forgive me! You love me! Your grace is unyielding! Something that I am realizing more and more is that God loves to give, bless, forgive, and show mercy. Once more, God loves to GIVE, BLESS, FORGIVE, and SHOW MERCY!
So I ask myself, who am I? Who am I to question why God wants to forgive me of sin? If God loves me so much to forgive my sin that he sent Jesus, then I think my job is to ASK with joy, not with a spirit of angst and downright distrust if we are being honest. Otherwise, would this not just be a lack of faith, which is in essence turning our backs on God? That is the very definition of sin my friends. I know this is long winded and not highly coherent but I hope you at least get this…as a recent college grad I am inclined to go with the more academic approach.
The Infection of Sin Model:
I sin…I question God's desire to forgive me (lack of faith in God which I would count as sin)…God forgives me (cleansing)…I continue to wallow in my sinfulness creating more sin…infection spreads
The Joy of Forgiveness Model:
I sin…I ask God for forgiveness with joy, thanking God proudly (creating stronger faith)…God forgives me (cleansing)…I move forward with a greater sense of love for God saying, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
I like model #2. This is just what has been on my mind in the last couple of days. It has been really cool to see how much God actually loves to forgive because we are His beloved creation. When I realize that, I understand more the kind of great sacrifice that Jesus made. What an encouragement for change ya? Anyway, I hope this post had something to say to you all, super long or no. Stay Awesome!
The Man with Unclean Lips,
Brandon Barnum
