Okay, I'll admit to being a little theatrical with the title. When it comes to the task of preaching, I've always struggled with coming up with titles, and the same thing goes for blogging. So sometimes it's just whatever sounds somewhat attention grabbing that wins the day. My hope is always that the title will draw at least a few in, and might keep their attention to hear what we're talking about God for that time.
Now, when you hear or read a statement like "it's okay to be a sinner", you're likely to have one of two reactions. Either you're going to go along the lines of thinking that it's NOT okay to be a sinner. After all, from God's perspective, sinners are condemned. It's not okay to be a sinner because it means present and eternal separation from God. And who knows, you might even be so riled up about it that you stop listening or paying attention simply because nothing good can ever come from something with a title like that.
Or, you could fall on the other side of the street. You hear, "it's okay to be a sinner", and you think that all those things that you do that God says not to do are now okay. Doesn't God forgive completely? So why should I give up those sinful things in my life, or even really battle against them at all? And so, you read that title and start nodding your head, already convinced that you're only going to be made more secure in those things that God says not to do because, after all, God is a God of grace and forgiveness.
My point is this: if you take either side, you tend to miss the full picture of God. It's okay to be a sinner and to admit that to God because God does indeed want to forgive you. In fact, God wants you to be able to approach Him with your sin to ask for forgiveness. We can do that because we have confidence in God's compassionate nature, because Jesus has lived, died, and risen to forgive our sin. It's okay to be a sinner when we approach God to admit/confess our sin, knowing that God looks with compassion upon sinners and forgives them.
At the same time, it's not okay to come before God with your sin, stubbornly holding on to it at the same time as you try to hold on to God's gift of forgiveness. It's not okay to live joyfully and willfully in your sin and to flaunt it before God, basically daring Him not to forgive you. You cannot hold to that which separates you from God AND to that which connects you to God at the same time.
But neither of those are my point today. My point primarily is this. When we gather as God's people, we often treat sin as something that we aren't guilty of. We portray our lives as basically good, though there may be a few small things that God needs to forgive. Meanwhile, we are left to wonder if we are the only ones who struggle with sin in our lives. We may point out the sins in others, but we're highly reluctant to share our sins with others, simply because we know of that all too human tendency. And that's why we need the reminder that, when it comes to the Body of Christ, it's okay to be a sinner, because Jesus does receive sinners and forgive them.
That points to the ultimate goal of admitting that we are a sinner. We are okay with being a sinner because we also know that Jesus has fully forgiven us. We are also a saint, fully forgiven, even while we struggle with our sin. We can admit our sins to one another because that brother or sister can pronounce God's forgiveness in Jesus to us. And that's something to be celebrated. That's why we can say, "It's okay to be a sinner."
Now, when you hear or read a statement like "it's okay to be a sinner", you're likely to have one of two reactions. Either you're going to go along the lines of thinking that it's NOT okay to be a sinner. After all, from God's perspective, sinners are condemned. It's not okay to be a sinner because it means present and eternal separation from God. And who knows, you might even be so riled up about it that you stop listening or paying attention simply because nothing good can ever come from something with a title like that.
Or, you could fall on the other side of the street. You hear, "it's okay to be a sinner", and you think that all those things that you do that God says not to do are now okay. Doesn't God forgive completely? So why should I give up those sinful things in my life, or even really battle against them at all? And so, you read that title and start nodding your head, already convinced that you're only going to be made more secure in those things that God says not to do because, after all, God is a God of grace and forgiveness.
My point is this: if you take either side, you tend to miss the full picture of God. It's okay to be a sinner and to admit that to God because God does indeed want to forgive you. In fact, God wants you to be able to approach Him with your sin to ask for forgiveness. We can do that because we have confidence in God's compassionate nature, because Jesus has lived, died, and risen to forgive our sin. It's okay to be a sinner when we approach God to admit/confess our sin, knowing that God looks with compassion upon sinners and forgives them.
At the same time, it's not okay to come before God with your sin, stubbornly holding on to it at the same time as you try to hold on to God's gift of forgiveness. It's not okay to live joyfully and willfully in your sin and to flaunt it before God, basically daring Him not to forgive you. You cannot hold to that which separates you from God AND to that which connects you to God at the same time.
But neither of those are my point today. My point primarily is this. When we gather as God's people, we often treat sin as something that we aren't guilty of. We portray our lives as basically good, though there may be a few small things that God needs to forgive. Meanwhile, we are left to wonder if we are the only ones who struggle with sin in our lives. We may point out the sins in others, but we're highly reluctant to share our sins with others, simply because we know of that all too human tendency. And that's why we need the reminder that, when it comes to the Body of Christ, it's okay to be a sinner, because Jesus does receive sinners and forgive them.
That points to the ultimate goal of admitting that we are a sinner. We are okay with being a sinner because we also know that Jesus has fully forgiven us. We are also a saint, fully forgiven, even while we struggle with our sin. We can admit our sins to one another because that brother or sister can pronounce God's forgiveness in Jesus to us. And that's something to be celebrated. That's why we can say, "It's okay to be a sinner."
Wonderful Posting. I hope everyone reads the whole post.
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