Sin...What Is It? Part 1

Growing up in a religious denominational environment, I learned at an young age what sin was...or so I thought. What I accepted as sin was what I was told was sin by the denomination I was in. I found this denominational sin defining to be somewhat confusing in that different denomination's opinions as to what sin was varied. What some denominations said was sin was accepted by other denominations as not being sin.

The denomination I found my self in was the "no preparing food for the Sunday meal, that was a Saturday task so as to avoid working on the "Sabbath" because it was a sin to work on the Sabbath...yet, Sunday was not and never will be the Sabbath. Then there was the no going to the restaurant on Sunday...no riding of the bike...no playing hopscotch...no smoking...no drinking...no dancing...no going to the movies...no going our with "bad" girls, avoid the baccy chew and no running around with those who do.

Yet other people who claimed to be "Christians" could do these things without condemnation.

Because of my NOT doing the "bad stuff" it provided a breeding ground of false egotistic pride in thinking I was morally superior in that I did not partake in such activities or run around with the crowd that did.

Well, to my amazement I now see how spiritual egotistic, judgmental, un-understanding, condemning and unlike God it was. When Jesus was on earth He spent His time with whom the religious elite of the day deemed sinners, while having little to do with the religious crowd of His day, except make known they were making people more a child of the "devil" than they were themselves.

What religion regards as sin has to do more with men's opinions, religious standards and the breaking of such than it does with God. It is more about not doing the things they deem sin to maintain a upright relationship with the denomination of choice in order to be a card caring member. Whereas spiritual reality has to do with a experiential and intimate relationship with God where He is personally involved and working through your living life to accomplish His purpose in the community of humanity.

Evil as viewed by the religious establishment is different than how God's view of evil.

Lying is evil by religious standards...but the coverup of lies is the religious camp seems to be accepted until the lies is found out...as is a lot of other things they consider bad.

Telling the truth is not evil...or so they believe.

Yet in God's eyes telling the truth could be evil!

I guess by now you are demanding Bible evidence.

Remember your reading of the twelve men who were sent to spy out the promise land. Two came back with a good report and ten cam back with a evil report. The ten brought back a honest report of what they saw...why was their report considered evil? Because it did not agree with what God said.

Gluttony, greed. covetousness, segregation, shunning, disunity, calling building's "Churches", manipulation, control and deceitfulness are things which God calls sin but the religious world practices with no awareness that they are committing sin.

Why does the Bible say that the harlots and sinners were more a part of His Kingdom than the religious self righteous. Because the harlots and sinners agree with God, while the self-righteous go against God and His plan for the community of the humanity and the community of His redeemed. Religion has taken away Jesus as Head of His community and His leading of His community. They have replaced the plan of God with man-made leaders and man-made agendas...that my friend is EVIL!

When we sin God's Grace does much more abound because at the cross that sin was forgiven and all we have to do is repent, not by saying a bible-less sinner's prayer" but by forsaking that sin and get back to following Jesus.

When we sin by breaking the rules of religion we come under their judgement and condemnation. Paul then tells us in Romans 3:20 that the purpose of the Law was to make men recognize their sin (and thus recognize their need for God). To disobey a direct command of God was sin. On the other hand, the Jews then added their own rules to what God had given them and the result was a man-made religion called Judaism. And, Religion is nothing more than and religion is nothing more than a cary over of Judaism philosophy with a sprinkle of Grace thrown in.

In both Judaism and Religion, men took it upon themselves to define what constituted sin; then came up with their own way to deal with it. Again, there is in man that deep-seated desire to handle the God, sin, and judgment thing in his own way. And so, sin came to be defined by what men thought, instead of what God says.

Part 2 to follow.