Articles
To Sin or Not to Sin, that is the question?
Now more than at any time before, you can find a so-called church that will teach what
you want to hear. “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say
what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). Our world doesn’t want to hear about sin
or the necessity of obedience; they want to hear about grace and love and leave out the rest of
what the Bible teaches. In first John chapter two, the author sets a high standard for Christians to
live by.
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we
have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice
for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have
come to know Him if we keep His commands. Whoever says, “I know Him,” but does not do
what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys His word,
love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever
claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:1-6 NIV ).
The world would say that this is harsh and unfair. As Christians we have responsibilities
to carry out in response to what God has done for us. God wants us to put away sin. Sin can only
hurt us, it will never benefit us. When you sin, it hurts you first and foremost, but it goes beyond
that. Sin hurts those you care about. It hurts those who care about you. It destroys relationships
and it can destroy your health. When God tells us to STOP doing something, it’s for our own
good. When God tells us TO do something, it’s for our own good. Jesus is our example of how
we are to live. Are you trying to live up to that standard? Are you working each day to put sin
out of your life? If you love God, you will be obedient to His word. ~B Tolbert
