Confessions of a Casual Christian #1

"I don't take my decision to sin as serious as I should."

We rarely are just walking down the road of life and stumble into sin. Sin is the result of a series of little "and big" decisions we make in a developmental process. If the adult stage of this process is the act of sin. Then the conception stage is temptation, and the stage in between are usually the feeding of that temptation. Sin doesn't just happen. Though that is what I like to tell myself. Especially in the moments when I come back to sanity and am asking myself, "What are you doing? Is this who you want to be?"

The truth is...I just don't take sin serious enough in my own heart. John Piper once penned, "Long before sin is a damage to man, it is a dishonor to God." Here lies the main issue with sin. Not only does it create a major barrier in our relationships with God, but it is dishonoring to Him.

I like the idea of being forgiven for the sins in my life but am not so keen on the punishment and consequences for those sins. We have to realize a few things in our decision to sin:

1. God's discipline comes from His desire to give us good and perfect things. He disciplines to protect us out of His unfailing love.

2. The pay off for sin is not remotely comparable to having an "all access pass" relationship with God.

3. Sins we believe are done in private will eventually be exposed in damaging public ways.

4. Long before sin is a damage to man, it is a dishonor to God.

My confession is that I don't take sin serious enough. This is my confession, not my final destination. I believe that we are a continual work in process. That is why regardless what you are flirting with today, you can start over. You can take this thing called sin seriously. You can choose to fight and not give in. You do not have to live defeated. Jesus has come to give you adventure and life and hope. Live in that!!!!

"Father, break my heart for what breaks yours."

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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