Sin. How often do you think about your own sin? Not the sin of others, but your own? For some, thinking about sin conjures up images of guilt-inducing sermons or awkward conversations. For others, it feels like an outdated concept, replaced with softer words like “mistakes” or “regrets.” Yet, Scripture mentions sin nearly 400 times, and its impact is woven into the very fabric of our faith.
Sin is the reason for the Fall mentioned in Genesis 3. It’s why we experience separation from God, brokenness in relationships, and the pain of death and suffering. And yet, despite its centrality to the biblical story, many often shy away from thinking about their sin.
Why is that?
Maybe it’s because some traditions have overemphasized sin in ways that have left deep wounds—focusing on guilt and shame instead of grace and freedom. Maybe it’s because we live in a culture that resists anything that feels like judgment. Or maybe it’s because, deep down, we’ve misunderstood what sin truly is.
In the Scriptures, sin isn’t just about breaking rules; it’s about breaking relationships—with God, with others, and even with ourselves. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t leave us there. In Jesus, we find not only forgiveness but also restoration and transformation.
Yet, many of us have been taught a version of the Gospel that stops at forgiveness. It’s a courtroom scene: We are guilty, Jesus pays the penalty, and we are declared innocent. While this is true and beautiful, it’s not the whole story. If the Gospel is reduced to a legal transaction, we risk missing the relational depth of God’s love.
Jesus didn’t come just to stamp a ticket to heaven. He came to heal our hearts, transform our lives, and invite us into a relationship with the Father. That means sin isn’t something we can ignore, but neither is it something we need to fear. Instead, it’s an invitation to deeper honesty and deeper grace.
I was recently reflecting on this as I held a Hopester's newborn baby. If someone harmed him, would we ever feel satisfied with a stranger serving their punishment? Of course not. Justice is relational. And God’s justice is no different. He doesn’t just want to pay our debt; He wants to restore our relationship.
So, what would it look like for you to ponder the reality of sin—not as a tool for guilt but as an opportunity to experience God’s grace more fully? What would it look like to see sin not just as breaking a rule but as breaking a relationship—and to see Jesus not just as our substitute but as our healer?
I am praying we all have the courage to face the ways sin still works in our hearts and for the faith to trust in God’s transforming grace.
Peace,
Nick
Sin is the reason for the Fall mentioned in Genesis 3. It’s why we experience separation from God, brokenness in relationships, and the pain of death and suffering. And yet, despite its centrality to the biblical story, many often shy away from thinking about their sin.
Why is that?
Maybe it’s because some traditions have overemphasized sin in ways that have left deep wounds—focusing on guilt and shame instead of grace and freedom. Maybe it’s because we live in a culture that resists anything that feels like judgment. Or maybe it’s because, deep down, we’ve misunderstood what sin truly is.
In the Scriptures, sin isn’t just about breaking rules; it’s about breaking relationships—with God, with others, and even with ourselves. But here’s the good news: God doesn’t leave us there. In Jesus, we find not only forgiveness but also restoration and transformation.
Yet, many of us have been taught a version of the Gospel that stops at forgiveness. It’s a courtroom scene: We are guilty, Jesus pays the penalty, and we are declared innocent. While this is true and beautiful, it’s not the whole story. If the Gospel is reduced to a legal transaction, we risk missing the relational depth of God’s love.
Jesus didn’t come just to stamp a ticket to heaven. He came to heal our hearts, transform our lives, and invite us into a relationship with the Father. That means sin isn’t something we can ignore, but neither is it something we need to fear. Instead, it’s an invitation to deeper honesty and deeper grace.
I was recently reflecting on this as I held a Hopester's newborn baby. If someone harmed him, would we ever feel satisfied with a stranger serving their punishment? Of course not. Justice is relational. And God’s justice is no different. He doesn’t just want to pay our debt; He wants to restore our relationship.
So, what would it look like for you to ponder the reality of sin—not as a tool for guilt but as an opportunity to experience God’s grace more fully? What would it look like to see sin not just as breaking a rule but as breaking a relationship—and to see Jesus not just as our substitute but as our healer?
I am praying we all have the courage to face the ways sin still works in our hearts and for the faith to trust in God’s transforming grace.
Peace,
Nick