Three Facts of Sin (Hebrews - Day 11)

Sin...

That's the word that jumps out at me as I read today's Hebrews passage (Hebrews 5:1-4) - sin!

I think it's worth being quite plain here - after all the Bible is too - we all sin. All of us.

I quite like the way we're described - ignorant and going astray.

I watched 999 What's Your Emergency tonight. I rarely sit down to watch real-time TV, but for once I did. And like so many other people I was shocked by what I saw: drunkenness, lewd behaviour, violence, aggression, gender politics, etc. Some of the comments made by those being cared for by the servicemen and women, were astonishing.

When I read these verses I was reminded of a brilliant essay I had read some years ago about sin. I dug it out, but it was without author, but thanks to the wonder of the internet I have not only found the author, but discovered online versions to share with you.

'The Three Facts of Sin' is taken from the book, 'An Ideal Life' by Henry Drummond (1851-97).

In this essay, Drummond argues from Psalm 103 that sin has three facets: its GUILT, its STAIN, and its POWER. From these three effects we need forgiveness from the guilt, healing from the stain, and redemption from the power of sin.

By POWER OF SIN, Drummond discerns that sin is more than guilt. When Hebrews talks about sacrifices for sin (Heb 5:3) it is more than forgiveness from guilt. The power of sin is that inexorable ever present potential to see our life come to ruin as a consequence of sin. Even when we turn to Christ, this power still seeks to dominate. Therefore, when we come to God we seek redemption from the destruction of sin. It requires more grace, Drummond argues, to keep our life from sin through all the tempted years than just forgiving the lifelong sinner. Grace is bigger than guilt: it is a living grace, a restraining grace.

Have you ever thought that - that God is actively seeking to stop you sinning. Sin wants to spoil and ruin our lives. We sometimes see Satan in these terms - as a personal, implacable enemy of our soul. That is what sin is. It's out to get us.

But we are told that Jesus has us - he not only forgives our guilt, but in his role as High Priest he's asking God to grant us mercy and grace to "help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16). Furthermore, we are sent the Holy Spirit to aid us in this Holy Living.

The STAIN OF SIN is more obvious, for sin, even when it has passed away, leaves unmistakable marks. In our lives (and in the history of teh world) there are ruins of sin been and gone. Drummond says:

"We see it in one another's lives and in our own lives. Our conscience, for instance, is not so quick as it might have been—the stains of sin are there, between us and the light. We have ignored conscience many a time when it spoke, and its voice has grown husky and indistinct. Our intellectual life is not so true as it might have been—our intellectual sins have stained it and spoilt our memory, and taken the edge off our sympathy, and filled us with suspicion and one-sided truths, and destroyed the delicate power of faith." (Emphasis mine)

Drummond suggests that sin's stain is seen in our bodies too - and he's right. Whether an STI, addictions, alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity, or the language we use, sin leaves its mark.

But even worse, the stain of sin is seen in our predisposition to sin. I know in my own life that I rarely sin in isolation. My daily struggles are marked by serious struggles in particular areas which are a consequence of habitual sinning over a period of time. Maybe you know that experience too?

Worst of all, perhaps, is the way sin's stain passes to others. As a new father I am deeply scared of the effect my sins might have on my son...my language, behaviour, the way my temper gets the better of me, my lateness...how might my sinfulness bring a stain to his life??

I must admit to finding Drummond's teaching on the stain of sin as somewhat depressing, but perhaps he has got it right when he says that "the scars of sin on body and mind and soul live with us in silent retribution upon our past, and go with us to our graves."

Drummonds concern throughout however has been to stress the seriousness of sin.

We too must never trivialise sin. Sin is evil. Sin is destructive. We must face the fact that we sin: and those sins have a power, and a stain.

Finally, we face the GUILT OF SIN. Put simply, our guilt is not about whether or not we feel sorry. We don't become guilty if we're religious, or become a Christian.

We are guilty because that is what we are in our nature.

As we reflect on our own sinfulness we recoil from the truth of our true nature. Perhaps we start to hate ourselves. God too recoils from us. Our sin is a crime. A crime against who we're made to be, breaking the moral law places in our heart by our creator, by God.

This is the heart of the Good News: God is a holy god, awesome in majesty, and in His divine nature nothing evil or impure can exist. Therefore, we, his creatures, made to exist in this state of holiness with Him, have forfeited our relationship with God. We are precisely that thing God cannot tolerate: sinful, impure and unholy.

Into this mess, God introduces the priesthood, who help us approach God, which in turn points to Jesus who comes to be our great High Priest. In this role he is both priest and sacrifice - both dealing with the guilt of sin.

So how should we respond?

Frankly - we do what Peter instructed the listeners on Pentecost: "Repent, and be baptised, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

Also, we need to have a full Christology, by which I mean you need to see Jesus in his entirety.

Jesus' sinless life (Hebrews 4:15) addresses the hopelessness of the STAIN of sin.
Jesus' death on the cross (Hebrews 1:3c; 8:12; 9:22; 10:18; 12:2) forgives our GUILT.
Jesus' resurrection life (Hebrews 4:14) grants the power to conquer sin's POWER

I beseech you, come to Jesus, in whom we have all we need to live lives that please God, without whom we have no pure example of holy living, and without whose sacrifice I cannot be made right with God.

Remembrance: Sin, Sacrifice and Salvation (Hebrews - Day 26)

Remembrance Day is not about glorifying war.
Remembrance Day is about an act of celebration. Celebrating the peace that came at the end of the 'war to end war' in 1918. That armistice which was commenced on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year.

Paul Ayers took up the text for today's reading, Hebrews 9:23-28 (although he didn't have v.23 as part of the Sunday reading), for his sermon yesterday morning, delivered to a packed Pudsey Parish Church. There were representatives from civic bodies, counsellors, and hundreds of armed and uniformed organisations, as well as members of the public who come to church on Remembrance Sunday as a mark of respect.

I think Paul argued persuasively that we must be careful that Remembrance Day does not become it was never intended to be. It was not about patriotism - which it often is now. Consider carefully the truth that petty nationalism was the root of much that flowered during 1914-18. Indeed, we confessed the sin of "evil divisions and hatred" during the service. Remembrance Day is not even a celebration of death...we reflect on the lost lives, the words spoken at the cenotaph reflect this:

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn"

Remembrance Day is about remembering the SACRIFICE.

A sacrifice of life - we remember the dead.

And so it is entirely appropriate to use this passage to reflect on the biggest question of all: Why are we here? What happens when we die?

²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Using these verses (27 and 28), we face three facts:

1. SIN

Whether in war or in peace, all men die. Death comes to everyone. Always and inexorably.
But the Bible says we do not go to nothingness, a silent sleep for all eternity. No.
We die to face judgment.
Why judgement - and what is judged? Sin.
The Bible's testimony, and the record of our lives shows that all men sin (Romans 3:23).  I have sinned every day of my life, and this topic of sin preoccupies much of the writer of Hebrews.

But there is great hope in the fact that our sin will be judged.

If there is no judgment, then our misdeeds, and especially the gross sins of humanity - those perpetrated by individuals and nations - will not have mattered. Consider that!
If there is no judgment, then whether I sin or not, whether I live a life marked by goodness or evil...well noone actually cares; noone is going to sit me down and appraise my life.

It would be as though I were an employee of a business who fails to do anything I am paid to do, but gets away with it.

Can you sense the deep injustice in the core of your being, a sense of injustice common to all humans.

Justice. We, You, I deserve justice. And most especially God deserves justice.

Some argue that justice and recompense are to be sought in this life. This is why we hear, so often, the cry for revenge. But time and again we see life is a cruel mistress - those who deserve punishment live and die in contented happiness, while the 'righteous' suffer. Just read Psalms and Job and you face the sobering truth that this has marked mankind's existence since the beginning.

We are hard-wired for justice. And we can have hope that justice will come.

- Do you know your sinfulness?
- Do you ever stop to consider your mortality?

2. SACRIFICE

While the war to end war was a failure - we live with the fact of war today - there was a death to end death - Jesus'.

We celebrate the sacrifice of armed men and women - those who died in wartime and peacetime.

Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Earlier parts of Hebrews have explored the reasons for this sacrifice - the necessity of blood - the role of the High Priest - the once-for-all nature of his sacrifice.

But in the context of JUSTICE his sacrifice takes on an additional meaning. We are enslaved to a cruel master: sin and death. Jesus went to war with sin and death. And by his sacrificial death he won for us victory over sin and death. We are purified from sin; and released from death's power.

We ourselves cannot liberate or redeem our lives - only Jesus can do that.

And unlike the hoped for peace that was looked for after World War I - we have a sure and steadfast peace with Christ (Hebrews 6:19)

- Do you know your need of a Saviour?
- Do you ever think about the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice?

3. SALVATION

By now, "So what?" say most Christians...yes, really!

The truth of God's holiness, our sin, his judgment and salvation are taken for granted on an obscene level. Do you get blase about the truth that God has redeemed you, saved you, forgiven you?? Are you thankful? Many of us are not sufficiently preoccupied with God's great mercy, I'd contend.

But sin and sacrifice is not the whole picture for Hebrews, oh no! Indeed, irrespective of indifference we should all be stirred by the very end of this passage: He is coming back - he is returning. (I've blogged a bit on this theme: here, here, and here)

Jesus' return is not to deal with sin - that's done.

No, His return is to "bring salvation to those who are waiting for him" (v.28)

This is the climax of Hebrews 9...He is coming for those who have waited for him, coming to bring salvation...the promise of life eternal with God...


And so we are forced to ask:
- Are we waiting eagerly for his return? Do you even care that he's coming back?
- Is your life marked by service to this fact?

Courtesy of Mike Wrigglesworth 2012

While stood beside the cenotaph in Pudsey yesterday, looking up at the lone soldier on the plinth, and as I held my toddler, I was moved (as I always am) that these soldiers unknown to me were prepared to lay down their lives...when I was 19 years old I was so selfish...but these men sacrificed so much.

How much more does Jesus deserve in response to his great sacrifice?

I honestly hoped (and continue to pray) that those men and women who heard Paul preach yesterday will have sensed God's call...a call to see the sin that lurks within...our desire for justice....a justice seen on the cross...and to accept Jesus as Saviour.

Your Heart - Hard or Huggable? (Hebrews - Day 7)

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

A big old block of stone...hard, cold and very VERY dead.

On Sunday I was sat in front of a beautiful old war memorial in church - man it was cold - it was an anti-radiator - it gave off this chilliness which made me and a friend move away. We wanted to be warm but were made cold.

The passage from Hebrews today - 3:7-13 - is very clear:

DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS GO HARD!

Our hearts can go hard for all sorts of reasons...bad habits, time away from God, deliberately avoiding doing what we know deep down is right to do, allowing resentment and anger to fester in our hearts, and on it goes. Rarely do we intend to be hard-hearted, but so often we look back and realise what we thought was 'growing up' or toughening up, has actually been a deadening. Do you notice what happens to make us die? In the verses above it says we turn away from the "living God" (v.12).

Turning away from something living implies, I'm afraid, that we might well turn to something dead - to something that won't give life, but take it.

How might you have been turning from God?

So what are we to do??

1. Encourage one another to live for God
2. Do it daily!

We are instructed to stand together.

I love our cell (small midweek church fellowship group that meets to get to know one another more, worship God, challenge one another from His word, and think through how to live in service of others)

Cells are the opposite of stone - they are alive, living, breathing, active...

And this is how we have to be: alive, soft, fragile, vibrant...

But notice - cells work together - I need other people to help me, to encourage and to exhort.

Please - this day think about your Christian brothers and sisters - how are they doing? Are they struggling? Would they benefit from a supportive word, a hug, a text?

We do not do this alone.