Everybody Sins, but don't let that be an Excuse!
This is Day 18 of my 40 day Lenten Blog.
We are all sinners. Even the best of us. But sometimes that fact is used as an excuse to continue in our sin. There are no verses that sinners love more than the verses on not judging others. But here are a few different ones:
"If you love me you will keep my commandments." John 14:15.
"Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in Heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48.
"Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven." Matthew 7:21.
Yes, we all sin, but there is a difference between falling and then repenting from a contrite heart, and living in sin. Let's use a food analogy. My wife and I are on a low carb diet. Let's say she cheats a little on Friday night and eats some popcorn while we watch a movie with our boys. I, on the other hand, spend the entire week eating pasta, and biscuits, and cookies, and all the delicious carby goodness I want. I don't even try to restrict myself. When she says "Chris, what are you doing eating all of those carbs, I thought we were doing this diet together," would anyone find me justified to reply accusingly, "well you had some popcorn last Friday?" Probably not. Yet, sin is often treated that way.
The excuse that everybody sins is just that--an excuse. The truth is we don't want to quit sinning any more than I want to quit eating carbs, and we'll use any excuse we can to justify it. But we all need to realize that if we are using the fact that everyone sins as an excuse to keep committing the sins we enjoy and don't want to give up, we are excusing your way right into Hell. For Jesus tells us that those who continue to do what they know is not right, will be cast into the outer darkness with the unbelievers where there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Today's prayer: Lord, please help me to recognize my sin and repent of it so that I may inherit eternal life with you instead of being cast into the outer darkness.
R.C. VanLandingham lives in Florida with his wife and kids.He is the author of several books including the Christian fantasy books Peter Puckett & The Amulet of Eternity, Peter Puckett & the Enchanted Chalice, and Magdalene Hope & the Elves of Evermore.