Shameful Sin

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ, our LORD. (Romans 6:23)


One of the downfalls of being human is that we sin. We all do it. No one is immune to this disease we call sin. Sin has many names, and more faces than we can count, but at the crux it is all sin. It is all misbehavior, bad choices, doing wrong. It is yuck.

We don't all struggle with the same sins (though many sins affect a multitude of people). The top 3 struggles I have, may not necessarily be your top 3 or even your top 100.

Many people deal cavalierly with sin, they figure- we all do it, it is no big deal. But it IS a big deal. Sin is what keeps us out of Heaven, it is what separates us from God. Sin causes pain, hurt, confusion, fear, misunderstanding, etc. Sin is humanity at its worst.

Christ had to come, live a perfect life, sacrifice himself on the cross and resurrect, all so that there would be a bridge for sinful humanity to cross, so that we could enter Heaven. All because we humans screw up, daily.

God loves us, and wants to help us overcome this problem we have with sin. God hates sin, but He dearly loves each sinner. No matter what your sin problems, be they sexual (reading or viewing pornographic materials, adultery, homosexuality, lust, etc), spiritual (idolatry, or not giving God the time, honor, and position He deserves, making something else (anything else) more important in your life), action sins (gluttony, dishonesty, greed, worry, pride, etc) or something else, God loves you and God will forgive you EVERY time you confess your sins (with a repentant heart).

This does not mean that you can go live it up, and go to confession on Saturday and be forgiven. Oh no! God doesn't work like that. He isn't a vending machine where you can punch 135 for lust forgiveness. God forgives the repentant heart.

This means that you have to sincerely be sorry that you sinned, sincerely ready to quit it, to work with God to not repeat the same sin. Repentance means a turning away. Satan and his minions will do their best to get you back into it, and when you do falter you confess, and God will forgive again. But true forgiveness comes to true repentant hearts, to believers that REALLY want to do better, not just people that are muttering words.

Salvation comes to those that believe Jesus is the Christ, the savior of humanity. If you believe that (truly believe it) you are written in His book), after salvation the Christian life is worked out, lived out, and seen through men, women and children that are so thankful for their salvation that they yearn to live God's way. To follow His rules, to share His love, and seek His forgiveness.

Sin is shameful, but it is ALL forgivable through Christ. Confess and move on, grow, learn, and become the person that God sees you as, the prince or princess of His kingdom!!!

-JLP-