Sin - The Universal Problem
Sin - The Universal Problem (from Max Lucado - In The Grip of Grace)
Ponder the achievement of God. He doesn't condone sin, nor does He compromise His standard. He doesn't ignore our rebellion, nor does He relax His demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, He assumes our sin and incredibly, sentences Himself. God's holiness is honored. Our sin is punished and we are redeemed. God does what we cannot do so we can be what we dare not to dream: perfect before God.
35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Matthew 14
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17
What separates us from God is sin. We aren't strong enough to remove it, and we aren't good enough to erase it. For all of our differences there is one problem we all share...we are separated from God.
There is no one who always does what is right, not even one. There is no one who understands.
There is no one who looks to God for help. All have turned away. Romans 3:10-11
We are a long way away from our Father.
13"Their throats are open graves;their tongues practice deceit."[a]"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[b]
14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[c]
15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know."[d]
18"There is no fear of God before their eyes. For the way of sin is death.
Sin does to a life what shears do to a flower. A flower cut at the stem separates the flower from the source of life. The flower is attractive, still colorful and strong. But watch that flower over time, the leaves will wilt and the petals will drop. No matter what you do the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. Stick the stem in soil, Do what you wish. The flower is dead.
A dead soul has no life. Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies
Romans 3:19-20 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Upon seeing the problem, can't we see the solution? The solution is not more government, education, man-made rituals and doctrines. We need a miracle.
That miracle that Someone is introduced in Romans 3:22, Jesus Christ.
22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
My prayer is that we see the simplicity in the Gospel. Jesus ended religion. He ended rituals. He ended death for those who believe in Him. Through Him and Him only we are made perfect and can stand before God.
Max and Tammy
Ponder the achievement of God. He doesn't condone sin, nor does He compromise His standard. He doesn't ignore our rebellion, nor does He relax His demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, He assumes our sin and incredibly, sentences Himself. God's holiness is honored. Our sin is punished and we are redeemed. God does what we cannot do so we can be what we dare not to dream: perfect before God.
35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Matthew 14
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17
What separates us from God is sin. We aren't strong enough to remove it, and we aren't good enough to erase it. For all of our differences there is one problem we all share...we are separated from God.
There is no one who always does what is right, not even one. There is no one who understands.
There is no one who looks to God for help. All have turned away. Romans 3:10-11
We are a long way away from our Father.
13"Their throats are open graves;their tongues practice deceit."[a]"The poison of vipers is on their lips."[b]
14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."[c]
15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know."[d]
18"There is no fear of God before their eyes. For the way of sin is death.
Sin does to a life what shears do to a flower. A flower cut at the stem separates the flower from the source of life. The flower is attractive, still colorful and strong. But watch that flower over time, the leaves will wilt and the petals will drop. No matter what you do the flower will never live again. Surround it with water. Stick the stem in soil, Do what you wish. The flower is dead.
A dead soul has no life. Cut off from God, the soul withers and dies
Romans 3:19-20 19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Upon seeing the problem, can't we see the solution? The solution is not more government, education, man-made rituals and doctrines. We need a miracle.
That miracle that Someone is introduced in Romans 3:22, Jesus Christ.
22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
My prayer is that we see the simplicity in the Gospel. Jesus ended religion. He ended rituals. He ended death for those who believe in Him. Through Him and Him only we are made perfect and can stand before God.
Max and Tammy
posted by BreadBakers at 12:32 PM
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