The thing about sin is...well, it's just so darn interesting. It's a universal phenomenon. Yet even within Christianity, our perspectives vary widely depending on denomination (and for me, time of month).
I don't remember Jesus ranking sins from Bad to Worst. Or even categorizing them: "Kinda Bad but I’ll Let it Fly," "Worse but Still Marginal," and "Man, You are in Deep Doo-Doo."
There is one sin that is differentiated from others in the New Testament. From Hebrews 6:4-6:
“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”The first time I heard this passage I thought it was pretty harsh. Then I shrugged my shoulders, raised my eyebrows, and thought, "That's cool." Because so far, at least, it hasn’t applied to me. There are times when my sins separate me from God but I've never disavowed His existence altogether.
How do you interpret this passage, ladies? Is this the “one sin” worse than all others? Does your denomination describe some sins as worse than others?
Today I pray that the Lord open our minds and pour in His wisdom. I also pray (sheepishly) that He put your hands on the keyboard and allow you to steal a few moments to join in this discussion.
I know that last part is selfish. Thank Him God’s grace is infinite. Now I have to pray for forgiveness. Again.
Bless you beautiful ladies. xoxoxo, Cheeky
14 comments:
Tough words...and I contrast these with the story of the Prodigal Son, so again, I'm reminded at what our Pastor once said - "I think of the Bible as a spiritual gymnasium." He warned us away from anyone who would claim to pull one verse out as our "final answer" to any question, but rather, instead, encouraged us to use the many contradictions, complexities, and other mysterious thoughts as a way to explore our faith.
Your pastor is a smart woman (man?). Thanks for your comment. xo, Cheeks
Although hard to digest, & even harder to abide by, I turn to James 2:10-11 in regards to degree of sins. "For whoever keeps the Law as a whole but stumbles and offends in one has become guilty of breaking it all. For he who said you shall not commit adultry also said you shall not kill. If you do not kill but commit adultry you have become guilty of transgressing the whole Law." As Americans we know only certain sins result in consequences on this side of heaven, however when understood as James puts it, there are so many more sins that count in the way of the Lord. I then think of how heavy a burden all our sin was for Jesus...& thank Him for redeeming me daily from my sinful ways! :)
The last post (James 2:10-11) sums it up for me. All our sins require forgiveness, and our gracious Father in heaven just asks for repetance. We are blessed!
I find the verse from Hebrews kind of 'unsettling'. what exactly does 'fall away' mean? Maybe it is explained later in the passage and I am missing it. This sounds like God is forgiving 'most sins except the really big ones?" Hmm, I don't get it. I get uncomfortable around the topic of sin--not that we shouldn't be held accountable for our actions... but who are we to judge? Coming from a Catholic background where there are many 'rules' sometimes I think the focus is on the rule breaking rather than on God's love and forgiveness.
I agree with the last two posts...I think sin is sin and Jesus died for all of mine, my job is to confess and repent. In my humanity, I sometimes "rank" sins, usually those of another,to be worse than mine, always a bad idea...we are all a work in progress, not perfected, just forgivin!
Wow! This is so cool. Thanks for sharing your perspectives. I love hearing from you!
This passage scares me, because once many years ago I had a moment where I was touched by God, perhaps tasted the heavenly gift; shared in the Holy Spirit. I had been searching for churches with which to belong. At each church I prayed for a sign or a feeling to let me know where I belonged. And then one day it hit me big-time. During the homily I felt so awashed in Love and acceptance, I began to sob, not just cry but sob. I sobbed through the rest of Mass; I sobbed past the priest on the way out, trying to tell him how much I had been moved, unable to get the words out. Just smiling and sobbing (and ever so slightly embarrassed at my inexplicable behavior.)
Sometime after that I was talking to a priest friend of my father (a bit of a spiritual tune-up before my upcoming marriage). I told him of the experience and he said these kind of experiences are rare and I should take the time to listen to what God was trying to tell me. I never did. Blatently, I became deaf. All I wanted was to get married, raise a family and fit in. I was afraid if I listened, God would want more from me. I joined the parish, but never fully committed to it.
My question to you and your readers is this; Is this what the passage in the bible refered to? Am I without redemption?
But if we take the scripture wider, are we all not within our lives sharing in the heavenly Spirit; tasting the Heavenly Gift and the Goodness of the Word of God, every day, every week? Do we all not become deaf on a smaller level? We are just human, but aspiring. Would that mean that none of us redeemable? Or is the Power of Jesus strong enough to redeem even the weakest?
I do not know which way the answer lies. I like to think there is still hope for me.
I believe Sin is Sin. And all sin deserves God's judgment, but not all receive the same judgment. We face danger, in attempting to justify our sins by their size. Every sin will lead us to hell if we don't have the "grace and forgiveness" of God. Some sins simply bring harsher consequences than others and reveal a heart that is farther separated from God. There is only one sin that can not be forgiven "Blasphamy of the Spirit". That is the sin I believe you were quoting in your blog. Turning away from God or denying He exists separates us from Him completely. Therefore, denying us any salvation from ourselves or our sins.
The "New Testament Survey" acknowledges that the warnings in Hebrews "grow more severe and more climactic as the letter proceeds." The "New Testament Survey" says "the one who 'fell away' cannot be renewed to repentance." I read this to mean that if you completely toss aside the idea that there is a God, you don't have the option of redemption. But then you wouldn't care anyway.
I think God keeps knocking until He gets our full attention. What you experienced in that church was a sample of the peace, love, and acceptance that is ahead of you.
Please don't be scared.
Having once been a "cheeky church lady" but never quite fitting the mold, I am now a liberated ex-cheeky church lady with a lot of Bible teaching under my belt! What I could never swallow before, and still can't, is how a God who is all knowing, all powerful, all seeing, can be defined or interpreted by our finite human minds. It seems that every religious sect creates a dogma that promotes its particular agenda. Then, as circumstances change, so do the rules. If we begin and end with the premis that the RULER OF THE UNIVERSE IS LOVE, and leave the casting of stones to the final judgement (should there ever be such an unholy day)wouldn't we all be much better off?
When asked to summarize the law, Jesus talks about Love. (Matt 22:37-40) When John describes why God sent his Son in the first place he says, “For God so loved the world…” (John 3:16)
You are right, since the dawn of Christianity people have wrapped their own interpretations and agendas around this message.
I believe the Bible is incredibly complex and yet elegantly simple for a reason. So we keep seeking, keep asking, and keep talking about God.
He could have given us a book called “Five Easy Steps to Achieving Eternal Life.”
But He didn’t because He's so unfathomably smart. Instead He requires us seek Him in our own individual ways. He wants a relationship with each of His amazing and unique creations. So He designed living by faith to include a continual conversation.
I think God is pleased because we’re talking about Him. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Perhaps the reason that this passage makes some of us scared is because it is natural to question faith, and therefore, God's existence as a part of a normal human life. Think Mother Theresa.
I'm not worried about labeling it a "sin". Aren't such labels our human way to categorize and analyze? Questioning faith allows us to process our thoughts and either affirm our faith or keep up the questioning until our human brain and heart have been satisfied.
The question is: are we ever completely satisfied? This is the human condition. This is the daily struggle.
And I'm OK with that. I've turned myself over to a higher power who knows me with all my flaws, but who continually prods me to be a better person. And that is why I believe.
Beautiful! Thank you. You guys are brilliant! xo, Cheeks
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