Who Defines Sin? - Part Two
Last year, Chris Satullo of the New York Times tried to pour cold water on the patriotic celebration of the Fourth of July because according to him, the nation had "sinned" in not protesting the keeping of political prisoners at Guantanamo, prisoners who were suspected of terrorism and were being detained as enemy combatants. He was elevating a controversial political issue into a spiritual category in order to lend it some validity.
Recently, congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts objected to Barack Obama's invitation of Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama's Presidential inauguration because Rick Warren had compared homosexuality with incest. The gay Congressman believes that homosexuality is not as despicable as incest, and should therefore not be on the same category. Homosexuality is now "respectable" while incest is not.
Who has the right to define sin? Is it those who have political power? In a few decades, pedophiles may gain political power and support from the justice system, and their behavior may no longer be regarded as sexual abuse of children, but may become "respectable" just as homosexuality is today. The same goes with incest. Divorce was once rare. Now adultery and divorce are status symbols, especially in Hollywood.
All of us strive for a measure of "respectability" which is often based on a comparison with other people. However, before God, nobody is righteous; nobody is "respectable". It is difficult for us to accept that not a single iota of personal righteousness or "respectability" will make us acceptable before God. The "straight" is not more acceptable to God than the "gay" on the basis of sexual preference, nor is the "gay" more acceptable to God than the incestuous on the same basis. The single person or the one who has never been divorced does not have an advantage before God over the one who has been divorced.
If anyone has the right to define sin, it is God because he is the author and creator of man and woman, just as an author has the copyright to his literary work and no one may infringe that right. God has delegated His authority to His Son, Jesus Christ, the sinless man, the GodMan. Jesus Christ extends forgiveness to all who would submit to God's authority to define sin, who admit that all have sinned, and who would accept the total and complete forgiveness offered by Christ, a forgiveness paid for on the cross.
It is not political power that defines or redefines sin. Sin is sin because it is a violation of God's rights over His creation. Jesus Christ is God's judgment on sin. Jesus Christ is also God's salvation from sin. It is Jesus Christ who led convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to salvation. Yes, there is no sin beyond the reach of God's love in Jesus Christ. And we need the humility to admit that before God, we who have never been convicted of any crime are as much in need of forgiveness in Christ as Jeffrey Dahmer, no matter how "respectable" our personal sins may be.
Recently, congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts objected to Barack Obama's invitation of Pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at Obama's Presidential inauguration because Rick Warren had compared homosexuality with incest. The gay Congressman believes that homosexuality is not as despicable as incest, and should therefore not be on the same category. Homosexuality is now "respectable" while incest is not.
Who has the right to define sin? Is it those who have political power? In a few decades, pedophiles may gain political power and support from the justice system, and their behavior may no longer be regarded as sexual abuse of children, but may become "respectable" just as homosexuality is today. The same goes with incest. Divorce was once rare. Now adultery and divorce are status symbols, especially in Hollywood.
All of us strive for a measure of "respectability" which is often based on a comparison with other people. However, before God, nobody is righteous; nobody is "respectable". It is difficult for us to accept that not a single iota of personal righteousness or "respectability" will make us acceptable before God. The "straight" is not more acceptable to God than the "gay" on the basis of sexual preference, nor is the "gay" more acceptable to God than the incestuous on the same basis. The single person or the one who has never been divorced does not have an advantage before God over the one who has been divorced.
If anyone has the right to define sin, it is God because he is the author and creator of man and woman, just as an author has the copyright to his literary work and no one may infringe that right. God has delegated His authority to His Son, Jesus Christ, the sinless man, the GodMan. Jesus Christ extends forgiveness to all who would submit to God's authority to define sin, who admit that all have sinned, and who would accept the total and complete forgiveness offered by Christ, a forgiveness paid for on the cross.
It is not political power that defines or redefines sin. Sin is sin because it is a violation of God's rights over His creation. Jesus Christ is God's judgment on sin. Jesus Christ is also God's salvation from sin. It is Jesus Christ who led convicted serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer to salvation. Yes, there is no sin beyond the reach of God's love in Jesus Christ. And we need the humility to admit that before God, we who have never been convicted of any crime are as much in need of forgiveness in Christ as Jeffrey Dahmer, no matter how "respectable" our personal sins may be.
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