This past Sunday my pastor said somthing that really got my attention. He mentioned that he had heard this from one of his mentors, "Sin is ignoring what is right." This brings up the question, what is right and wrong?
I bring two passages to you hoping to clarify what right and wrong is on a little less general scale. The first is James 4:17, it reads, "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.".....WOW!!
To know what you ought to do and not do it. How many times have we let somthing slip that we knew we should have done or at least tried to do? Have you ever had a friend do somthing that you knew was wrong, but did nothing to stop them? And then what they did had a negative impact in their life. Have you ever told yourself that you were going to change and keep your sights on God, and then right after you said it, you looked back at everything that you were leaving behind?
I think that the key word in this verse is "ought." We "ought" to keep our sights on God and His word. James tells us in this verse that it is a sin "not" to do something. That may sound funny to some people. Isn't sin doing something wrong? Well in turn, not doing something when you know you should is a sin as well.
The second passage I bring to you is Hebrews 10:26, it reads, "Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sining after we have recieved knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins."
So here, we know that we are sinning, yet we continue to sin. The "truth" that the author was talking about was Jesus (John 14:6). Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins. We as Christians should have repented of our sins and turned away from that sinful nature. But how much worse is it when we know we are sinning and continue to do it? This can range from using profanity, having pre-marital sex, or just being greedy. The text tells us that if we reject Jesus, there is no way you can be saved, for Jesus gave his life so that we could live (John 3:16).
Again, how do we know what is right and wrong? In the Bible we have to remember at certain points in time and in certain areas of the world, the teachings of Jesus could not reach everyone. So how could those people be saved? Well the sense of right and wrong must have been instilled in them somehow. I believe that God gave us the sense of right and wrong. It is the choices we make to do right and wrong or what we ought and ought not to do that will make us better Christians.
Think about what is going on in your life today. Are you doing the things that you "ought" to do in order to stay close to Jesus? Recal our first text, it is just as much a sin if we do nothing than if we do someting that we know is wrong.
Remember, its not that we know whats right from wrong, because we should all have some theory, but its our actions when we get put into situations where you know somthing is wrong.
Pray for patience and guidence to do all the right things. God Bless!
I've created this to help myself and any readers through everyday life. There is one power that helps us every minute of the day, God. Through these simple posts I plan to encourage and inspire people through the word of God. By using normal everyday occurences, we will be able to see what the world thinks is correct and what the Bible says we should live by. This is not a blog to tell you how to live your life, this is just a help if you choose to use it.
About Me
- Patrick Diaz
- San Diego, California
- Just a young guy living his life the best way I can. Praying for strength and guidance. I am a very busy person, but can never pass an opportunity to stop and smell the roses.
1 comment:
"And I am reminded, on this holy day, of the sad story of Kitty Genovese. As you all may remember, a long time ago, almost thirty years ago, this poor soul cried out for help time and time again, but no person answered her calls. Though many saw, no one so much as called the police. They all just watched as Kitty was being stabbed to death in broad daylight. They watched as her assailant walked away. Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men."
Your passage reminded me of this scene and concept of the movie "Boondock Saints". I think it is more of a sin to know what is right (in God's eyes or not) and to do the wrong thing especially when it effects others. Be an unforgettable stranger. And enjoy your karma.... you have earned it.
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