Sin Happens

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1)

O.J. Simpson is in a heap of trouble right now. The Goldman family is crowing that he’s now reaping his just desserts. Some commentators suggest it’s another framing. Most people are just tired of “O.J.” Meanwhile the lawyers hover like vultures. After all, what happens in Vegas sometimes doesn’t stay in Vegas.

The truth is everybody gets into trouble from time to time. I’ve never been charged with any crime and outside of a recent traffic ticket (my first in nearly 30 years of driving), I’m pretty unfamiliar with the legal system. But that doesn’t mean I’m always good. No, in fact, I recognize evil can easily swallow me. Sin is like any type of trouble. Sometimes we’re a victim. We’re blindsided. We’re victims of theft. Someone hurts us real good. But then there are those times when we cause the pain or create the problem. Our intentional actions, based upon faulty choices and personal pride, dig a rather large hole. We’re in the wrong and we know it. Maybe it’s office gossip where a co-worker is unfairly framed. Maybe our procrastination invokes a moment of road rage and a wreck results. Or maybe we’ve intentionally chosen to view, hear, read or ingest questionable material.

It doesn’t matter how we find trouble—whether by accident or incident—we all find it eventually. We all sin. We all fail. We all have a crash and burn. Fortunately, as John reminds us, we do have One greater than anything in this world (that resides within us) to keep us from sin. The Holy Spirit is a powerful inner Conscience who clearly communicates the danger we about to enter and then, if we fail and fall into sin, He also convicts us to make a change. We do not have to sin. We sin because we choose.

The good news is we have the best Lawyer on our case. No matter the trouble, trial or temptation, Jesus Christ stands before the Father to plead on our behalf. He defends us against accusation and argues for our forgiveness. It’s the one distinction that makes Christianity unique. When we fail, we can’t work our way back into God’s “good graces.” Rather we fall further into God’s Good Grace with a sorrowful heart that’s ready to change.

Yes, sin happens. So can forgiveness. Just think “O.J.”

Only Jesus.



NOTABLE QUOTABLES ON SIN:

The beginning of atonement is the sense of its necessity. --Lord Byron

It is impossible for a man to be freed from the habit of sin before he hates it, just as it is impossible to receive forgiveness before confessing his trespasses... –Ignatius

We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin. --CS Lewis

Self is the root, the tree, and the branches of all the evils of our fallen state. --William Law

In short, a man must be set free from the sin he is , which makes him do the sin he does. --George MacDonald


Father, we know that we can’t handle sin on our own. And we recognize that life’s highway is full of potholes, fender benders and sometimes fiery crashes. Forgive our pride in thinking “it won’t happen to us.” Grant us the ability to forgive those who sin against us just as You forgive the sin we commit against You and others. Thank you, Jesus, for saving us from ourselves. Thank you for being our Advocate and Spiritual Legal Counsel. Finally, Holy Spirit, thank You for guiding and guarding, providing and protecting us from the Evil One and the traps he sets to destroy us. Amen.