Did I Say That?

Have you ever said something you haven’t thought of yet?

Have you ever done something you haven’t thought of yet?

You know what I mean. There you are just walking along living life and out of no where you say or do something that if you had thought about before hand you never would have done.

Not too long ago I was taking a class on the Prison Epistles at my church and we were studying different Pauline themes. One such theme was how the church is often referred to as a family. The teacher posed the question “what kind of attributes would you ascribe to a family?” Now given the fact that I have been serving in a counseling ministry for several years prior to this class and my own family history, I thought in my head without hesitation “dysfunction”. Much to my horror, the instructor turns to me and asked with eyebrows raised; “really Arlene, dysfunction?” As it turned out, it wasn’t just a thought in my head; it was a thought that I had given volume. Cue back peddling please. You can only imagine my embarrassment.

It wasn’t until several days later that I realized how stupid that remark was and the critical and bitter spirit it brought to that room. I started to wonder if I would ever get a handle over my mouth. I had no earthly intention on bringing that kind of negativity to that class but it just came out. What was wrong with me? I spiritually beat myself relentlessly and purposed to be more careful in the future.

We often hear the phrase in Christian circles “sin is sin”. While in the grand scope of things, this is true, Christ paid for all sin once and for all on the cross, I fear we miss out on the absolute measure of God’s love and grace when we adopt that mindset.

In scripture we see several different kinds of sin. We need go no further then Psalm 51 to search them out.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (v1-2 emphasis mine)

In these two short verses we see three kinds of sin mentioned. Let’s look at the general word for sin first. This word is most often used and it means basically missing the mark. This is where you set out to do things right but you kind of just miss it. It is like that acquaintance you have that just annoys you and you desperately want to get along with them. You try so hard to be kind but they just say that one thing that sends you over the edge and blah! You blurt out something that you know you shouldn’t. You have missed the mark. You tried but you just missed it.

Secondly, there is transgression. This could be defined as a willful deviation from righteousness. You might call it premeditated sin. You planned to do it. Let’s take the same scenario. There you are with that person again, only this time you have arrived with verbal ammunition. Your reaction to how this person acts is going to be on purpose. They do that thing again that sets you off and you just let them have it. You don’t hold back but let them know exactly what you think. You came prepared.

Thirdly, there is iniquity. This is defined as perversity or evil. Now this is more like you showing up at this same person’s house only not with just verbal ammunition but with the real deal, a loaded glock. They step over that line just once and bam!!!! It is over.

Why am I pointing out the distinctions between these words and there meanings; because Christ paid the penalty for all of these sins. That is where the popular phrase came about that all "sin is sin". But there is something even more amazing that I discovered about our sin.

“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.”
Psalm 19:12

Did you know that we have hidden sins? Do you know that we have sin that we don’t even know about? Have you ever said something that you hadn’t thought of yet? Have you ever done something that you just didn’t mean to do? It was the furthest thing from you mind. I want to encourage you today that God already knows about it and He has made provision for it.

“If a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands, even thought he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible. He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the wrong has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.” Lev 5:17-18 (emphasis mine)

Did you know that in the Old Testament, God made an allowance for unintentional sin? Did you know that Christ died to pay the penalty for all your sin? Whether it be the kind of sin that misses the mark, or comes about through premeditation, is blatantly evil or just plain old unintentional. Jesus has it covered. Can you accept that God is so determined to love you and to have a relationship with you that He has provided a way to cover anything that might separate you from Him? Do you live in that reality? Do you live in that kind of love that the Father has for you?

Old Testament scripture describes the covenant of love that God has for us. One of the definitions in the Hebrew for the word covenant is determination. God is determined to love us. He has designed a means to keep the way clear so that we can come to Him and He to us. He did this by sending His son to be that atoning sacrifice.

So the next time you sin and do something that you hadn’t thought of yet, know that God already knew that you were going to do it before you did and receive His grace and forgiveness. Open up your heart and allowed it to be filled with His covenant determined love for you and bask in His glorious goodness.

“But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God….because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”
Hebrews 10:12&14