Weekly Newsletter

Pastor David’s Weekly Devotional
      The cross of Christ is forever a symbol of God’s opinion of and perspective on sin.  As we look to the graphic horrors of the cross, we can see a glimpse of the true horror of sin.  The pain Jesus suffered from the hands of wicked men and the agony that He endured from the hand of God’s wrath reveal to us just how gravely serious God views sin.  When we truly comprehend the punishment that Christ endured and the death He died on the cross we are forced to rightly conclude that the crimes committed must have been incredibly heinous and serious to deserve that degree of punishment.

      Sin can be simply defined as “missing the mark.”  That is, whenever a person fails to do what God has commanded them to do, or does what God has commanded them not to do, they have missed the mark of God’s perfect righteousness.  Sin is failing to live according to God’s perfectly holy standard of righteousness in our thoughts, words or actions.  More profoundly, however, sin is rebelling against the very nature and character of God.  It is spitting in the face of His holiness and declaring war against His sovereign deity.  Sin is cosmic treason against God.   In effect, the sinner has arrogantly turned their back on God and has rejected the only one who can save them.  Unrepentant sin is a declaration of war against your Savior and Redeemer – Jesus Christ – who is your only hope of salvation.

      It is imperative that we call sin for what it is – sin – and not try to “re-label” it as something else (e.g. innocent fun, harmless amusement, cultural freedoms, etc.).  When we try to make sin more innocuous or less heinous we only make it more dangerous and more deadly.  Therefore, the only wise action is to discover what the Bible says about sin and respond accordingly.

      On the cross, one thief understood, to whatever degree, that God will justly and fully punish all sinners.  Suddenly, the fear of God overwhelmed him like a crashing wave of the ocean, and he realized that his sin was worthy of divine punishment and judgment: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren't you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!’  But the other criminal rebuked him.  ‘Don't you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence?’” (Lk.23:39-40).

      Today many characterize God as a kindly old grandfather who used to be an uptight and oppressive disciplinarian, but now permissively tolerates sin and only desires to give “candy” to all people.  Truly, nothing could be further from the truth.  For God’s nature and character never changes (Mal.3:6; Jms.1:17).  He has never been impatient or oppressive, and His love of holiness and hatred of sin will never change (1Jn.3:4-6).  Sin always has been, and will forever be, an unholy response and damnable offense to God – fully deserving His eternal wrath and punishment.

      The Bible cautions us not to mistake God’s patience for His pardon (2Pet.3:9).  The sentence of condemnation and eternal death hangs over every unrepentant sinner.  If they should die, or the Lord should return, before they repent of their sinful life and receive Christ as their Savior they will surely face the eternal judgment and wrath of God.  On the cross, Christ paid the full penalty of the sins of all who would ever believe.  He died the death we deserve to die.  He bore the wrath we deserve to bear.  He was punished for sins that we committed.  The consequence of our sins is eternal death, but the gift of God through Christ is eternal life (Rom.6:23).

Together in and for Christ,
Pastor David

Scripture Readings for the Week (Monday – Sunday ~ Week #35):
Numbers 9-12; 1Chronicles 15-19; Psalms 102-104; Proverbs 20-21; Hosea 8-14; John 10-12; 2Timothy 1-2
Recommended Reading:
“The Mortification of Sin” by John Owen