30 Mar 06 114373106765029835

So here is where this entire discussion turns personal. Is the rebellion in my heart better than the rebellion in the heart of another? Is the sin of another worse than my sin?

The theoretical answer, of course, is no. Sin is sin. Rebellion is rebellion, in whatever form it is expressed. But deep down, in the dark crevices of my own heart, the seed thought grows that some sins are worse than others.

Are sexual sins worse than lying? Is murder worse that not respecting my parents? Is idolatry worse than stealing? Is covetousness worse than gossip?

Again the answer is no. But is it not true that we make distinctions? “Can you believe what he did?” “You won’t believe what she did?” “It was just a little lie, it’s not like anyone got hurt?”

My dad had a good thought in a sermon of his I recently read. He said: “Sin in its deepest sense is not merely breaking of God’s commandments, but the breaking of God’s heart.” So yes someone (God) is always hurt by our sin (no matter the sin).

Even as I wrestle with these ideas I must go a step further. I’ve been a believer in Jesus Christ all my life. I can’t remember a time when I did not believe in Jesus. Growing up with believing parents, missionaries none the less, you tend to have blurred lines between believing and not believing.

Because I did not live a life of open rebellion before accepting Jesus as my Savior it was hard to make a distinction between “my old life” and “my new life.” But this, understand, did not make “my old life” any better than “the old life” of anyone else. Sure, the rebellion of some was out in the open for all to see. My rebellion (my sin) was simply neatly camouflaged. There is no such thing as the lesser of evils when it comes to sin.

The whole point of the indwelling Spirit of God living within is to defeat the darkness. The Holy Spirit lives in me to wipe out the rebellion in whatever form it may manifest. I’m losing the battle when I keep supplying the rebellion with the ammunition and reinforcements necessary to resist the leading of the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul said it this way: (Even if you are familiar with this passage it’s worth your time to read through it again)

Galatians 5:19-23 (NCV) The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom. But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.

Please don’t miss this next part:

Galatians 5:24-26 (NCV) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other.

Ultimately it is an issue of belonging. Who owns me?

I am making the effort to see all people as God sees them. Broken people in need of a Savior. The best work I see the Holy Spirit doing in my life lately is stamping out the rebellion of self-righteous judgment.

So I truly resonate with these words by Keith Green:

My eyes are dry
My faith is old
My heart is hard
My prayers are cold
And I know how I ought to be
Alive to You and dead to me

But what can be done
For an old heart like mine
Soften it up
With oil and wine
The oil is You, Your Spirit of love
Please wash me anew
With the wine of Your Blood