In our world today, we often "rank" sins. We rank them from "not so bad" to unspeakably horrible and everything in between. The truth is, however, that God does not view sin in categories like we do. You see, all sin breaks His heart because it all separates us from Him, and it requires the precious blood of Jesus Christ to rescue us.
The apostle Paul explains the severity of sin in Romans 6. In this chapter, Paul explained that if we have placed our faith in Christ, we do not have to be mastered by sin anymore. Jesus rescued us from sin and death through His resurrection on the cross. As He writes about this freedom, he does not mince words about the consequences of sin. He writes, "The wages of sin is death" (verse 23). The price owed for all sin, from the little white lie to the greatest sin we could imagine, is death. All sin is significant. In fact, it results in death every single time. Praise God, however, that He did not leave us lost in sin. He sent Jesus to come to earth, live a perfect life, die on the cross, and rise from the dead to conquer sin and death. That is why Paul continues in Romans 6:23, "The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." Yes, sin requires death, but Jesus paid the price that sin requires by dying on the cross. He gave His very life so that we did not have to face a life apart from Him.
Make no mistake, my friend. Sin is costly. It is so costly that it cost Jesus His life. It cost Him excruciating pain and torment as He died on the cross to rescue the world from sin. Because of this, none of your sins and none of my sins are "not so bad." They all cost Jesus His very life. May we understand just how weighty our sins are and just how precious Jesus' sacrifice on behalf of our sins is.
IIt is time to take sin seriously. Is there a sin in your life you have ignored because it did not seem like a big problem? Bring it to God today. Tell Him about the sin, repent from it, and commit to living differently. Ask someone whom you trust to help you let go of that sin to live a life that pleases and honors Him.
1Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
