October 9th, 2024
The Upward Look, By Jon Forrest
A Bad Word
There is a word, or title, that is perfectly biblical, but has been ruled completely unacceptable in our society today. It is a word that offends most, especially if it is used to describe them or their lives. The word brings on images that are so undesirable that even many pastors have ruled out its use.
The word is “Sinner.” Yes, to refer to someone as a sinner is to belittle him/her so much that rebellion and even retaliation often return. When we think of “Sinners,” we conjure up images of the worst of the worst; the lowlife’s of society; and the dregs and outcasts of life. In the time of Jesus “Sinners” were often looked at in such a way. Prostitutes, murderers, thieves, adulterers and drunks were people counted as “Sinners.” Also, hated, as “Sinners,” were the gentiles (non-Jewish folk), Samaritans (Jewish/Gentile half-breeds) and tax collectors (men who became wealthy on the backs of their own people, collecting taxes from their own people to give to their Roman captors.)
Today we might think of “Sinners” as junkies, terrorists, litterers, prejudiced, intolerant, and the like. But the truth is that a “Sinner” is actually anyone who has ever committed a sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The verses that follow in that text are not very complementary of “Sinners.”
For those of us who feel particularly “religious” this conjures up a problem. This problem is that of seeing ourselves as above “Sinners” in some fashion. We like to think of the other people out there doing really bad things as the “Sinners.”
But, we must come to grips with the fact that, when we think of “Sinners” we must also include ourselves. While this is disturbing, it is not without encouragement. The encouraging fact is that we are not alone in our “Sinnerhood.” (I know. I invented the word).
What’s worse is that the same guy who told us we are all “Sinners” tells us in the same book of the Bible that as “Sinners” we have earned a death sentence; spiritual capital punishment (Romans 6:23).
Dark picture painted; we could go into the depths of depression or we can look around and find a solution to our dilemma. The really great news is that God saw our problem and offered the perfect solution. We can allow God’s crucified Son to take our place as we crucify our old way of living with his death and embrace the new life that He achieved through His resurrection from the dead (Galatians 2:20). We can receive the free gift of eternal life that God promised us in the same verse where we were informed that “Sinners” deserve death.
In fact, we must know that Christ’s mission into this world was for the very purpose of seeking and saving “Sinners” like you and me (Luke 19:10). This means that, if we are Christians (Christ-ians, belonging to Christ), our primary mission in life should be to take on His. Are you doing your part?
Sunday we will look again at the wisdom of Solomon and share a message titled Discontented based on Proverbs 15:17, 16:8, 17:1 Come join the FCC family and me in this valuable look at the solution to a very human problem.
Just another “Sinner,”
Jon
A Bad Word
There is a word, or title, that is perfectly biblical, but has been ruled completely unacceptable in our society today. It is a word that offends most, especially if it is used to describe them or their lives. The word brings on images that are so undesirable that even many pastors have ruled out its use.
The word is “Sinner.” Yes, to refer to someone as a sinner is to belittle him/her so much that rebellion and even retaliation often return. When we think of “Sinners,” we conjure up images of the worst of the worst; the lowlife’s of society; and the dregs and outcasts of life. In the time of Jesus “Sinners” were often looked at in such a way. Prostitutes, murderers, thieves, adulterers and drunks were people counted as “Sinners.” Also, hated, as “Sinners,” were the gentiles (non-Jewish folk), Samaritans (Jewish/Gentile half-breeds) and tax collectors (men who became wealthy on the backs of their own people, collecting taxes from their own people to give to their Roman captors.)
Today we might think of “Sinners” as junkies, terrorists, litterers, prejudiced, intolerant, and the like. But the truth is that a “Sinner” is actually anyone who has ever committed a sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The verses that follow in that text are not very complementary of “Sinners.”
For those of us who feel particularly “religious” this conjures up a problem. This problem is that of seeing ourselves as above “Sinners” in some fashion. We like to think of the other people out there doing really bad things as the “Sinners.”
But, we must come to grips with the fact that, when we think of “Sinners” we must also include ourselves. While this is disturbing, it is not without encouragement. The encouraging fact is that we are not alone in our “Sinnerhood.” (I know. I invented the word).
What’s worse is that the same guy who told us we are all “Sinners” tells us in the same book of the Bible that as “Sinners” we have earned a death sentence; spiritual capital punishment (Romans 6:23).
Dark picture painted; we could go into the depths of depression or we can look around and find a solution to our dilemma. The really great news is that God saw our problem and offered the perfect solution. We can allow God’s crucified Son to take our place as we crucify our old way of living with his death and embrace the new life that He achieved through His resurrection from the dead (Galatians 2:20). We can receive the free gift of eternal life that God promised us in the same verse where we were informed that “Sinners” deserve death.
In fact, we must know that Christ’s mission into this world was for the very purpose of seeking and saving “Sinners” like you and me (Luke 19:10). This means that, if we are Christians (Christ-ians, belonging to Christ), our primary mission in life should be to take on His. Are you doing your part?
Sunday we will look again at the wisdom of Solomon and share a message titled Discontented based on Proverbs 15:17, 16:8, 17:1 Come join the FCC family and me in this valuable look at the solution to a very human problem.
Just another “Sinner,”
Jon
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