The Nature of Sin

Over the past few days I have been reading Oswald Chambers devotionals on the Nature of Sin, Redemption and Reconciliation and there is such a richness about this, I couldn't help but write about what I am reading. Forgive me if I have said any of these things before. This is a new spiritual year for us and I think it is good to remember the foundational things of God in our lives. Our salvation hinges upon the things he writes about here.

I think it is important to understand what the "Nature of Sin" is. We have to come to terms with where we are at in our agreement with God. Sometime, somewhere, there is a time for us to examine ourselves and see where we stand with God. Whether you have done that recently or sometime in the past, it must be done. There is a day of judgment and you will be required to account for your words and deeds.

Everything we do is based upon the one point of whether we are in agreement with God or not. Either God is the creator of our life and we submit ourselves to His control or we don't. That decision and the living out of that decision determines our destiny. It is a decision that confronts us every day, several times a day. We are in perpetual motion towards that day of reckoning with God. It is inevitable that we will arrive at that time and place. No one can escape this place in time.

So there are some things we need to understand. One of them is what is the "Nature of Sin". What makes me do what I do? Why do I sin? What can I do about it?

Three days ago Oswald's devotional talked about the origin of that "Nature of Sin" and it was plain to see that we can be easily deceived into thinking we are the gods of our own lives and the destruction which follows after. We tend to live our lives without thought of what we are doing, as it pertains to the whole picture of God, and who He is. We get up; go to work, start our day and live our lives based upon what we were taught to do. We barely think about the things we habitually do each day. Our lives are filled up with what we want to do and most often that does not contain the mind of God. It contains our mind, our will and our abilities to decide things for ourselves.

However, that thinking and habit  is the "Nature of Sin".

Oswald says that the "Nature of Sin" is "my claim to my right to myself" and that the attitude of “I am my own god” is what separates me from a relationship with God. I desperately need a saving relationship with God. I am condemned when I refuse to be in reality and see God, recognize that He is Lord of my life and try to hide from all that is revealed by Him. We call a right relationship with God "walking in the light" because He is the light of the world. He says, "Condemnation comes when I realize that Jesus Christ came to deliver me from this heredity of sin, and yet I refuse to let Him do so".


In order for me to be saved from this "Nature of Sin" I inherited, I have to be redeemed. I cannot redeem myself. I can't work my way out of it because I have no control over it. I can try to fight it, grit my teeth and be as good as I can, but it will never be good enough to redeem myself. Even if I could, it would eliminate the need for God and especially Jesus Christ. His whole existence would be nothing but a waste of time if I were able to redeem and save myself. 


No, there is no getting around the fact that there is a "Nature of Sin" in which I "... had no say or decision; I am not holy, nor am I likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me that I must be holy, His teaching only causes me to despair." He must do a work in me of redemption. He is the only One who can replace that "Nature of Sin" with "His Nature". I must agree with God that the "Nature of Sin" has been judged and dealt with on the cross. 


Once I am reconciled to the fact that I cannot change the "Nature of Sin", I can then agree with God that it must be redeemed in me. I can then see my need for reconciliation and redemption. Unless there is that need burning within me, I am not able to be redeemed. A hopelessness of changing on my own must come to light. I must be able to see, in the light of God bringing me to reality, that I am desperately lost and in need of His very life. His life, the very essence of God himself, must replace that "Nature of Sin". It is my act of obedience to believe, trust and hold on to the reality of redemption working life in me through faith in Jesus Christ. The life he possesses becomes the redeeming power, I need, to change me into a new creation. (Romans 5:12-19)
Redemption means that I can be delivered from the "Nature of Sin". Through Jesus Christ I can receive a pure and spotless heredity, namely, the Holy Spirit.


It is a wrong relationship that condemns us and keeps us in sin. It is our "deliberate and determined independence from God" that keeps us trapped in the nature of sin. That relationship is what Jesus dealt with when He walked this earth. It was the "Nature of Sin" He looked at and said repent and follow Me. Repentance was the key to redeeming the relationship and being reconciled to God. It was through Jesus Christ that reconciliation was completed.


The power of the Christian gospel is weak in that we forget that the "Nature of Sin" must be dealt with and not just sinful actions or deeds. Sinful actions and deeds are the result of having a "Nature of Sin". Jesus identified Himself with us and the "Nature of Sin" in order to redeem the entire human race. He completed the work that He was sent to do on the cross and took with Him the "Nature of Sin" to death. The "Nature of Sin" died with Him on the cross. We were set free from that nature and given the opportunity to receive a new nature. That nature of Life through the work of Jesus Christ as the sole basis of our redemption.


We can now experience reconciliation with God and become one with Him. A place in our spirit had to be emptied for us to receive such a reconciliation. The "Nature of Sin" filled it before but now it can be filled with the Life of God. We can receive grace to live the life of Christ and be holy. What an awesome work! What an awesome God! 


What is your response to all that? Can you believe that and receive that new nature of God? Or will you dismiss it and choose to remain in control of your life? Either way you have a decision to make. Every day when you wake up you have to decide what you will do with that fact. You can flee evil and follow Christ or you can flee from God and follow your own opinions and thoughts. Each one has it's own reward. Each one is available for you to choose. The choice is yours. Life or Death.


And so you don't deceive yourself into thinking that you have all the time in the world to make that decision, consider that while you are in the process of deciding to choose God and Life you are living in the decision and choice of the "Nature of Sin" and Death. Just saying . . .