by Keith Gardner

Can I tell you something about sin? This may be new information to you, then again maybe not. We are steeped in it. We are covered from our head to our toes and all in between. All too often we see ourselves as good. We think we are winning the righteousness game when in reality we are not. I know what you are thinking; “but what about forgiveness? Aren’t I forgiven?” Here’s the thing, our definition of sin is too narrow. We usually define sin as a deliberate and rebellious act in opposition to some predefined rules of wrongness. You know what I mean; the Ten Commandments and the like. While that is sin, sin goes much deeper and broader. We walk around with wrong ideas and attitudes all the time. Some of our longest held beliefs of right behavior are really unrevealed sin; we just don’t know it yet.

Our sinfulness lies in the fact that we do not measure up to the righteousness and holiness of God. Righteousness is imputed to us by the goodness and grace of God (Rom. 4:23-24). While that righteousness is transformative and everlasting we still get covered in sin just by living. There is also the revealed sin; those things we are taught as we mature. I believe I am living a “good” life until the Holy Spirit reveals to me my error. That “new” sin needs forgiveness too. Only it’s not really new, it has been there all along. So there is the deliberate sin, the unknown sin, and the newly revealed sin. How can a man be free from so much?

 “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” -1 John 1:8-10

Here’s the amazing truth about God’s grace. First, don’t get fooled into thinking you are without sin. If you have such a foolish thought then you have deceived yourself…you have sinned! As a Christian, when we confess some deliberate act of rebellion, or God reveals another aspect of His holiness and we confess our newly discovered sin; God forgives us. At the same time, in His goodness and mercy, He forgives us for those unknown sins too (we are purified from all unrighteousness).

Also notice, the forgiveness is not based on some religious posture, some action to exhibited repentance, or some visible measure of repentance. God doesn’t look down at us and say; “You don’t look sad enough, forgiveness is not available for you today.” No, the scripture is clear our only necessary response to our sin is the act of confession; being honest with ourselves and God. God does the rest.