Terry wrote: > It seems to me that many things can > be sins without being crimes. > Abortion and self righteousness and > coveting are not even misdemeanors, > but they are terrible sins.
I agree that man often excuses many things that are sins. Nevertheless, I think of a sin as being a crime in the eyes of God. With regard to how fast one goes on a highway, I think what constitutes a sin is what is an unsafe speed in the eyes of God. Men have frailty in being able to judge such matters, in measuring speed, and in keeping themselves within a speed that they are trying to keep within. Therefore, I don't think one can conclude that if someone goes 36 in a 35 zone, that he has automatically offended God and will be damned to hell except for the blood of Christ. This truly seems ridiculous to me, and I'm amazed that the concept is being defended. Sin is serious. The wages of sin is death. I do not see ACCIDENTALLY slipping a mile or two over a man-made speed limit as something which causes God to send a person to eternal damnation except he repent and believe upon Jesus Christ. On the other hand, I do see drunkenness, fornication, adultery, stealing, murder, covetousness, idolatry, taking the Lord's name in vain, etc. all in this category that causes God to send you to eternal damnation, save for repentance, faith, and the blood of Jesus Christ. Terry wrote: > When God said obey the government, He did not put > in an exception for the small stuff. If the government > says to do something, and you do not do something, you > sin, not because it is a crime, but because God has given > them the authority to regulate your behavior, and He has > given them the authority to change the law, including speed > limits, as they see fit. According to what you just said, thousands of people sin when they assemble in homes for church or prayer meetings because the zoning laws of most large cities prohibit such activity. I certainly agree that we need to submit unto the governments that be, but we don't necessarily sin just because we violate some law that they created. Daniel didn't sin when he prayed three times a day just because the law of men made said that he should not do it. I violated laws of men in Tampa that said that I could not preach or hand out tracts downtown, but I did not sin. I violated laws of men when I fed and clothed the hungry and naked in a downtown park, but I did not sin. In fact, I think it would have been sin for me not to have violated those laws of men. Terry wrote: > Now that you know that, you have to watch that speedometer, > or end up a dirty old sinner like Slade and Perry, and Izzy > and me. :-) LOL. I love your sense of humor, Terry. I hope you understand that I believe in observing traffic laws. We were talking about the possibility for someone to slip over the speed limit accidentally. Would that be a sin? I agree with everyone that human frailty makes this a possibility, but I see this the same as if I dropped my car keys by mistake. I do not see the moral crime in this mistake. I do not consider it a sin. I suspect that even if a policeman watched you slip over the speed limit by a few mph, and then slip back to the speed limit again, that he would not stop you and give you a ticket. The thing is, I do not believe in "sin consciousness." If you read the book of Hebrews, it teaches us that Christ came to make us perfect in our conscience. In other words, the unique work of Christ in the New Covenant is to make us feel as if we are not sinners, and to make us feel even as if we never were sinners. Consider the following passages: Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that COULD NOT MAKE him that did the service PERFECT, AS PERTAINING TO THE CONSCIENCE; ... Heb 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE from dead works to serve the living God? ... Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, CAN NEVER with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually MAKE THE COMERS THEREUNTO PERFECT. Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshipers ONCE PURGED SHOULD HAVE NO MORE CONSCIENCE OF SINS. Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. ... Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, WHICH CAN NEVER TAKE AWAY SINS: Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. Heb 10:14 For by one offering HE HATH PERFECTED FOREVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED. Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; Heb 10:17 And THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE. Heb 10:18 Now WHERE REMISSION OF THESE IS, THERE IS NO MORE OFFERING FOR SIN. Heb 10:19 HAVING therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS TO ENTER INTO THE HOLIEST by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; Heb 10:21 And having a high priest over the house of God; Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE, and our bodies washed with pure water. So the point here is that Jesus came to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Much of Christianity has reversed this theology and reverted back to the law. They teach men that everyone sins and they want to create a remembrance of sin in Christians. For example, in Roman Catholicism, they have recreated a priesthood similar to the Aaronic priesthood, a priesthood which was meant to cause people to remember their sins continually. The strength of sin is the law, and so the Word of God is taught just like the law was taught, to make people feel inferior and unable to approach God. Hence, the priests begin to act as intermediaries for them to approach God. We see this in rituals of the Lord's Supper administered by priests, confessions to priests, priests being the only ones to baptize others and teach the Word of God, etc. In Protestant circles, there are some differences, but still that clergy / priesthood system which is contrary to the New Covenant ideology of a priesthood of all believers is fractured by the remnants of Roman Catholicism found in their traditions. One way in which Christianity has succeeded in bringing back "sin consciousness" is by calling many things sin which are not sin. If a man is tempted, they call that sin. If a man is weak or frail in some way, again, that is called sin. They convince men that they can never measure up to God, and, thereby, they destroy faith and the work of Christ in their life. When men accept this kind of thinking, then they continue in truly sinful acts because they do not recognize the deliverance from sin that is found in Jesus Christ. The strength of sin is the law, so when men are kept in mind that they are sinners, when they continually remember their past sins, they have no hope of ever being free of sin. Men must be freed from the law and come into a New Covenant relationship with Christ where there is no remembrance of sin in order for them to be set free from sin. Peace be with you. David Miller, Beverly Hills, Florida. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
