A Label for Sin
Photo image courtesy Nancy C. Williams
“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” – 1 John 2:1 (NKJV)
Our family was on a trip abroad when we overheard a woman speaking in an unfamiliar dialect to friends. Her conversation was unintelligible to us until she distinctly spoke two words in English—“sin city.” It seems Las Vegas has inserted its reputation into multiple languages around the world.
Similarly, a town near us offers tourist t-shirts with a self-description as a “cesspool of sin.” How lovely. Even my hometown likes to be known for its legendary ties to 1920s mobsters.
Sin is a stylish label. But that’s nothing new. Almost a century ago, one of the top musicals on Broadway was titled “Anything Goes,” featuring a plot with gangsters disguised as a minister and missionary. And look at ancient Corinth, once known for political assassinations, worship of the love goddess Aphrodite, and a thousand temple prostitutes. It could easily have carried the “sin city” designation in its day.
Wherever unrighteous behavior becomes popular, culture not only identifies the sin as acceptable, it elevates immorality to the level of “preferable” and “cool.” God’s virtues become fodder for scoffing and are considered “uncool.” It’s the age-old ploy by Satan to swap evil for good and vice versa. The devil started it in the Garden of Eden when he introduced his treachery into the world.
The difference today is the huge change in communication. What was once well-hidden is now broadcast everywhere via the Internet. It’s hard to avoid being exposed to the wickedness thrown into your daily life.
Friends, we could easily be discouraged as Christians. How can we manage to stay firm when we’re drowning in temptations? What do we do when we fall prey to sin?
The apostle John gives us sound encouragement—we have an Advocate in Jesus Christ.
Our Savior is no stranger to temptation. Jesus faced iniquity and demonic attacks every moment on earth, yet He never sinned. When we crumble, He understands...and He is there to pick up the pieces.
Make no mistake. Sin always deceives, hiding behind a glittering façade of false promises. When we fall short of God’s standards, sin takes us further than we intended to go, keeps us longer than we intended to stay, and costs us more than we intended to pay. We are all depraved. And there are always consequences.
But if we trust in Christ’s powerful name and have placed our faith in Him, we can go to our Father and ask for forgiveness. Jesus joins us in the courtroom of justice and takes our place in the docket. He declares us “not guilty” because He has already paid the penalty for what we’ve done wrong.
Today, you and I will run a gauntlet of invitations to defy God’s commandments, from little lapses to big stuff. Yet we can run freely to Jesus for help and restoration. Because He claims us as His own, the “sin label” will never stick to us!
Questions for Reflection:
- How can we manage to stay firm when we’re drowning in temptations?
- What do we do when we fall prey to sin?
