What is Sin?

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. I John 3:4 ESV

I have great respect for the law.  Not just GOD’s law but the agreed-upon rules set forth by society.  If we are to live with together then we need guidelines on how to act and how to treat one another.  We chose to live in society and getting along with others in a civilized manner is essential.

But lately I look around and see the rules in society as a bludgeoning tool—one where the savviest can get away with more and the less knowledgeable one is punished and kept down.

I shouldn’t be surprised.  It wasn’t much different in JESUS’s day.  The religious leaders of the time knew the ins and outs of their created laws in order to be “more righteous” than the regular person. 

And in the hearing of all the people HE [JESUS] said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widow’s houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  They will receive the greater condemnation.”  Luke 20:45-47 ESV

The scribes were religious lawyers.  They knew the law.  And they knew the best way to make the law work for them.  Instead of helping others, the ones who needed help, they helped themselves.  Praying in public while lining their pockets with gain from the most needy--widows.  Once again, I find that bludgeoning tool used to knock down.  Instead of using their knowledge for good and helping the ones who needed it the most, they increased their wealth.  And they have a greater condemnation from above.

 
LORD I pray we practice true religion.  I pray we are on the side of widows and orphans.  I pray we use our knowledge to help, not to devour.  I pray we help widows and orphans in their time of need and we keep ourselves unstained from the world.