Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia
Date:         Thu, 3 Sep 1992 20:37:13 MST
From:         Madge McBurney <ISPMOM@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Subject:      Me and sin - some thoughts

Steven has been very busy at his job with the task of moving from one
office to another, and with setting up system software.  This has not
prevented him from writing one of the more insightful posts that I've
seen in quite some time....I highly recommend the following.  --Madge
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
From the desk of Steven Klepzig

Me and sin - some thoughts:

Eccles 11:5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is
          formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of
          God, the Maker of all things.
Job 37:5  God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond
          our understanding.
1 Cor 2:7-10
          No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden
          and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the
          rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not
          have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written: "No
          eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has
          prepared for those who love him"-- but God has revealed it to us by
          his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of
          God.
1 Cor 13:12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall
          see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even
          as I am fully known.

There's a saying that goes something like "the more I learn, the more I found
out how much I don't know".  This is so true for me.  I am continually
finding out how much I don't know by learning something else.  My pastor is
fond of saying "I used to know more than I do now", I am finding out just how
right he is in saying that.

It seems clear to me that these scriptures are telling me the same thing,
also, the last few chapters of Job are quite educational reading for me.
There is so much that I don't know, so much about God and His ways that are
hidden to me, mysteries.  Thankfully, God knows it all and someday I'll be
able to see it all as well.  I won't be looking at the poor reflections in
the mirror ("through a glass darkly"), I'll have the blinders and impediments
of this life removed (Praise the Lord!).

Prov 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads
          to death.
1 Cor 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. as it
          is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness";

Oh what a foolish man I am!  I think I know so much!

It seems right to me, in my flesh as a person, that the starving masses
should starve.  After all, I didn't cause their famine.  I didn't make them
have all those children or make them live where they can't/don't get food.
Why should I care?  Why should I put out for them?

It seems to me that everything that happens must be explainable in human
terms, that everything that has happened, is happening, will happen must be
explainable in the framework of human knowledge.  Sure the Red Sea parted,
sure it did - How?  Explain it!  Sure men were created, not evolved.  How?
Explain it!  Sure life begins at conception.  How?  Explain it!

I am a fool!  I lead myself into death.  I think I'm so clever.  The Bible
tells me that God uses my cleverness (craftiness) to make myself foolish.  It
says that my ways lead to death.  Oh Lord, save me from myself!

2 Chr 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves
          and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then
          will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal
          their land.

Praise God, there is hope for me.  I don't have to "know" everything.  I
don't have to explain everything.  I need to humble myself, put my blind ways
and deceitful heart away, and pray and seek God.  Praise God!  I don't have
to trust in my own knowledge (or lack thereof).

Matt 12:31  And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,
          but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Mark 3:29  But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be
          forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
Luke 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be
          forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will
          not be forgiven.

Whoa, I wonder what this all means...a sin that won't be forgiven.  I've
thought some about this, it has also been discussed here before.  Just what
is the unforgivable sin?  I think that it is at least an unrepentant heart
and spirit toward God.  If I don't ask for God's forgiveness, how will I be
forgiven?  But, does it also encompass unrepentant sins?  If I give my life
to Christ yet keep willfully sinning, say, breaking the speed limit, is this
also a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?   Hmmm.  I wonder...

I do believe that there are two types of sin - forgivable and unforgivable.
I don't believe that there is a big tally sheet somewhere in heaven where
every time I sin a check is made against me, that when I run out of empty
boxes I'm suddenly unforgivable.  I don't have a certain bank balance that,
when it's gone I'm no longer forgivable.  I do believe that there is
something that a person can do that is unforgivable, I'm just not sure what
that is, other than unrepentance.

I don't believe there are some forgivable sins that are worse than others.  I
do believe that there is a difference in the consequences associated with the
various sins.  But despite the temporal effects of my sins I believe that God
views them in the eternal as having equal consequence, that is, they all put
up barriers between me and God.  They all separate me from Him and His
purposes for me.  They increase the distortions in the reflections, they add
more smoke to the dark glass.  Attempts to classify sins as "not too bad" and
"really bad" and < insert classification here > I believe are inventions of
humanity, not God.

Now, I'm not going to attempt to make a list of sins here.  I had thought
about doing that but I'm sure that I would miss some and that someone would
be able to find some sort of hidden meaning in the ordering of them.  I also
believe that the list is different for each of us.  Sure, there are some
"universal" sins; there are also things that for me are sins that aren't sins
for someone else.

Isaiah 30:1 "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who
          carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by
          my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;
Jer 9:3   "They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not
          by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to
          another; they do not acknowledge me," declares the LORD.
Romans 8:7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's
          law, nor can it do so.
2 Tim 3:13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving
          and being deceived.
1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to
          death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those
          whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to
          death.  I am not saying that he should pray about that.  All
          wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

Do you see what is being said here?  "heaping sin upon sin", "go from one sin
to another", "go from bad to worse".  Is sinning progressive?  If I
continually, willfully, unrepentantly practice a "small" sin, does it lead to
more and "worse" sin?  If I continually break the speed limit, does this lead
me into more sin and "worse" sin?  Seems to me that this is what is being
said here.  Since "I" know best (obstinate child that I am) and I do those
things that I've decided are best (not what God has decided necessarily), I
run the risk of "heaping sin upon sin" and going "from bad to worse".

God I pray that you would foster in me a repentant spirit and open my eyes to
the sins in my life that are leading me further into sin and away from you.
Amen.

Luke 12:47-48 "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get
          ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many
          blows.  But the one who does not know and does things deserving
          punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has
          been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has
          been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

I don't like this one.  If I know my master's will (God) and I don't do it or
get ready for it, my accountability to God will be much greater than if I had
never known.  It doesn't matter what rationalization I use to justify my
inaction, rebellion, or inattention, I'm still going to be held accountable.
Even if I don't know I'll be accountable, but not as accountable as when I
don know.  From what I can see, the best thing for me to do is to learn my
master's will AND act on it, whether that is doing something or preparing for
something.  That way when I answer for my actions at the Judgement Seat, I
will be without blame.  I won't receive any blows at all (whatever they may
be at that time).  I can't be ignoring something that God has said in His
Word or is teaching me today or has for me to do.  I can't rationalize it
away thinking "it isn't for today" or "that is out of touch with today" or "I
don't think that's right so it isn't".  That won't wash with the unchanging,
all knowing God of the universe.

I better get my act together, stop relying on my own failing wisdom,
rationalizing away the things I don't like about God's commands, and start
serving Him.  Sure I'll fail, sure I'll make mistakes, sure I'll sin.  But I
can turn back, repent, and receive forgiveness now.  I'd much rather have the
forgiveness now than answer for something in the hereafter.

"I have decided from whom I wish to have my ultimate approval." - Cal Thomas
                              (thanks WMJ!)

- Steven R. Klepzig (sklepzi@ssb1.saff.utah.edu)
  University of Utah
  135 Student Services Building
  Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
Disclaimer - unless otherwise noted, this message contains my opinions, and
             to my knowledge, only mine...
Release    - You may repost this message, it's okay with me...