I've been thinking about sin today, since we had a discussion about "sinners" in Bible study this morning. We read several verses about how God does not hear/answer the prayers of sinners. One lady said, "Well, that can't be true because we are all sinners. Why would we pray at all?" This led to a discussion about being a repentant, forgiveness-seeking sinner as opposed to willfully, hard-heartedly sinning against God. The discussion made me wonder why, when we come across difficult passages in Scripture, our default is to assume the Scriptures are incorrect or misleading, rather than thinking there must be something in us that needs changing or correction. Why is Scripture guilty until proven innocent? Shouldn't we approach God's Word with the understanding that this is Truth and somehow, someway, we need to bend our will/nature to come into compliance with God's teachings? I tried to say something about that this morning, but my diatribe was met with blank looks. Perhaps I will blog about that some other day...for today, sin is still on the mind.
The Sunday School definition of sin is the bad things that we think, say or do. In reality, it is much deeper and more complex than that. Sin is the pervasive bent that we have towards ourselves, instead of toward God, it is anything that is not in His will for us or our world (including the things that we fail to think, say or do).
Our Bible study has focused on prayer--and recently focused on how unconfessed sin sometimes gets in the way of our prayers, or forms a block in our relationship with God. It has made me more mindful of sin (and, as always, aware of the abundant, overwhelming grace and love of God). I have been examining what I watch or read, how I spend my leisure time...none of those things are really bad in and of themselves...but I am reminded of a quote by Susanna Wesley (mother of John Wesley) when her son asked her to define "sin". This is what she said:
“Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself.”
~Susanna Wesley (Letter, June 8, 1725)
Her definition of sin is anything that doesn't move us closer to God. That's a pretty convicting thought, at least it was to me.
I realize the topic of sin is depressing, but the good news is that God always has more grace than we have sin. The responsibility for us, however, it to take time to truly examine our hearts, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to see if there is anything keeping us from the fullness of relationship that Jesus offers to us. Only when we realize how much God has forgiven us for (and how much He continues to forgive us for) will we be truly grateful, truly free.
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4 comments:
That sounds like a question that I would ask...
What piece of scripture spurred the aforementioned "Why pray at all" question?
It does sound like a question you would ask! ha ha ha! You were always my question asker in every Bible Study...which is GREAT. I love questions...you can't go deeper without questions. My problem is with the fact that no one thought to ask the question: "Could my view of God be incorrect? What does this passage tell me about His nature?" Instead, because that idea didn't fit with our concept of an all-loving, always-listening God, it must be incorrect in some way. I just think our approach to Scripture and understanding God is flawed...we put our feelings and experience first, and God's revelation second...ok, stepping off soap box!
I don't remember which Scripture it was. I think it was Isaiah or Psalms...there are several passages where God pretty much says: "If you want Me to answer your prayers, quit your sinning and start seeking Me" (the unauthorized Tina version).
I mentioned this to my great uncle joe, and he basically said he didn't believe that God didn't answer the prayers of sinners. He mentioned his own prayer from when he was leading a very sinful life, "Dear God, if there is a God, please help me to change my life for the better"...he later got saved and is now a pastor...
so he believes God answers the prayers of sinners..
thoughts?
God has to answer the prayers of sinners, or else no prayers would ever be answered. I think, though, that this is a question of the heart. Are you trying to seek God, asking for His help, turning toward Him (like your uncle did)? Or, are you doing what you want to do, living against His will, and just asking for His blessings. Pretty much the difference between a repentant person and a heard-hearted person.
There are a lot of reasons that some prayers seem unanswered...or are answered "no". One of those reasons can be when we live in willful, persistent, unrepentant sin. Does God give up on us? No...but He does want us to turn toward Him...and He really does seem to care about how we act and especially how we treat one another. Our sins are not insignificant...but God, who is rich in mercy, always offers grace. Do we take the grace...there's the question...
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