04/14/2008
10For whoever keeps the entire law, yet fails in one point, is guilty of [breaking it] all.
As a child, do you ever remember telling a “white lie?” Some little variation of the truth that you believed was just enough to keep you out of trouble, but not quite all the truth? Or maybe sneaking just a piece of a cookie when your mother already said you could have none? Did you ever do something that was just “a little” wrong but not bad enough for you to feel guilty?
It’s easy to cast these questions on children, but let’s bring this into our world. How many times have you done something and justified it in your mind by saying: “Well it’s not like I killed somebody”? Or perhaps you said to yourself: “Hey, nobody got hurt.”
As humans, we naturally tend to think of things in terms of degrees. That is, killing is worse than stealing, stealing is worse than lying, and lying is worse than… You get the picture. We tend to judge our actions against the actions of others, or perhaps even against our own actions at other times.
The writer of James is commonly believed to be the earthly brother of Jesus. James scoffed at Jesus during His earthly walk, but after the resurrection, James became a fervent believer of Jesus as the Messiah. James would have had incredible insight to the life and teachings to Jesus. James would have seen Jesus “behind the scenes” as it were.
When we read James’ letter, we see a man not merely seeking to demonstrate Jesus as the Messiah, but a man seeking to add true depth to the Christian life. James points out several somewhat uncomfortable truths that we need to deal with. One of those truths is the fact that the smallest sin is as bad as committing every possible sin.
How is this possible?
Have you ever heard anyone say they are “a little pregnant?” We laugh at this because to be a “little” pregnant is to be completely pregnant. It is not possible for a woman to be partially pregnant.
Similarly, when we sin, we have infused our lives with that staining agent. It requires the same effort to remove that stain no matter which sin causes it.
I don’t think James is trying to exaggerate “smaller” sins or to trivialize “greater” sins. Rather I think he is trying to make the point, that we should avoid ANY sin. As Christians, we have been bought with a price. As humans we will occasionally fall into sin, but when we do, we should remember that our sin is what nailed Jesus to the cross. And each additional sin requires the same payment.
Do you want to be guilty of nailing Jesus to the cross a second time?
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
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