SIN

As I have been navigating my way through the 2015 A to Z Challenge, I've been examining briefly various words and concepts in apologetics, that is the defense of what we believe, and for me that is Christianity and the Christian worldview. Today's word is sin.

A to Z Challenge

Sin: The violation of God’s expectations; transgressing divine law; rebelling against God; making something other than God our ultimate thing, our ultimate standard, our ultimate.

…All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus, Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

People in America today don’t like to hear the word sin. They think no one has the right to pass judgment on them, even God. Who is anyone to declare something sin? That argument easily falls apart with a little thought, however. If God made us, He knows how we work best, and He has the right to set the guiding principles for how the world and we in the world should operate. If there is a God, then He is the ultimate, and He determines our purpose. In fact He gives us purpose and meaning. If there is a God, as A. W. Tozer said,

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

Why do I bring up God in the topic of sin? Because according to the definition of sin, it is God who determines what it is. If He is the King of Kings, then He has the authority to say what sin is and why it is significant.

We must determine what we think about God first in order to have a right view of sin. Otherwise sin has no meaning. Someone who says, "There is no God," likewise must say there is no sin to be consistent, and rightly so. However, if there is no sin, what is the basis for determining right and wrong? If it is just us and our own conclusions, who gets to decide? Think about that to its logical conclusion, and you will understand why Voltaire said,

"If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent Him."

Are you willing to consider the reality of God and sin? What do you think of Tozer’s statement? Do you have an alternative thought to Voltaire's statement?

Here are a few websites to help you consider what sin is and what to do about it.

What is sin? 

Forgiveness of sin 

Freaked Out by Ordinary Sin 

Maria

Reality

A to Z Challenge

Reality: The quality of existing; the state of being real; something that is true.

So is God reality? Is Jesus real? Did he live? The evidence is there to examine. If one is looking for reasons to reject God, one will find them. However, if you truly are seeking truth, seeking to find God, clearly the God of the Bible says you will find it if you are seeking it. What are you looking for?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew7:7-8 (NASB)

Reasons to Believe in the Reality of Christ 

 God is a Reality 

The Reality of Supernatural Faith 

Quality

Participating in the A to Z Challenge is just that, a challenge. It is also a wonderful learning experience and a way to meet new friends, other cultures, and new ideas. Checking out the Blogging from A to Z homepage is a great way to keep up with all the latest goings on in the challenge, but it's also filled with encouragement and tips to make it to the end. 

So here's my 'Q'.

A to Z Challenge

Quality 1. Essential characteristic of a thing.  2. An attribute 3. A high level of value or excellence.

Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.

1 Cor 3:13 (NASB)

… Let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. 

1 Pet 3:4 (NASB) 

To grow in the qualities of Christ is to be a quality Christian. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit grows those qualities of Christ in the Christian who seeks to follow Jesus Christ.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5: 22-23 (NASB) 

Qualities of a True Christian 

49 Qualities of a Christian 

60 Charater Traits of Christ 

Identity

A to Z Challenge

Identity – How I define myself, who I am, where I find my value and meaning.

Where do I find my identity? Is it in my job, in my roles as wife or mother, child, sister, friend? As a Christian, my identity is  something that is not limited by the constraints of this world or by my success in a role. I know that I have value as a sacred creation of God, and as a child of God, that I am loved and precious to Him. Pretty awesome for all those who accept God's invitation to be in His family through faith in Jesus Christ.

  

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

Yet to all who received [Jesus], to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. 

John 1:12

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:27-28

Here are some websites to explore what it means to find one's identity in Christ.

Who we REALLY are - Our identity in Christ 

My identitiy in Jesus

Who Am I?

Heirs of the Kingdom of God

A to Z Challenge

Heir – Someone destined to receive an inheritance.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Romans 8:16-17

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

Galatians 4:1-7

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:5-7

The first two recommendations today are bloggers worth a visit who give their perspective on what it means to be an heir of the kingdom of God. I hope you find all three expand your understanding of the Biblical promise of becoming a child of God, an heir of the kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ.

Hired Servants and Heirs of the Kingdom

Heirs of the Kingdom

Heirs of God