The nature of sin: What is sin pt 1

I think one of the greatest failings in the church today is that we don't know what sin is anymore. It's probably one of the most bastardized words in modern Christianity. That and love, we don't know much about either. I don't claim to be an expert, and these are just my thoughts, but I believe sinning is an action, which includes action and non-action. When we do evil, we're sinning, but when we don't do good, we're also sinning. (Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. James 4:17) You've given up all sorts of things for God, you don't drink, don't party, don't smoke, fine, but then what do you do with your time? One question I think everyone should ask themselves is how does your tv/internet/video game/shopping/hobby time compare to your prayer time? We're more serious about sports these days than we are about the Word of God. Ask a man to name statistics and history of teams and players and that's easy, but ask them to recite scripture and suddenly there's a blank.

I heard a preacher say "anything you love more than Jesus is an idol. Don't care what it is." You see if we treated our wives or husbands or boy and girlfriends like we treated God... well maybe we do actually, since the divorce rate in Christian homes is just as bad as the one in secular homes. And on the other side you have people replacing God with their spouses or significant others. I believe that that's the same sin as homosexuality, when you put a man or woman in the place of God, don't care what gender you are, but for some reason, this issue has taken the forefront whereas the idea behind it has not been addressed. You see we don't understand sin, we read the Bible and go fine, that's the way it is, which is right, but we don't take the time to examine it. The pharisees didn't either.

The rich young ruler did all the right things, but he knew not the Lord. More than these lists of good deeds Jesus says to him to first sell his belongings and give to the poor and then "follow me" but the rich man left sadly. Isn't it amazing how this man who follows the word of God so closely was not willing (at this point in time) to let go of his worldy riches to follow Jesus. Anything you love more than Jesus is an idol, don't care what it is. He calls Jesus a good teacher. How many of you know people that say Jesus was a good man or a prophet or a teacher, but Jesus doesn't let us think that. "Why do you call me good?"

We do all these things, but we don't understand them. We say, I don't drink alcohol because I'm a Christian. Well, what does that have to do with Christianity?
We say: Because it's a bad witness. Well so is your bad temper, or the way you treat people, or things you say, or your gossiping or... etc. How come you've only given up drinking?
or maybe we say: The bible says we shouldn't be drunk. Well the Bible says a lot of other things like you should pray all the time, love each other like yourself, forgive people, obey our parents, how come you're not doing those things as well?
or maybe we say something like: I know I don't think about God when I'm drinking. Well, do you think about God when you're playing sports, or video games, or in entertainment or watching tv?

The reasons we don't do certain things are much deeper than the actions themselves, but are indicative of a mindset of sin. If we examined everything, in light of the scriptures, and if we took the time to understand God's motives, we would live very different lifestyles.