We don’t talk much about sin these days. You used to hear it from the pulpit (at least from courageous preachers who cared more about the Word of God than building large churches). But in the 1960's and 1970's, something happened to the Church in America. We began to buy into all of the psychological research about self-esteem and sin basically went out the window. With it went literally the gospel which also means “good news.” If we haven’t sinned, then we don’t need the good news that the Lord Jesus’ own blood has cleansed us from it.
The apostle John is very clear here: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. I contend that we often not only deceive others, but we more often deceive ourselves by filling ourselves with gobbledygook that sounds good but is, in fact, deception. Our society is filled with this kind of deception. There are many things that likely we take for granted as being true that are absolutely not true; we are deceived.
For example, do an Internet search on children and self-esteem. You will find site after site after site insisting that we need to increase our children’s self-esteem. “Healthy self-esteem is like a child's armor against the challenges of the world.” “Many observers believe that low self-esteem lies at the bottom of many of society's problems.” “Good self-esteem is an important factor in raising healthy children.”
However, Christian teacher Elizabeth Elliot insists (and I agree) that the Bible never concerns itself with self-esteem and, in fact, teaches against it:
“Jesus certainly didn’t die in order to build up our self-esteem. He didn’t die for us because we were lovable. He loved us because we were irremediable. There was no remedy without His shed blood on that cross. He wants us to live in company with Him. He is not interested in our building our self-esteem, but in our learning meekness, gentleness, patience, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control.” (http://www.backtothebible.org/index.php/Gateway-to-Joy/Self-Esteem-And-Sin.html)
We are sinners. I am a sinner. And there’s nothing that I can do, think, say, or believe that is going to change that. I can deny it and it still is true. I can believe something else and it still is true. I can go to college, go to seminars, read books, search the Internet, discuss with friends, do anything I can think of. None of that will take away the fact that I’m a sinner, that I have sinned and unfortunately may sin again.
The good news is that the Lord Jesus’ own blood cleanses me from sin if I accept that cleansing. Without it, I die in my sins regardless of what I believe. With it, I am cleansed and will live with Him forever. That is truly good news!
© 2012 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
