Sin is an intentional or unintentional thought or act that separates us from our relationship with God or our oneness with God. It can be generally characterized as any serious failure in thought or deed that could have been avoided.
At a minimum, it is a failure to live up to God’s standards starting with but not limited to 10 Commandments. Our level of awareness or conscience helps us know when we have sinned. It is impossible to live without sinning. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” That is true because all humans have inherited a sin nature and being no longer perfect they sin. (Romans 3:23)
The emotional, mental and physical burden of living one’s life under sin and its negative effect on us and others, without the benefit of forgiveness, is a well-documented fact of life. Everyone, at one time or another, experiences guilt, depression, anger, hate, broken relationships, greed and much more. Fortunately, God’s forgiveness will allow us to live without these burdens negatively consuming our lives. Forgiveness is both a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the moment of salvation and a continuous process for the rest of our lives. The good news of Christ Jesus is that He paid the price for our sins at the cross and now God’s grace will redeem us. When we trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, He will lift our burdens and make our lives purposeful and joyful. (Romans 5:8)
The Christian pathway to God requires faith and belief in and an experience with God beyond what is completely understandable. The traditional components of God’s forgiveness are a belief in the love of God, an acknowledgment of a sense of wrong thinking or doing (separation from God), a confession that some thought or act caused the separation, an acknowledgment of the need for reconciliation with God, a genuine regret and request for forgiveness and acceptance of God’s grace and forgiveness and repentance or turning away from sin and following Jesus.
Just ask any of the millions upon millions of Christians who have experienced God’s grace and forgiveness. They will affirm that God alone can forgive sins and when you seek that forgiveness, you are able to move forward in life at peace with God. You will be reborn into the continuing newness of life in Christ, and will have fellowship with Him now and forever. That’s what Christians have been proclaiming as Good News for more that 2,000 years..
If you would like to learn more about Jesus and his power to set you free from sin while offering you an opportunity to enjoy an eternity free from guilt, pain and shame, please check out our post, How Does One Become a Christian.
Photo Copyright: gregmack / 123RF Stock Photo