Thoughts for Easter
Sin

One of the greatest impacts on the church from the therapeutic culture is the treatment of sin. In this society where all is self-referring, we have reduced sin to a horizontal relational problem. Sinful actions lead to terrible consequences for humans, resulting in ruptured relationships, emotional scars and physical and psychological pain. While the church must address these matters, they do not represent the ultimate tragedy of sin.

Sin separates us from God. Sin is treason against the Holy Emperor of the Universe. David wronged Uriah and Bathsheba with murder and adultery. Nevertheless, he recognized that his sin was ultimately against God and His holy law (Psalm 51:4). Human pain and suffering from sin is real. But, the church must be about addressing the deadly consequence of sin; the eternal consequence. The larger task is to reunite a sinner with a holy God through Christ as Lord and Savior.

Sin exposes us to the wrath of Almighty God. The fear of God is not a popular agenda item in our churches. And, that is, in large measure, a result of not seeing God as the transgressed in our sinful actions. By His blood, He saves us from His wrath (Romans 5:9). Sin makes us the enemy of Almighty God. Not so, protests Penelope Pewsitter, “God is love. He is not my enemy.” A very nice sentiment; but not Biblical. The death of Christ reconciled us when we were enemies to the Father (Romans 5:10).

By seeing sin for what it really is, we see the full majesty of the Savior. Paul tells us this salvation from the wrath of God and the reconciliation to God when we were his enemy is cause for rejoicing (Romans 5:11). Jesus did not die so we would treat each other better, provide for self-fulfillment or give us emotional stability in a turbulent life. He died to save us from the wrath of God and impute to us the righteousness necessary to make us acceptable to a holy God.

The sin of man disrupts the world and all who live in it. All the injustice and evil in the world has its root in sin. That is why all the self-improvement movements of man are doomed to failure. They fail to address sin. Only Christ can do that. The church has a message to tell all the nations. Point the sinner to the Savior. Christ Jesus came to die so that you could be reunited to God. This vertical relationship must be mended before anything can be done horizontally. This is the message of Easter.