SINNERS ANONYMOUS

Many modern Christians are put off by the concept of sin. The idea of being called “sinners” seems repulsive for two closely related reasons. First, we don’t want to be caught in the wrong. Second, our egos can’t take it. Our egos want to be massaged by good feelings, self-esteem, and on some level, yes, righteousness. Admission to sin is just too disagreeable. Our self-image doesn’t have room for it, and our egos can’t take it.

Therefore, why admit to being a sinner or allow another to call us “sinner”? We vilify the Church for “making us feel like sinners.” Modern thinkers the lot of us, we brush off the “old fashioned” concept. Many of us think we have evolved too far for that silly stuff.

God created us. Most of us accept this fact. He created us for himself, in his own image, yet he has given us the free will to choose Him or choose otherwise. He would rather we love him of our own accord, otherwise, he would not have given us free will. Choosing to love is a much higher form of love than receiving love.

When we choose other than loving Him, we begin to sin. A big piece of loving Him is obeying Him. Everyone (with exception by His Grace only) has disobeyed, and everyone has sinned. It’s a pretty simple equation.

Right and wrong are written on our hearts. We are aware of our sinning. We try to justify some of our sins, but as time goes by, we can usually look back and see our errors. It’s more palatable that way. Our egos can swallow admission in hindsight. We call it learning, experience, and maturity. As the saying goes: not that there’s anything wrong with that. But wouldn’t we be smarter, more experienced, mature, and wiser, if we didn’t wait so long? What if we just say “Yes, I have sinned against my neighbor and I’m sorry”?

Repentance is easier than we think. Like so many other aspects of our lives, we just need to get started. It’s all down hill from there. Admission and repentance create immediate and permanent healing, a huge savings of time, energy, and life, usually wasted on refining our justifications and medicating ourselves while the wounds stay open. Repentance sets us free. Take the cure, stow the ego, die to self, and get back to real, healthy living--in His love.

As all Christians know, we are forgiven. Jesus Christ paid for our freedom in leaving our sins forever nailed to the cross. Say, “Yes, I am a sinner,” and know that you are free. When our hearts are set right, anything is possible.

A desire to share is created in us when we know Love. We are known for our love for one another, and begin to fish for men. (But that’s for another day.)