THE BODY OF CHRIST, WHY MEASURE SIN!
Universally, the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 meters per squared seconds irrespective of wherever you are on the planet earth.
Truly, science has dabbled into the superficial knowledge of God and has come out with glimpse of spiritual operations which we must evidently acknowledge.
It is common amidst Christian organizations to measure the punishment of Sin in accordance to gravity and kind of sin committed. I have not seen anywhere in the bible yet where sins are arranged in order of their weightiness and with different consequences. Not yet!
Before going further in this discourse, Let's get reminded about what sin is.
SIN is simply defined as DISOBEDIENCE TO LAW.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Here, we should know that we were all enemies of God from birth by virtue of the nature of Sin, through the disobedience of Adam (Man) and Eve.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
[11] And not only so , but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
[12] Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
[13] (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
[14] Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
From there, God made a provision for reconciliation which brought you (Pastors, Bishops, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Teachers and Followers) and I to the Kingdom of God without looking at our different kinds of sin. (*Check 2Corinthians 5:17-21)
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
[16] And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
[17] For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
As we believed that we were saved by grace through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9)
You will bear me witness that some of us before salvation were moralists, not wanting to do wrongs or get stained, but wanting to be perfect in all our dealings. Conversely, you know that some of us before salvation were so crude in manners, attitudes, desires, indecencies e.t.c to the point that we've made a public show of ourselves.
But yet, God stretched His arms to us all, through Jesus Christ His son as long as we are ready to receive Him.
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
[6] Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time:
THE QUESTION WE MUST ASK IS:
Is it that when we have given our life to Christ and be at any level of growth in Him (Babes or Elders), we can't be overtaken by a fault?
My very own answer is YES, we can be overtaken by a fault at any level.
This is why in the church, we should be our brothers' keeper by the help of the "Spirit" and not "Flesh".
The Spirit is full of compassion and Love in which its chastisements come, but the Flesh is full of grievances and hatred in which its chastisements also come.
Moving gradually to the essence of this epistle.
I must interpret that what we call sin within the kingdom ( i.e amidst believers ) is "being overtaken in a fault", different from nature of Sin in the world ( i.e amidst unbelievers )
Thereby we may be called "defaulters in the kingdom" and not "Sinners in the world" when we yield to disobedience to God's commandments.
Though we (believers) are not under the law of the flesh but are subjected to the law of the Spirit which has given us freedom. This Spirit law varies from one person to the other based on our individual relationship with the Father, but does not permit corruption in any individual.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
[2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
[3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
[4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
1. why is it that some of the body of Christ still gives law on what, which, where and when to eat, drink, wear e.t.c?
2. Why is it that we still condemn members and even ban them from attending church services? Where should they run to?
3. Why is it that we serve punishment to some members which defaulted based on the gravities and proportions of "sin committed"? Whereby we grade sins, in which the consequence for someone who lied is different from one who stole from one who committed adultery or fornication.
4. Why is that some churches would not perform some rites such as wedding, burial, ordination e.t.c if certain unscriptural conditions are not met? Such that a lady will not be allowed church wedding if she had given birth out of wedlock (maybe out of ignorance as then unbeliever or mistakenly as a believer) and wants to marry same man responsible or different man. In fact, how do we measure the numbers of abortion done by some of those we gladly take to and join at our "Holy Altars".
Obviously, the Pastor enforcing this law wasn't thinking as Christ thought when the Pharisees brought Mary the prostitute to be stoned before Him.
5. Are we not reversing what Jesus Christ has finished on the cross by sacrificing Himself for us all?
It seemed real that the revised Era of the Law of Moses which Jesus had fulfilled on the cross and upgraded to the law of the spirit through the dwelling of Holy Spirit in all believers has been ruling the churches for quite a long time (in centuries).
If it's by doings of Law, then, why would David report this below?
If thou, Lord , shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
Nevertheless, this epistle will not forsake or evict the place of chastisements in the bid to preach freedom in Christ.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE INSTEAD.
Apostle Paul in most of his epistles to the churches or brethren all over would always and still continue to admonish them on how a believer should behave.
Above all, he always subject them more to the Holy Spirit.
Let's look at Galatians 5 as a random sample and see how Paul admonished (in italics).
Galatians 5:1-5,13-26 KJV
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
[2] Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
[3] For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
[4] Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
[5] For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
[13] For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
[14] For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[15] But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
[16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
[17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
[18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
[24] And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
[25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
[26] Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
From verses 19-21, those sins were not categorized differently as to the worst, worse or bad. Sin is Sin! Same punishment for all.
So, I condemn the measurement of punishment on the gravity of sin committed as man thinks it.
Suspension for lie, Suspension for fornication, of same period too.
Condemn Sin itself and the acts of Sin, but do not condemn the Sinner. That's Christ's teaching and doing.
Also, do not be too disappointed when a believer is tempted and he fell, that hasn't withdrawn his salvation from him as you think. Just know that he isn't perfect in the flesh, mistakes are bound to occur when disobedience to the HolySpirit abounds.
NOTE: There is a sin unto death and sin not unto death.
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
[17] All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
NOTE: Not written anywhere in the bible though, but I believe the sin unto death is:
1. When a believer renounces Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. This is possible because the choice and will of man was never hijacked by God in the cause of confessing and believing. I accepted and I may also Reject.
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it , to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
2. Living after the Flesh.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
[13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
[8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
[27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Conclusively, as it is with the force of gravity pulling objects to the center of the earth, so it is with sin, pulling every individual down to eternal death (unbelievers), or not unto eternal death (believers still willed in Christ)
As acceleration due to gravity is constant at 9.8m/s^2, so also the gravity of sin is the same for all kinds you may list down, and all has it wages to be death (as separated above).
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