Inevitability
For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. Psalm 31:11
Fails – Sin contains its own consequences. There is no separation between the act and the result. Unlike our system of justice, the Hebrew view does not think of the punishment as a distinct function from the crime. In Hebrew, it would be impossible to write a novel called “Crime and Punishment.” The two are inevitably intertwined. That’s why forgiveness – the removal of guilt – does not relieve one from the consequences. God forgives, but the damage is done. Restitution is still necessary. Penalties are still inflicted. We all hope that forgiveness will fix everything, but it won’t. Forgiveness removes the obstacle that stands between me and my God, but it does not remove the inevitability of sin’s destruction.
David recognizes this fact of nature. He sees that sin saps strength. Actually, the Hebrew verb he uses is kashal. It means “to stagger, to stumble, to make weak.” Sin is moral disobedience, but its results have physical, emotional, mental and spiritual effects. My moral disobedience causes stumbling and staggering everywhere in my life. One thing affects all things. Since the Hebrew view of Man does not compartmentalize, there is no hope trying to isolate corrupt behaviors from the rest of my existence. Sin sucks it all in.
Our Greek-based ideas of being human rarely confront this truth. We think we can maintain the watertight compartments of our lives without spillover. So, we attempt to practice a form of righteousness in some social circles, but we accommodate patterns of the world in others. We follow the Golden Rule when it comes to those we love, but we use a different operating principle with our enemies. We attempt to maintain moral purity in public, but we keep secret corrupt caches to ease our pain. And most of the time, we expend tremendous effort patching the leaks from one compartment to another. It’s a useless struggle. Men and women are not made of nicely packaged boxes. They are porous spheres, constantly interacting with everything that comes along. The only real solution is a code of conduct that allows us to operate with consistency across all the borders of life. There’s a reason we carry God’s image, and it is not about moral schizophrenia.
Perhaps we should take a moment to examine where we stumble, totter or stagger. Is there a chance that our experience of failure is linked to some carefully concealed compartment? Do we find that somewhere in our self-constructed safe deposit boxes we have tucked away a lethal injection of moral poison? David tells us that it does leak out. There is no containing it. Damage control is beyond human control. The only answer is confession, repentance, restitution and facing the results.
How’s your failure assessment today? Find anything that needs attention?
Topical Index: sin, stumble, stagger, fail, Psalm 31:11
“Crime and Punishment.”
Hi Skip,
Actually, I think Maybe Dostoevsky had a rather Hebrew view of the world.
And that the theme of a number of the great 19th century Russian novels was that reason will not take us to the Truth.
And that crime is a violation of the Heart that has a destructive effect on our soul whether or not we are ever convicted by the Law.
The only real solution is a code of conduct that allows us to operate with consistency across all the borders of life.
Yes, and no. It is just a matter of order. First “order of business”: this “code of conduct”. The “Rule” Book. There is a list of rules that have been established and even have been written by the finger of G-d, given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. “Don’t do this and don’t do that”- and the little boy grew up thinking his name was “Johnny Don’t.”
Now if I can live my entire life and consistently “keep and do” all of these (now 613) lists of requirements for “good and decent” moral behavior, I will prosper. “Do this” and you will live, are the promised words written in stone. “Even a child is known by his doings” (behavior) we read in the book.
My behavior. What I do. How I “behave”, how I “act”, how I “perform”, how I “react” and “respond” to the situations and circumstances of daily life. How I interact with my fellow carbon units. I will be judged by “every idle (non-productive) word I speak.” And (not forgetting) -I am also to “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Hey…- no problem. (-“not”-..) Houston- we (all) have a problem.
I would hope by now, this inherent and inherited problem has manifested itself to the man in the mirror. Should we “name it” or has it already been “named” long before we arrived on the scene. It first showed up back in the garden. We (all) know the story. Eve and Adam “messed up”. (Sin is messy isn’t it?) and does it ever cause pollution.
We live on a polluted planet and I am part of the problem. “I” have been established as a sinner. By birth (thanx grandpa), by nature (no one had to “teach” me to sin- I think my first word was “mine!”), and by (daily) choice. A sinner -condemned, unclean. “Here am I”.
But, (don’t you love the “but’s” of scripture?) if I “clean up” my act and alter my behavior, and am educated properly (the answer is in education, right?) then I will become—- an “educated” sinner. (actually,-the worst kind).
“What saith the scripture?” (I like the KJV in this case). This is our standard. This is our plumb-line. This is our greatest fear and our only hope. “what saith the scripture?” What does the word of G-d say? What does G-d say through His (living and active) word? (I need a solution- and I need a Savior)
Man (Adam) has chosen to sin. I (also being one of Adam’s descendant’s) have also chosen to sin. I have disobeyed what G-d said not to do-His commandments. (Are you inquiring as to “which one?” of G-d’s commandments I “broke?”). Good.. let me share with “inquiring minds” then- “all of them.” All ten and even though I’ve never read the (entire?) “life-giving” list of 613, all it takes is for me to violate one of these and “woe is me- for I am undone”.
What to do?-We know G-d is holy, but what we don’t know is -“how holy”.
I hear you asking for a cup of cold water. In your presence, I draw from the well, but before I offer it to you for consumption, in full view of your sight and to your horror, I had “just one drop” of gasoline to the inviting cup of cold water. “Drink up” my friend- “enjoy,”.. after all- I only added just one little drop to a full glass of water- what difference does it make- this one little impurity?
It does make a difference, doesn’t it? -(I only look stupid, right?). So it is with YHWH. He is holy. And heaven, (our designated dwelling place), is a perfect, sin-free place. I am so ready to “be there.” I am just about tired of this polluted planet. I am sick of sin (and of sorrow, and of suffering- the consequences of sin).
The “fact” of sin is thoroughly established. All,including “I” have sinned. We,(Adam), are sinners, standing before the living G-d, condemned (by the glaring light of His law- “be ye holy”).
At this point, we don’t need a standard- we need a Savior. In the presence of the Holy One we are about to remind G-d about how we “strived” to be good and to obey most of His commandments. Do you think G-d has a “set of scales” or “grades on a curve?” (Well, at least I’m not as bad as “that guy over there!”- lol!.
One day- (it is written, ya’ll) we are going to stand before Him. (I’ll be on my face and so will you). “Why should I let (allow) you into my heaven?” “Jesus paid it all- all to Him I owe,” will be my trembling answer. That man died for me will be (and now is) my “final answer!”
It’s not about rules. It’s about relationship. (very Hebrew- don’t you think?)
Meanwhile (back on the planet..) having been “born again”, regenerated, made new by a “new and living way”, by the blood of the Lamb , and have been re-established in a wonderfully new living-covenant relationship with the G-d who now is, how are we to live as productive citizens “until that glorious Day?”
Back to the book! The same law that once “condemned us”- (Adam), now, because of our “new birth”, works in us and on us to cleanse us (the washing of water by the word) and consecrate us (the lifelong process of sanctification or growing in holiness/Christlikeness).
Because of the new birth- we (now) have the mind of Christ. We have the written word before us and the living Word residing within us. We also have G-d’s final word ever “before us”- “Victory!”
Hallelujah for the cross! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Jesus (the Christ) is (now) LORD!
(and) -Every knee shall bow… (why wait?)
“I hear you asking for a cup of cold water. In your presence, I draw from the well, but before I offer it to you for consumption, in full view of your sight and to your horror, I had “just one drop” of gasoline to the inviting cup of cold water. “Drink up” my friend- “enjoy,”.. after all- I only added just one little drop to a full glass of water- what difference does it make- this one little impurity?”
But what of the day that the Savior hung on the cross? His blood did run freely from the site of the whipping post, all the Way down the road to the cross, and there, it flowed to the ground to become, through the cycle of nature, one with the earth. How much of His blood would it take to redeem this planet? What effect would one drop have on an ocean, or a water table? Is the idea of His blood only theoretical or is it a physical reality? If it is significant for us, how could it not be for the rest of His creation? Could it (the blood) be a seed that will birth a new earth? This has always puzzled me . . .
let it puzzle you “no more”. It is the blood of Jesus (the Christ), son of G-d and son of man that “cleanses from all sin”. He was/is the supreme Gift of G-d to this sin-sick, sin-infested world.
He was/is the perfect Lamb of G-d who takes away(removes) the sin of the world. “Behold the Lamb” is the master theme of the entire book. In the O.T. as well as in the “New”, the message is the same, -“behold the Lamb”.
What can “wash away” my sin? nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me “whole” again? nothing but the blood of Jesus. O, precious is the flow that makes me “white as snow”, no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus. This my “pardon, this my “plea”- nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my “righteousness”- nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Revelation 12.11)
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53.5)
Hallelujah for the cross! He died for me! He took my place! He took my hell! Yes, it was G-d Himself who hung naked on the execution stake.. “G-d will provide (Himself) a Lamb!” A promised Lamb. A perfect Lamb. A powerful Lamb. This is His story- this is my story- this is our story- there is a Lamb seated upon a Throne! Interceding- pleading.. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23.37)
Up Calvary’s mountain, one dreadful morn,
Walked Christ my Savior, weary and worn;
Facing for sinners death on the cross,
That He might save them from endless loss.
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding, -dying for me!
“Father forgive them!” thus did He pray,
E’en while His lifeblood flowed fast away;
Praying for sinners while in such woe
No one but Jesus ever loved so.
Blessed Redeemer! Precious Redeemer!
Seems now I see Him on Calvary’s tree;
Wounded and bleeding, for sinners pleading,
Blind and unheeding, dying for me!
O how I love Him, Savior and Friend,
How can my praises ever find end!
Through years unnumbered on Heaven’s shore,
My tongue shall praise Him forevermore.
and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16.30)
Very good and needful teaching. Thank you, Skip!
Could it be that easy that all we have to do is truly believe? Wow! Is that the “easy yoke/light burden”?
That takes some of the pressure off knowing that I cant live up to the 613 rules.
Are they just forgotten now? Only there as a reminder of life before Christ?
“Could it be that easy that all we have to do is truly believe?”
Hi Mr | Ms D Griffith,
I don’t think we can “truly believe” unless we obey the rules the best we can; as Mr De Niro says in the movie Heat, “that’s the discipline.”
At the same time, Jesus was an observant Jew and about as close to God as one can get, but He was tested rather severely by our Father, anyway.
No “easy yoke/light burden” that I know of, it is a “hard row to hoe.”
How about a “hard boat to row?” Especially since Skip has suggested it must be done while looking to the rear/past instead of facing forward…
Hi Charles, Good point!
Even more difficult to row a boat
And hit the Mark
Than to hoe a hard row