Think Like a RomanSýnishorn

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT SIN?

After Paul’s eloquent opening in Romans 1, he jumps into the rest of the letter with a solid thrust. The first thing he addresses is the sinfulness of all men – none are righteous, it is only the power of the gospel that saves. The gospel that Paul has just explained, he now conveys that we all need it. Unless we realise that we have a problem, we don’t really need an answer, right?

There are two ways we can live our lives, under free license like the Gentiles (non-Jewish, non-believers) doing whatever we see fit, or under legalism living our lives trying to work at being good, living a morally upright life and earning our way into heaven. Both are futile.

Paul is fervent in his desire for us to know that we are all sinners in need of salvation. Sin is the great equaliser – it’s not your good deeds, your moral upright living, your works, your conscience, your knowledge – nothing saves you from the penalty of sin but the blood of Jesus Christ.

So, what is sin? Sin literally means to “miss the mark”- to miss how God intended for us to be and to live. Sin is not just acts that are contrary to what God wants us to do, but an inward inclination in the soul of all mankind that draws us to wrong acts. Sin, is failure to live up to what God expects of us in action, thought, and being.

The “mark” is the righteousness of God, seen through the life of Christ. Our good works are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and we will never be able to reach a sinless life on our own. The answer to sin is Jesus, and when we ask Christ into our life, we are set free from sin and the law of sin and death.

Paul is showing us the state of our condition, that we are all sinners, we all need a Saviour, but the story doesn’t stop there! Verse 3:21 is the beginning of the Good News. God gave us the answer to our sin, his name is Jesus!

Prayer Point: Lord, I recognise that we are all sinners in need of salvation, and that sin separates me from you. I pray that Lord, you would help me to see the sin in my life and repent of anything that hinders my walk with you. Thank you for the power of salvation that sets me free from sin, thank you for Jesus.