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TechnoratiAs a result, Christ's death on the cross has become superfluous. Christ came to solve a problem that nobody has! This is sort of like having an auto mechanic out in the desert who only works on Hudsons and Edsels! He only fixes the cars that people used to drive. Or it's like giving a lawnmower to an Eskimo. You're giving him the solution to a problem that he doesn't have!
So why don't we see sin as a real problem? Romans 1 and 2 tell us that we are all excuse-makers. Romans 1 describes the situation of the "Gentiles" (those without moral upbringing): they are "honest" but still immoral. Romans 2 describes the Jews (those with a moral upbringing): they are "self-righteous" but dishonest about their heart condition. Romans 2:1 sums it up well: "You are without excuse whoever you are." And this is a hard pill for most Americans to swallow.
Today we see these excuses working in two ways. If I see my life as a mess, it's not my fault. I'm a victim. The other attitude is, "Hey, my life is pretty good; in fact it's going very well. I've got nothing to be ashamed of." Either way we excuse ourselves. Romans 7 gives us a response to an excuse-ridden society: the law. What does the law do? It serves to arouse our anger! That's because God's standards and demands for perfection are impartial to our personal circumstances, struggles, backgrounds, etc. The law is unrelenting and unmerciful to your particular situation.
The law arouses and exposes our anger and sin. So, with the law, we can begin to see for ourselves that we are sinners. Then we can agree with the Bible. The Bible tells us that we have all sinned and fallen far short of God's glorious plan for our lives. That original plan was to create people who would reflect His character on planet Earth. He would thus be the source for our very life and existence, while we would experience the joy of representing Him by living our lives as perfect reflections of His glory and honor.
But we have not done our part. As a result, we need forgiveness from God, forgiveness for trying to live independently of Him as our creator, forgiveness for trying to become self-sufficient, as only He is. And forgiveness for evil deeds we have committed while living independently from Him.
Next time we'll examine what God's forgiveness looks like, how it allows us to forgive others, and how to forgive ourselves!
Dr. Studebaker has worked in full-time professional ministry for 24 years. He is an experienced Bible teacher as well as a mentor for Christian leaders and laypersons, assisting them in discovering their personal life-calling and in taking practical steps toward fulfilling their calling.
