I’d never heard anybody call “sin” an imaginary disease, so when I saw this graphic posted on the Internet, it instantly grabbed my attention.
“Sin” has become a strange and cliched term in our culture. Either something is “sinful” (a favourite positive term in TV commercials for rich foods like chocolate) or it’s something most of us associate with annoying, badly dressed TV evangelists.
So I looked up the term. The Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website defines it this way:
Sin is the breaking of God’s law. If God says “Do not lie” and you lie, then you have broken His law and sinned. The reason God says to not lie, not cheat, etc., is because these laws reflect the moral purity of His nature. Therefore, the law is a reflection of the character of God.
Dictionary.com is a little briefer:
Any act regarded as such a transgression, especially a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle. Any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense: It’s a sin to waste time.
Maybe that’s not a “sin” to you. So let’s use less loaded words: Misdeed. Mistake. Error. Wrongdoing. Imperfection. Moral crime.
Whatever your preferred term, I can’t for a minute believe it’s an “imaginary disease”. Is there even a single person on this planet who hasn’t done or said something they regret? Or NOT done or said something and regretted that?
It seems crystal clear to me that this is a universal human condition. We “invented” it and, sadly, we live it out every day.
So what about the “imaginary” cure? The person who created this graphic is probably an atheist and so believes if the “disease” isn’t real, then there’s no need for a cure.
But if you’re comfortable in disagreeing with the former, then the latter is no longer imaginary.
For people like me, the cure is wonderfully simple: Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the son of God. Jesus is God’s gift to humanity, given to all who believe that He died to make up for our sins. All we have to do is accept the gift.
Obviously, this doesn’t mean we will avoid the consequences of our actions (or inactions). But it does mean that, if we truly believe Jesus offers the way to eternal forgiveness and if we sincerely ask for that forgiveness, we will receive it from the creator and master of time, space and the universe. No matter what.
(Looking for an incredible example? Then read this Frank’s Cottage blog about the ‘Son of Sam’: http://wp.me/p2wzRb-6K)
So, does the cure for your “disease” interest you? Yes or no, post your answer below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 