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Things that Don’t Fix Sin
Things that Don’t Fix Sin
A recent survey found that the average American family has seven things in their home patched up with duct tape. I must confess that, at times, I have used duct tape on a Bible cover and a car window!
Duct tape, though, is always a temporary fix. The problem continues to exist, and sooner or later, the tape will lose strength and wear out, and the item will break apart again. Maybe at a terrible time.
There are several ways we address the problem of sin in our lives with spiritual duct tape.
Time Does Not Fix Sin. They say, “Time heals all wounds.” This may be somewhat true when it comes to people; after all, it’s wearying to keep tally of who we are supposed to be mad at. But it is not true for the eternal and just God. Sin creates a strain upon our relationship that must be addressed.
In 2 Samuel 11, David committed adultery and murder. Nine months or more later, life seemed normal (11:27). David probably thought he hadn’t been caught, his sin safely behind him. When Nathan finally confronted David with God’s judgment, it had been long enough that David wasn’t on the lookout for such obvious irony.
Long after the sting of our failure has faded from our minds, there will be an accounting (Revelation 20:11-13). Think of the untold centuries that pass! Yet the weight of sin is there, waiting to be dealt with.
Good Works Do Not Fix Sin. I have a friend who rents houses. More than once he has had renters get behind on rent. Things improve and they resume monthly payments. But after a while he confronts them: “I appreciate you paying July and August on time, but you still need to pay for June, or I will have to begin eviction.” Though the renters had improved their behavior, the original debt stood unrectified!
And so, it is with our sin. Good behavior feels good but doesn’t erase bad behavior. All have sinned (Romans 3:23) and all deserve spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Cornelius was a very good man, and yet he needed to respond to the gospel to obtain the free gift of salvation (Acts 10:4). Probably more “good men” will be lost on the judgment day than “bad men,” for they trust in their good qualities and therefore do not seek the salvation found only in Christ.
Distraction Does not Fix Sin. It’s possible to surround yourself with activities, busy yourself with job duties, drown yourself in alcohol, that your sin goes out of focus. But the sin remains.
Ignorance Does not Fix Sin. I feel inadequate to answer for God regarding that common philosophical question, “What will God do about those tribes in the Amazon who have never seen a Bible?” Besides, there are plenty of people in America who have never opened a Bible. But, I recall that if there is any way for a person to be saved without the blood of Jesus Christ, then “Christ died needlessly” (Gal. 2:21), and that is too awful to contemplate. If ignorance saves, then God should not have sent Christ to the cross—He should have kept Christ home in heaven. If ignorance saves, God should have never mentioned sin at all. If ignorance saves, we would have much more success helping people get to heaven by burning Bibles rather than printing Bibles. Instead, we must take seriously our role in spreading the news to those we meet (Romans 10:13-17).
Only Jesus’ Blood Fixes Sin! What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. As 1 Peter 1:18 says, you were redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Christ said in Matthew 26:28 that His blood was the new covenant and was “poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.”
How do I become washed in this blood? In Romans 6:3, we learn that “all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death.” This truly provides “forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). --John Guzzetta
