What’s So Serious About Sin?

Q: What’s so serious about sin? No one is perfect, and as long as we don’t hurt anyone, I don’t see that it makes much difference if we fall short occasionally. — B.W.L.

A: We will never grasp the horror of human sin until we realize that it is so serious it caused the Son of God to be crucified. Ultimately neither Pilate, nor the leaders, nor Judas, nor the mob were responsible for His death — we were, because of our sin. He went to the cross because of us!

The ravages of war and poverty and injustice … the wrenching pain of loneliness and rejection … the haunting cry of the orphan and widow — these and a thousand other tragedies bear witness to the fact that we live in a world poisoned by sin. Don’t ever take sin lightly! It’s like an evil spiritual cancer, bringing destruction and death to the whole world.

And that is why Jesus died. As the Son of God, He was without sin — but in those last hours before His execution all the accumulated sins of the world were poured into the “cup” he would drink. There was no other way for sin’s terrible price to be paid; He alone was able take upon Himself the condemnation and Hell we deserve. He did for us what we could never do for ourselves: He died in our place.

But the cross and borrowed tomb were not the end. On the third day that tomb was empty! Death has been conquered; Satan’s power has been defeated; sin has been judged — and Christ is alive forevermore. And even now the risen Christ wants to come into our lives to forgive us and cleanse us and give us hope. Why not invite Him to come into your life today?

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

(c)2018 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.