Expert: Thurman C. Petty, Jr. - 2/25/2008

Question
Good morning. I am an R/C from Bombay, India. I am very much interested in Bible studies and scriptures. My questions are as below:
1What is the meaning of sin in the context of man!s vocation to freedom?

2 How should one react to the situations of injustice, dehumanisation and destruction of nature. Please explain.
Soliciting for an nswer. God bless U in thy endeavour. James N Bombay,India

Answer
Dear James,

Thank you for your questions regarding sin and injustice.

Sin has many aspects, but the underlying cause and definition remain the same: Breaking God’s law; pride, often expressed through selfishness.

1 John 3:4  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

The law to which John is referring is the 10 commandment law found in Exodus 20:1-17. You’ll also notice that John points out that sin is an attitude of lawlessness—rebellion, against God and against His government. And so this attitude enters into every phase of life, and is responsible for all the situations of injustice, dehumanization, and destruction of man and nature.

Paul widens our understanding even more:

Rom 3:20  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, THROUGH THE LAW WE BECOME CONSCIOUS OF SIN.
  
Rom 7:7  What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT SIN WAS EXCEPT THROUGH THE LAW. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."

Of course, we should react to this discovering of sin in our lives by going to the Source of cleansing from sin—Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only answer to all of these things. He Says:

John 14:6  Jesus answered, "I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So the first thing we can do to rectify these problems is to begin with ourselves and our own relationship with Jesus. We cannot, as Jesus put it, pick the dust out of another’s eye, when there is a plank in our own eye. (Matt. 7:3-5)

How to get rid of sin?

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

The basis of this forgiveness is found in verse 7--"the blood of Jesus, His Son purifies us from all sin." Notice some other texts on this same subject

Psa 32:5  Then I ACKNOWLEDGED my sin to you and DID NOT COVER UP my iniquity. I said, "I WILL CONFESS my transgressions to the LORD"-- and YOU FORGAVE the guilt of my sin.

Psa 86:5  YOU ARE FORGIVING AND GOOD, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.

Prov 28:13  He who CONCEALS his sins does not prosper, but whoever CONFESSES AND RENOUNCES them finds mercy.

Exo 34:6  And the LORD passed by before him [Moses], and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Exo 34:7  Keeping mercy for thousands, FORGIVING INIQUITY AND TRANSGRESSION AND SIN, and that WILL BY NO MEANS CLEAR THE GUILTY; . . . .

Micah 7:18  Who is a God like you, who PARDONS SIN AND FORGIVES the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but DELIGHT TO SHOW MERCY.
Micah 7:19  You will again have compassion on us; you will TREAD OUR SINS UNDERFOOT AND HURL ALL OUR INIQUITIES INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.

So, the only way we can have an impact upon the atrocities around us is to begin with ourselves: Come to Jesus for cleansing from sin. Let Him become the Lord of our lives, and He will save us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:16  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Let Jesus become your Savior that you will not perish (eternally) but have eternal life (no purgatory or hell). You don’t have to go through priests, or saints, or even through Mary: Go to Christ directly. Ask Jesus to cleanse your life and save you from your sins. He’ll do it! And you will have peace like you’ve never had it before.

Then, from a saving relationship with Christ, God will give you wisdom to know how to work toward the goals that you have set out for yourself. I suggest you read the Bible lesson “The Way of Salvation” on my web site.

I would like to discuss this with you again. Write me at my personal e-mail address. Also, visit my web site www.PettyPress.com where I have posted the entire text of 18 of my books, 40 Bible lessons, and much more.

Always be ready for Jesus to come,
Thurman C. Petty, Jr.
Thurman@PettyPress.com