Who Himself carries up our sins in His body on to the pole, that, coming away from sins, we should be living for righteousness; by Whose welt you were healed.
1 Peter 2: 24, Concordant New Testament
As my good friend and I were having a discussion on sin this week it occurred to me. One of the main places where we continue to hear of the narrative of sin is from the pulpits of the mainstream church. It seems that our downfall continues to be a good topic to bore congregations with. Yet, I mention our downfall in the past tense, as the work of Christ Jesus upon the cross has done away with our former sin nature. That's right, through Jesus our sins are forever blotted from sight. We are no longer considered sinners, but justly saved through the love and grace of our heavenly Father. But not according to the church. Like a constant CNN Donald Trump news loop, the institutional church continues to hammer home the point that we are sinners needing forgiveness. One can imagine the message this sends to Christians who hear this message. My experience with a Christian coworker has convinced me that the sin narrative is alive and well. For each and every conversation we have had concerning Jesus has included his belief that we are sinners still in need of the Lord's mercy. I get it. Until I was free of the narrative, I also believed that I was a sinner as well. It seems almost ludicrous to harbor the belief that Christ gave Himself for the forgiveness of our trespasses yet still hold on to the belief that we remain sinners. According to scripture, all have sinned {Romans 3:23}. Also according to scripture, Christ died for the forgiveness of our sins {Romans 6:10}. Notice that the apostle Paul is the author of both of these observations. Was Paul double minded? Hardly. Indeed, all have sinned and were deserving of the grace of the Father. His grace has been demonstrated through the death of Christ Jesus at the cross.
Being justified gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus. Whom God purposed for a propitiatory shelter, through faith in His blood, for a display of His righteousness because of the passing over of penalties of sins which occurred before in the forbearance of God.
Romans 3: 24-25, Concordant New Testament
So, what is the benefit of continuing to replay the sin narrative? What possible gain could the church expect from continuing to claim that our sin haunts our past? As near as I can tell, continuing speak the sin lie could somehow convince an unknowing believer that they need the church to somehow gain acceptance with the Lord. Because we are sinners, we need to be in church. Because of our sin, we need to ask forgiveness from the Lord. In a twisted way, repeating the sin narrative puts people in pews, which is the overall objective of the mainstream church. Yet the truth which has set us free of our former nature has been exhibited through Christ Jesus. We are no longer defined by what we once were, but by who we are. Who are we? We are children of the living God who have been redeemed by His love and grace from that which was done before {Romans 3:25}. We are no longer slaves to the lie of the institutional church which continues to claim that we are but sinners. The gift of the Lord, through Christ Jesus, has cleansed us of what once was. The truth of the living Christ is what now defines us {Galatians 2:20}.
For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.
2 Corinthians 5: 21, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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