A three letter word

Yesterday, I mentioned sin. This three letter word bothered a few of you. Please know that I always appreciate your emails and feedback. You must expect by now, however, that I will respond on the blog. I think it makes for fertile conversation and deeper thinking.

There are two words used in Scripture that I wonder if we sometimes think mean the same thing. The two words are TRANGRESSIONS and SIN. For those of you who are bothered by the idea of sin (or my use of it) I think the two words are worth exploring.

Transgression, when translated properly, means to cross the line. Think of it as an unkind word or harmful behavior done on purpose. Transgressors are rebels – those who stand with their toes on the line, contemplate the wrongness of a thing, and step over anyway.

Sin, when understood rightly, means to miss the mark. Instead of rebel, think failure.

Quite frankly, I have no trouble at all seeing myself, and all of humankind, in both of these scenarios. One only has to look at the world – watch the news, go to a PTA meeting, think about Darfur, stand where the Twin Towers used to be, take too long in the grocery store line – to realize that there is something very wrong with us. Something inside of us is either broken or missing because we are capable of awful things.

Here’s the thing. It is correct to assume that God cannot tolerate transgressions and sin. But let me ask you this – would you want a God who could?

It’s getting close to Christmas. I am always intrigued by how much we love Christmas and how nice we are to each other during the yuletide. We love Christmas because people seem to be kinder, to be giving, and we sing about joy and peace and hope. We want all those things, we wish it would never end, and we regret when the season is over, don’t we?

If God tolerated sin and transgression, we would not have the hope of joy and peace and unity. Rebellion and failure would make a forever Christmas impossible – or if you will – they would make it impossible to enter into the kingdom that God has established. It’s a kingdom MADE OF love and peace and unity and healthy relationship, rebellion and failure have no place in it.

Ah, but here’s another thought. I don’t think sin, or the reality of it, is what you are really struggling with. What I suspect the real issue is, is how the church has taught about how God deals with sin and transgression.

Hear me. God wants to LOVE us out of our ways, that’s why He extends His grace. Grace is the offering of powerful and healing love - God's favor - to the undeserving. He longs to make the world so safe that you and I are liberated from our pride and fears – and secure enough to change.

Funny, how a three letter word got as much reaction from skeptics as a four letter word (ok, it was really 8 letters: b-u-l-l-s-h-i-t) got from believers last week (again, thanks for your feedback). Maybe we all have a lot to think through.