What causes us to sin?

The Bible says that we all “sin and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Sin is any time we disobey God, or don’t do something he asks us to do. Generally, I think that sin is simply a deep down dissatisfaction with our lives or the way we feel in the moment. A person may be mad about the way his marriage is going, so he grabs another beer. After a while he may succumb to a full blown addiction. Another person uses food for the same purposes. Some may put down others or live in conflict in order to make their own life seem more significant. Others may misuse power or authority in order to mask their dissatisfaction.

The dissatisfaction, however, isn’t one’s deepest motivation. Behind it is doubt. We doubt that the world is really the way God says it is. We doubt that he really loves us. When we sin, we doubt that his grace really covers us—we doubt we are truly forgiven. This doubt causes us to feel dissatisfied and that causes us to sin. It’s a vicious cycle.

It’s also why the Bible makes such a big deal about faith. It’s why faith is at the heart of Christianity. It’s why the Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb. 11:6). If you are struggling with sin, check your motivation. Do you feel dissatisfied? What are you unhappy about? Do you trust that God has your life in his hands? Do you believe that he created this world and is sovereign over it all? Do you believe that he deeply loves you and forgives you for all of your sin?  Once you begin to truly believe these things you will be amazed at how life begins to change.  You begin to have the kind of freedom only Jesus can bring.

Is Doubt a Virtue?

This morning I read in my devotions about Barnabas. He has three descriptions in Acts 11:24. Three reasons why he became particularly qualified for the ministry that needed to be done. But before I remind us of what they are, what do you suppose would be the top 3 qualifications for a ministry leader today? Wouldn’t the postmodern virtue of doubt be among them? This virtue goes something like this: Hold onto what you believe loosely, because it is arrogant to believe with 100% certainty. Certainty is only befitting for IRS agents, referees and raging fundamentalists. The thought is, Christians should communicate more like the local weatherman. Watch what you say, since there’s about a 50% chance that you may be wrong.

But the three descriptions of Barnabas are 1) that he was a good man (high character) 2) that he was filled with the Holy Spirit (doubtful of his own abilities, relying on God instead) and 3) that he was full of faith. Full of faith. Lots of good old fashioned certainty of what he could not see or touch. I love this. I also love how the guys in the book of Acts are continually described as “bold” in the way they communicated the truths of God. Could it be that the culture of doubt we have created is not as biblical or healthy as we believe it to be? Why is there such certainty about this postmodern dogma of doubt? Could it be creating “believers” with squeamish faith? People are left with no assurance—always wondering if they are on the right track. Sounds to me like a recipe for losing one’s faith completely.

Way back in 1959, the English writer G.K. Chesterton seemed to foresee our postmodern fear of certainty. In his book, Orthodoxy, he said that it was good for a person to be “doubtful of himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed. We are on the road to producing a race of men too mentally modest to believe in the multiplication table.” Ouch. If he’s right, we have a problem. Let us all become more like Barnabas: embracing humility in our view of ourselves, but certainty of our faith in God!