We live in a culture where what sin is, is being turned around with each passing day. While we are being told by some of our political and judicial leadership to look to Europe for examples of how to deal with some of the moral "dilemmas" placed before us, the concept of sin and what is sinful has become convoluted by legalistic arguments over right and wrong.

When I think about what sin is, I tend to drift toward the great commandments summed up by Jesus when asked the question of which commandment was the greatest. He answered; "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:37-40

I still tend to drift toward the ten commandments and have them running through my mind though, because if you love God the way you're supposed to, you're going to be taking care of these other things. There are sins that most people (in this country) would agree that are just wrong. When someone drives through a parking lot and randomly shoots people down we all agree that that's wrong.

But there are other sins that have just flat been influenced by things like secular humanism and its penchant for moral relativism. Some examples are adultery, cursing or idolatry. Those are "reasoned" away or just seen as minor and unimportant. (Unless it's happening to a secular humanist.)

The truth is that sin, the way that it's defined in the original writings of the Bible means, "to miss the mark." That mark is a standard, in this case the perfection of a life lived. It was established by Jesus. He was perfect. He always and without exception was good, without fault. When compared with Him, it should be clear that we're all sinners. That fact is why it is so important to unbelievers to diminish Him in some way and make Him less than the God He is, less than the perfect man He was for us to see. If He is not perfect, we look a little better when compared to Him.

That's why it does no good to compare ourselves to others. We can't escape the fact that trying to be righteous in our own strength always ends in failure. That's by God's design. It's only when we come to know that we're sinners that we can also come to know that we must rely on the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus to remove our sin from us.

God wanted us to know that we've sinned. Paul said, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Romans 3:20

Even those folks who haven't been guilty of murder or adultery or theft can be made to recognize that they have lied or worshipped things like money or material things and thereby placed them before God. The thing is, having missed any "mark" separates people from God. The prophet Isaiah made that clear.

Isaiah 59:1-2 "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened,That it cannot save;Nor His ear heavy,That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;And your sins have hidden His face from you,So that He will not hear. "

The Apostle John echoed that when he wrote: "8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10

The good news of course is that we only have to repent and turn to Jesus to be forgiven of our sins. That's it, but turning sins around and calling wrong right is a sin like other sins, but the trouble is, you see it creeping into churches today and there are always consequences.

The acceptance of homosexuality as a godly and acceptable lifestyle is a pretty good example that demonstrates this phenomenon. There are major denominations which now teach this doctrine. What will they say to those whom they've encouraged to stay astray when it is too late to correct the problem? "I'm sorry?" I don't think that will cut it.

Vigilance is the key to this problem, and that is gained and enhanced by the regular study of God's Word. If you have your face in it and your heart on Him, what is right and wrong is hard to ignore.