How to Solve the Problem of Sin?

Introduction

God does not punish us for our sins but consequences and reactions of sins are plenty and that will destroy our life. Jeremiah 2:19 says that your sins and iniquities will punish you. Every action has its own proportionate reaction. Sin is a wrong action, having a wrong reaction. Jesus says that he is ready to carry our sins and consequences of sins in his body if you and I acknowledge all sins and confess them (1Jn. 1:9). Therefore, let us get rid of our sins through repentance and confession. 

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What is Sin? (CCCc 392, CCC-1849-1851+1871-1872)

Sin is “a word, an act, or a desire contrary to the eternal Law” (Saint Augustine). It is an offense against God in disobedience to his love. It wounds human nature and injures human solidarity. Christ in his passion fully revealed the seriousness of sin and overcame it with his mercy. 

1.Deliberate Violation of Law 

Sin is turning away from God by breaking His commandment. “Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 Jn. 3:4).            

Law often creates limitations. If we are constantly thinking of limitations it will end up in sin. Eve, the first mother, was dissatisfied with her limitations. She was unable to discern the divine protection and the plan of God in the restrictions of the law. So, she broke the law and sinned. Many commit sin, as they are unaware of the blessings in law of God and the power of the Word of God. “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God” (Mt. 22:29).

In order to have order and peace in the society, man creates laws and changes them from time to time. Some may think that if social peace and order are not upset, it is not wrong to break the law. But the Bible declares very clearly that the goal of the Divine law is not only to maintain law and order but the law or the Commandments are revealed from heaven by God for us to live, grow, prosper, to rule over the earth and above all to attain eternal life. “Keep my commandments and live, keep my teachings as the apple of your eye” (Prov. 7:2).           

 “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight and give heed to His commandments and keep all His statues, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” (Ex. 15:26). Here, God promises his consistent divine protection to those who accept wholeheartedly and obey His commandments and ordinances. 

 Along with the Divine laws we are obliged to follow the laws of the church and laws of the state that are not against the commandments of God and moral values. “For there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Rom. 13:13).

2. Denial of First Place to God and His Worship         

It is a sin we do not to give first priority to God. The Lord says “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out dry cisterns for themselves” (Jer. 2:13).

 When we give the first place to God and His worship, He takes control of all our needs. Jesus says: “But strive first for the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt. 6:33).              

Thomas More, the Chancellor of Britain, was a person who had been seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness first. Once, he was late for work. The King asked for the reason. Thomas More answered “I serve my God first and then my master.” The devout More used to spend a long time in prayer in the church and at home. That particular day he prayed for long. 

When we do not give the primary place to the worship of God, He abandons man to his own sweet will! “For though they knew God, they did not honour Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they become futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they become fools and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or bird or four- footed animals or reptiles…For this reason, God gave them up to degrading passions.” (Rom. 1:21- 26).

3.   Deeds of the Flesh              

The works of the flesh are against the works of the spirit. St. Paul, the Apostle says thus: “Now the works of the flesh are obvious fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissentions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing and things like these. I am warning you as I warned you before : those who do such things will not inherit in the Kingdom of God”.

4. Desires that are Evil              

 “But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death”. (James 1: 14-15). “For all that is in the world- the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches – comes not from the father but from the world. And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.” (1 Jn. 2:16-17). “You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by all its lusts and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self-created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24). St. Paul warns us that our lust leads us to sins and that unless we put on the new man created in the likeness of God, we will become slaves to sin. 

5. Depraved thoughts and Plans

Some may think that only wicked deeds are seen as sins. Not so. The Bible teaches that evil thoughts and evil plans are also sins. No one can do any deed deliberately, which has not been done wilfully in his heart. Anything that is not done intentionally is not considered a serious offence.      

Jesus said:  “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that all evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride and folly. All these evil thinks come from within and they defile a person”.  It is a serious sin not to forsake fully the sinful lust and to enjoy them in one’s heart. He who looks at others with sexual desire and unclean thought commits adultery. Lord Jesus Christ says: “You have heard that it was said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. (Mt. 5:27-28).

6. Deeds Against the Love of God and Love of Neighbour

Jesus Christ says: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, The Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with your entire mind, and with all your strength’. This is the first commandment. The second is this ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-32).

“For the love of God is this, that we obey His commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 Jn. 5:3). If we are not keeping Gods commandments, we cannot love God, So Jesus says: “Those who love me will keep my word and my father will love them” ( Jn. 14:23). A holy life is a life lived in accordance with the Word of God. A person, who says that he is living according to his own conscience, need not necessarily, be the one who leads a holy life. We ought to possess a conscience moulded according to the commandments of God. If on the contrary, our conscience is formed by our own will and desire, we can never become true lovers of God and men.

We must understand that sin is not the sum total of some wicked deeds; but it is a flawed life based on immoral values, goal and attitudes. The Book of Sirach says:  “Discussion is the beginning of every work, and counsel precedes every undertaking. The mind is the root of all conduct; it sprouts four branches, good and evil, life and death” (Sir. 37:16-18).

Therefore, in order to keep out of sin, we must forsake sinful thoughts and decisions completely. We must deliberately avoid all circumstances and contacts which lead us to sin. Momentary pleasure and profit from sin should be rejected. The God Almighty will certainly help us to live a life free from sin, if we wholeheartedly desire to lead a holy life and firmly resolve not to sin any more.     

“So, you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:11). “Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also” (1 John 4:21). “All who hate a brother or sister are murderers” (1 Jn. 3:15). Jesus says, “ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn. 13:34).

When humanity sins against humanity, God is restless. Consider Cain and Abel. Cain murdered his youngest brother Abel out of envy. When the blood of one of his creations cried out from the earth, God called Cain to account for his brother’s death (Gen 4:8-10).

The prayer of King David who sinned and later repented is noteworthy: “Against you, you alone, have I sinned” (Ps. 51:4). Joseph, son of Patriarch Jacob, was tempted to commit adultery with his Egyptian master Potiphar’s wife. But Joseph did not yield. He said: “How then could I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen.39:9). Joseph, who had a very clear knowledge about God’s commandments, knew that committing adultery with the wife of another is an act against God. So, Joseph fled from adultery.

Since every injustice, injury and immorality, done against others, are against God, such sins break the relationship between God and man. Sin is the destructive power, which devastates the relationship between God and men. The broken relationship between man and man is only the external evidence of the estrangement of man from God.

Conclusion 

All these actions mentioned above, have severe reactions, which we cannot bear in body. So, Jesus calls us to repentance and confession. In His public ministry, Jesus preached repentance first, because, He does not want us to have bad reactions of our bad actions. Repentance is the road to salvation. So please repent for our sins without any delay to save ourselves and our future generations.  All consequences of our sins will be shifted from us, to the body of Jesus, provided that we sincerely repent and resolve not to commit sins again and try to live a life according to the word of God and magisterial teachings of the Church.