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Having come to the
conclusion that obedience is a matter of character,
then it does not take any amount of genius to deduce
from this that sin, which is the opposite of
obedience, is also a matter of character. Like
obedience, sin is more a matter of what we are than
it is a matter of what we do or do not do. This is
why . . .
`We need to understand that imperfection
of character is sin.' (COL330)
Sin, therefore, is not just a matter of stealing,
it is a matter of a character that desires to steal.
Sin is not just a matter of committing adultery, it
is a matter of a character that desires to commit
adultery. Sin is not just a matter of murder
for . . .
`Murder first exists in the mind.' (DA310)
Thus sin is a heart/mind or, if you like, a
character problem. The sinful act is only ever a
symptom of a deeper cause, and the cause, in all
cases, is an unconverted, sinful mind or heart -
which boils down to a corrupted character.
As Jesus told us:
`Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder,
adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony,
slander.' (Matthew 15:19)
The heart, or character, therefore, is the source
of and the root cause of sin; the things that we do,
say, or think, are only symptoms. This is why . . .
`If the law extended to the outward conduct only,
men would not be guilty in their wrong thoughts,
desires and designs. But the law requires that the
soul itself be pure and the mind holy, that the
thoughts and feelings may be in accordance with the
standard of love and righteousness.' (1SM 211)
Thus we must conclude that sin is a matter of our
deepest inner make-up. This is why we do not have to
perform a sinful act in order to commit sin, we have
only to desire to do the act in order to sin, for
the act, in all cases, is only a product of our
sinful inner desire. This is why Jesus said, . . .
`Anyone who looks at a women lustfully has
already committed adultery with her in his heart.'
(Matthew 5:28)
Sin, therefore, is something far deeper than mere
actions, for all of our actions have their roots
deep down in our hearts. In this regard, . . .
`[Jesus] taught His hearers that the law was
transgressed by the thoughts before the evil desire
was carried out in actual commission.' (2MCP658)
And this is why, in the judgment, our intentions,
our deliberations, our motives, and even our most
private inner feelings and yearnings will all be
brought into consideration - along with our actions.
This will most certainly be the case because . . .
`The law of God takes note of the jealousy, envy,
hatred, malignity, revenge, lust, and ambition that
surge through the soul, but have not found
expression in outward action. These sinful emotions
will be brought into the account in the day when
``God shall bring every work into judgment.'' '
(1SM217)
This all makes us realise how vitally important
it is that we understand the true nature of sin -
and there are at least least two good reasons why
this is so:
| 1 |
So that we will realise our
great need and feel more inclined to flee to the Great Physician for healing. |
| 2 |
So that when we do come to
the Great Physician for healing, we will not present to Him just our wrongful
acts, but also our "wrong-full" hearts. Only when we do this is there hope of
restoration, for only then will we be able to co-operate with God in the removal
of the true cause of our problem, and not just focus His attention, and ours, on
a mere series of symptoms. |
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Our Great Need
The greatest need of the human heart, therefore,
is to realise how great is the need of the human
heart. In fact, this realization is essential, for
we will only ever take full advantage of God's
provision for sinners when are we fully aware of the
depth of our sinfulness. Then, having a right
understanding of our great need, we will realise
that, in our own strength, there is not much that we
can do to meet that need.
`Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a
holy life than was the impotent man capable of
walking. Man cannot transform himself by the
exercise of the will.' (DA203; COL96)
Yet even this realization is a source of hope,
for `what is impossible with men is possible with
God' Luke 18:27. God has made abundant provision
even for the abundantly hopeless.
`In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good
thing; but that which we cannot do will be wrought
by the power of God in every submissive and
believing soul.' (DA98)
While we cannot even begin to change our
characters, we can nevertheless rejoice in the
knowledge that . . .
`It is God who works in you to will and act
according to His good pleasure.' (Philippians 2:13)
God is able to change our characters, but the sad
truth is that for as long as we have not discerned
the spirituality of God's law, for as long as we do
not understand that sin is primarily a matter of
what we are, and not just a matter of what we do, we
will not realise our desperate need, and we will not
come to Him for healing. This is the great danger of
what we might call "pulpit flattery."
Once we realise that sin is a matter of a
defective character, we will be rather reluctant to
tell our congregations that they are `the
commandment-keepers of God,' for who in any
congregation has a character that can stand in the
light of God's law of perfect love?
`We call ourselves commandment-keeping people,
but we do not comprehend the exceeding breadth of
the far-reaching principles of the law of God; we do
not understand its sacred character.' (1SM402)
In like fashion, when we understand that
obedience is love, we would also be somewhat
hesitant to declare to our congregations that they
are . . .
`A chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation.' (1 Peter 2:9)
In Scripture, the above verse actually starts
with the word `but,' which means that it must be
read in conjunction with the preceding verse or
thought, and we will notice that the preceding verse
is speaking about a people who are disobedient. The
thought that Peter is getting across here is that
the chosen people are not like those who disobey.
Therefore, if obedience is love, if obedience is
a matter of character, are we doing our congregation
any favors by telling them that they are a royal
priesthood, a holy nation? Chosen we may be? But
perfectly obedient to the perfect law of love . . .?
`For all have sinned and fall short of the glory
(character) of God.' (Romans 3:23)
God wants His people to understand that they are
not saints but sinners, and this because Jesus did
not come to save saints but sinners. The great
problem with "saints" being that they feel no need
of a Saviour and, as such, they are in a more
dangerous situation than an infidel, for . . .
`It is only when the sinner feels the need of a
Saviour, that his heart goes after the One who can
help him.' (5BC1111)
`The soul must first be convicted of sin before
the sinner will feel a desire to come to Christ.'
(FW31)
This is why Jesus wishes that His Laodicean
church were either cold or hot, and not just
lukewarm, for the problem with lukewarm Christians
is that they `do not need a thing.' (Revelation
3:15,16)
Thus the special need of God's church today is
messages, preached with great tact and kindness,
that highlight our sinfulness and our great need.
Such messages, provided they gently point us to our
Saviour, will answer to the needs of the soul and
bring us to an understanding of our spiritual
vacuum, a vacuum that God alone can fill, and one
that He can only fill when we acknowledge our need
to be filled. |
