May the mumbling commence!
What is sin? According to First John, we have found that sin is lawlessness, denial, and hatred. We have found that hatred is opposed to love… So if we love, then we will be alright, right?
Not so fast! When we allow the world around us to define love, then we can get into trouble. Read from First John chapter two (NJB):
Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone does love the world, the love of the Father finds no place in him, because everything there is in the world – disordered bodily desires, disordered desires of the eyes, pride in possession – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world, with all its disordered desires, is passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever. (Verses 15-17)
Disordered desires can contaminate our concept of love. Other translations mark these words as lust. This contamination transforms the concept of love from selfless to selfish. And that contamination of the truth leads us to pride in who we are, what we do, and what (and who) we have.
These disordered desires and lusts are like a mirage to those hungry for God presence in their lives. It cannot last. In fact, it cannot stand up against close scrutiny. We can deny this truth, but denial is a part of the definition of sin.
When it comes right down to it, these disordered desires and lusts have the wrong spirit. We cannot trust every spirit. Read from First John chapter four (NJB):
My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world. This is the proof of the spirit of God: any spirit which acknowledges Jesus Christ, come in human nature, is from God, and no spirit which fails to acknowledge Jesus is from God; it is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you have heard of; he is already at large in the world. (Verses 1-3)
There it is – the litmus test of a loving spirit. Our sense of love must be tested by the love that Jesus showed us while he was in the flesh. And that love was selfless not selfish. That love put God first.
To put anything or anyone else above our relationship with God is to create a false god, an idol. It is an important distinction for the author of First John. Read the last thought of the entire letter:
Children, be on your guard against false gods. (5:20c)
The author left his audience with the last word of be on your guard against false gods. Let us take that thought to heart when we think about sin.
What is sin? According to the author of First John, sin is lawlessness, denial, hatred, and disordered desires.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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