232 – We Are All Sinful

#faithbites #faithjourney sinful

In yesterday’s #faithbites, we talked about loving one another no matter what. In the image I used, it talked about worshiping other Gods and about being a homosexual. The premise was Jesus told us to love everyone.

The comments I received opened my eyes a bit. There are those who focused on the homosexual aspect, while others focused on the scripture about homosexuality, and a few on the other Gods. What was interesting to me, was the image only illustrated the idea of loving everyone unconditionally. What was picked up was the words in the image and homosexuality.

As I like to do, I researched some Greek words, I looked into our sinful nature and realized something. First, there are over 600+ laws in Leviticus, but most only pick on the homosexual one. Other readings were the Greek words that were used that have changed in meaning over time. While I could devote this faithbite to the language or to homosexuality or to the scripture passages, I choose to dedicate it to us all being sinful and broken.

In my religion, all sins are equal. Thanks to a good friend, I learned that this isn’t the case in the Catholic church. All that being said, we are sinful, we seek forgiveness for those sins through Jesus. That’s the end of the story.

Scripture on Being Sinful

• “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” – Matthew 7:1-5
• Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. – 1 John 3:15
• For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23

Reflection

When I started my #faithjourney, I made mistakes and sinned but did not call them sins. It was just me messing up. As I learn more about God, faith, and religion, I realize I sin daily. You may wonder what the difference is. if I make a mistake and screw up, it is on me and has no bearing on others. If it is a sin, it is on my soul and has bearing for the next life. I ask for forgiveness of my sins daily and I get it from him.

We all hold very strong beliefs against certain sins over others. I do not know how God judges them. I do know that all except blasphemy can be forgiven. Even that, if you truly repented I believed would be forgiven.

When you talk about people you don’t like, try to separate them from their behaviors. Show them love, kindness, and respect. You can hate the sin, but love the person.

Charge

Think about things that tick you off. Is it a sinful behavior or just something you don’t like. Regardless, how do you act to that person? Do you show them love even though you don’t like the sin? Do you judge them and their soul? First, try to remember that you shouldn’t cast judgment on others. You should show them love and help them find Christ. For through him, we are forgiven.

Lord, help me to not sin. Help me to see others as people not as the sins they commit. Allow me to help them find you so they can be reconciled and forgiven.