"Sin Is What?"

When you hear the word SIN what is the first thing that comes to mind.

How many of us here today have heard the term “Forgive and forget”?  Out of these two words which one is more difficult for you and why? 

Sept 17, 2017 Matthew 18: 21-35

I would like to start today’s message with somewhat of a history lesson in order to try and deepen our understanding of the words sin and forgiveness. 

In the passages before the reading today there is a lot of talk about “Sin”.  To deepen our understanding of forgiveness, may I suggest that we need to first examine where this modern day English word “Sin” came from, because you would not find it in the original Hebrew or Greek writings of the bible.  Does that surprise you? 

It is very difficult to talk about forgiveness if we have misunderstood the meaning of the word “Sin.  Did you to know that the original texts for the Old Testament were written in Hebrew and the original texts for the New Testament were written in Greek?  The first complete English translation of the bible in was in 1526 published by William Tyndale.  The King James version was published much later in 1611. 

If you were to have read the first written accounts of the Genesis story in its original language you would have heard the Hebrew word Chata’ah [Shay tay| which was understood as, missing the mark.   If you were to read the New Testament in its original language you would have heard the Greek word hamaritia {ha·mar·ti·a}, which was understood as, to fail, or to error.   Now folks these do not sound as harsh as we have come to understand the meaning of our English word Sin.  What then are we missing from the originals?   

Unfortunately for many of us the word “Sin” has been taken out of its true context and miserably abused by religion and religious leaders for centuries.  Mainly because it has been presented mostly as a deliberate conscious  act.  

  

These two ancient words can allow us to hear a deeper understanding of our word sin.  Viewed from the point of the Hebrew and Greek meanings of missing the mark, failure, or making an error, these expressions of sin contain something our English translation seems to have missed, the unconscious factor.   Let me try and explain this with a Greek Metaphor.  The Bowman draws aim with his bow and put an arrow to flight but it misses the mark.  What happened???  Somehow unce be knowing to the bowman, an unconscious error has occurred, the Archer does not purposely miss his target.    In the same way, we often with our good intentions miss the mark, why, all because of unconscious uncalulated errors folks!  Are you beginning to see it?  

I would like to suggest that even the most premeditated crimes are subject to the same unconscious, uncalculated after effects.  No one can completely know or understand the aftermath of their sin not matter how foolish or horrendous the act seems to us.  This is percisely the reason we cannot judge the sin of a brother or sister. The Bible tells us that all have fallen short of the glory of our heavenly Father,  read it for yourself in Roman 3:   As a parent of three children and now 5 grandchildren I know this to be true.  There were many times when I really didn’t know what I was doing. I only though I was doing the good and right thing.  Oh Forgive me Lord for the folly of my ways. 

If you can grasp this not so new, but deeper understanding of our word sin.  Then Jesus’ plea, on my behalf from the cross, can now be understood in a deeper more personal sense.   Jesus did not qualify this statement, it was meant for all of us young and old, bad and good. Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23: 34:  The unconscious factor.

Jesus' statement ties together the unconditional love and forgiveness that our “Heavenly Parent” has so graciously extended to all His children, regardless of what they have done or have not done.   Why would God do that?   Because we really are not fully aware of the good or bad that we do.  There are always unconscious factors involved in doing what is right and good and you may never know the full extent of your goodness or who it has helped.    On the other hand, there are always unconscious factors involved in sin and we may never know the full extent of our sin or who we have hurt.   May I suggest that Jesus understood the unconsciousness of missing the mark because of His plea on our behalf?  Jesus would not have known the word Sin because it had not yet been invented.   Luke 23: 34:    We often miss the mark and come short of the glory of God in both the good things and the bad things that we do.   

But here is the incredible GOOD NEWS folks,  are you ready for it??  The hurtful power of sin ends when the forgiveness is applied to yourself.  That is something the unforgiving servant in the parable this morning had yet to learn.  Because of his unforgiveness, he brings wrath upon himself.  

I truly believe that my job is to take the log out of my own eye so that forgiveness can be completed in me, it can never be completed in you by only forgiving the other, read out it in Matthew 7:    May I suggest here that forgiveness can never be complete if you do not see the error of your own ways and are able to forgive yourself?  In fact one of the original Hebrew word for forgiveness was Salah {Sal la}.   The most interesting thing about this word is that forgiveness in the Hebrew context was not meant for others, this word actually meant forgiveness of self.   That’s right, you first, then you will be enabled to give to the other.    For you cannot give to others that which you have not given to yourself, you have to have it within you first, to be able to give it away.  

I would like to conclude today with this modern day parable to illustrate the power in forgiving yourself.   I have chosen to begin with Judas but at the right moment you can interject your own name here folks. 

We all know Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus and took his own life.  Judas’ unconscious sin has condemned him to the pit or eternal darkness.  For ten thousand years Judas weeps with his head bowed in the darkness of this deep pit of sorrow and agony.  One day Judas finally cry’s out, “forgive me Lord Jesus, for I truly recognize why I have condemned myself to this pit,” Here it comes!  Suddenly I realize Its no longer about Judas, it about me.  It is about my self FORGIVENESS and my darkness, then my tears begin to cease.  Not knowing why, I begin to feel alive again.  As I lift my head up from my darkness, my eyes are opened and suddenly I begin to see a small glimmer of light at the top to my pit of agony and despair.  I begin to climb towards the light but the walls of my pit are smooth are slippery, my footing gives way and down I go, back to the bottom.  But with a renewed strength of hope I try again and again and again.  Finally after what seems like an eternity I reach the top of the pit.  The light is so bright and blinding but all of a sudden I see an out stretched hand.  I grab the hand and a voice from the light speaks to me.  “Sim, welcome home, I am so glad you found your forgiveness.   The disciples are all here, all the Saints in heaven have been praying and waiting for your return.”   True freedom you see is found only in your own forgiveness it all starts and ends with you.