Does Sin Matter?

After a person is born again and become a child of God, does sin matter?  If Jesus' death, burial and resurrection covered all sin of all people for all times, does sin still matter? After we receive His cleansing blood and our will has been freed from bondage, is sin still an issue? Can we sin as much as we want to since it is already paid for?

Paul, the Apostle, in Romans 6 addresses these questions with a resounding: "God forbid" , "May it never be!". He says: "How can we who are dead to sin, continue in it?" We are no longer in bondage, slaves to sin, Satan and self to fulfilling the lusts, passions of sin. We actually have the God-given power to resist the devil. We can and must so "NO!" to sin. Our dead self has no longer any obligation to give in to temptations, we do not have to sin. In other words, Christians who sin, choose to sin.

Hebrews the 3rd and 4th chapters addresses these same questions on a different level. All actions originate from the heart. Here the author of Hebrews says that unbelief is disobedience is sin and it not only stems from a hard heart but also hardens the heart. Think back to Eden.... Did God really say.... ? In comes unbelief resulting in disobedience which is sin.

Hebrews do not leave us in the mess but continues to propose the answer to our sin, disobedience, unbelief, hardened heart problem. It is twofold:

First; The Word of God will discern sin in our lives and bring to light the thought and intent of our hearts. The seed of our actions will be purified by it. In reading and studying the Word (logos=written word) of God, we guard our heart from unbelief, disobedience and hardness. Sin is deceitful. The Word of God will unmask it. As we submit to the Word our hearts will change and sin, disobedience, unbelief will become less and less of a problem.

The second part of the answer is to go to Jesus our advocate. He understands our every weakness. He was tempted in all ways just like us, yet never gave in to unbelief, disobedience, sin and hardness of heart. He suffered, He endured. He agonized about His approaching torture and separation from God the Father yet in all of this never gave in to the temptation to sin.

Because of our Savior we can now with confidence approach the Throne of Grace to ask for help in the day of evil, the day of temptation. It is the help we need to keep sin, disobedience, unbelief and hardness.of heart away from us. This is the victory in Jesus.

The answer to whether sin matters is: "Yes, it does."  It will lead to unbelief and hardness of heart. It will make you a bitter, cynical, angry, irritated human. It will rob you of joy, peace and prosperity. It will bring darkness, death and misery into your life. After you have been born again YOU have the choice to allow it in or by the Word and Prayer keep it out of your life.