Caution!

Eph.2:¹ (NRSV) “You were dead through the trespasses and sins.” (emphasis added).

James 4:¹⁷ (NRSV) “Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.” Yesterday, we learned that to sin is to miss the mark. The best way I can explain transgression is this. When we were growing up, we had some friends whose parents were military men and the inscription on their gates was, ‘Military zone – keep off!’ Some gates added this warning, ‘Do not trespass, trespassers will be persecuted, or shot!’ Now imagine that God has put a mark and has said, “You must not cross this mark.” To transgress is to willfully cross the mark, thereby daring God. Transgression is to willfully disobey God. A trespass is when God has drawn a line, and someone willfully crossed it. Sinning is when God has a mark and we miss the mark. Sin speaks of our failure to achieve the standard that God has for us. While transgression (trespass) speaks of our rebellion, our direct affront on God’s boundaries. This is big!

God has designed our relationship with Him to be a personal relationship. There are some things that are revealed in His Word that it will be transgression if you cross it. There are some standards that are written in God’s Word that if you do not hit that standard, you have sinned. However, in your walk with God, there are things God will require of you – your personal consecration with God. Things God will permit everyone else to do but you must not cross that line. Personally, there are things that other people can do, things that perhaps other pastors can do and can get away with, that I cannot even try. It is a good place to be, it puts some boundaries on you. If you find yourself thinking, ‘how come ABC can do it…’, take heed because it means you are approaching the line of trespass. Back off!

If we fail to recognize our sinful nature, we will not appreciate what Christ has done. When it comes to sin and trespass (transgression), we need to know how it affects us. I call them the P’s of the effect of sin – the penalty of sin, the pollution of sin, the power of sin, and we are adding the presence of sin. When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, He completely delivered us from the penalty of sin. If you put your faith in Jesus and you keep following Jesus, you will not face the penalty of sin. However, while the penalty of sin has been taken care of, sin leaves pollution. A lot of people are defiled and have become filthy because of the pollution of sin.

Prayer: Jesus, let the power of Your Word hidden in my heart cause me to walk blamelessly before You, in Jesus Name. Amen!