When a Christian Commits Gross Sin
It is true that for the person to whom much has been given, much
is required. It is also true, however, that God’s offer and conditions
for forgiveness do not change after we are saved. Cleansing is
available through and only through the shed blood of our Savior,
and our request for forgiveness must be accompanied by repentance,
which involves regret that the sin was committed and a genuine
desire never to do such a thing again.
You know how strongly Jesus attacked hypocrisy. He sees right
through sham repentance – asking forgiveness when you have every
intention of continuing to sin, should the opportunity arise, or
being so stupid as to be pleased that you had sinned. A death-bed
repentance, for example, though possible, is probably less common
than is often thought, because a person who realizes he is dying
knows his life of sin is over anyhow. He could be quite pleased
he sinned and now imagines he can have the best of both worlds
– a life of sin on earth and an eternity of pleasure in heaven.
God is not mocked.
Nevertheless, if you genuinely wish your whole life (past, present
and future) were sin-free, forgiveness is fully available to the
Christian and non-Christian alike, regardless of the gravity of
the sin. If God so loved you as to forgive you while you were
his enemy, how much does he long to forgive you now that you are
his blood-bought child.
John wrote to Christians, ‘My dear children, I write this to you
so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one
who speaks to the Father in our defense – Jesus Christ, the Righteous
One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only
for ours but also for the sins of the whole world’ (1 John 2:1-2).
If anyone repeatedly sins against us and keeps repenting, Jesus insisted
that we must forgive that person over and over and over
and over. (Scriptures) Dare we accuse
Almighty God of hypocrisy? He asks us to be that forgiving of those
who repeatedly repent because that’s the way he forgives us.
Scripture provides us with many examples of God forgiving his
people of ‘gross’ sin. Let’s examine a few.
We find him lurking in the shadows of Scripture. He was a breath
of fresh air in a whirlwind. John Mark was bad news. In the human
race he led the field from go to woe. He has often been identified
with Christianity’s first streaker – the man who blurred through
Gethsemane’s garden with the raw grace of a plucked chicken, leaving
behind his clothes and his Savior (Mark 14:51-52). More humiliations
were to follow.
His unflattering nickname, stub-fingered, suggests he was physically
impaired. To this he added a handicap of his own making: he was
branded a deserter – a second time.
When the pressure mounts, the last thing you need is for a trusted
companion to abandon you. That’s what Mark did to Paul and Barnabas.
His desertion seems to have deeply hurt Paul. The apostle was
adamant that hanging out with this dodo was a no-no. Barnabas,
who always stood up for the under-dog , defended his cousin Mark.
The result was a rift between old friends; the shattering of a
great missionary team (Acts 15:37-39). We never hear of Barnabas
again.
One look at ‘stump-finger’s’ yellow face and you knew this jinx
had had mistake and eggs for breakfast again. Whenever this egg-head
cracked, everyone got egg on their face. Just what the church
needs! He must have felt as blue as a browned off white man seeing
red because he’s accused of being yellow.
Mark could have drowned in self-pity. He could have resented Paul.
He could have turned back to Judaism. Instead, he redoubled his
efforts, eventually being recognized even by Paul as having an
outstanding ministry (2 Timothy 4:11; Colossians 4:10; Philemon
24). Peter also spoke affectionately of him (1 Peter 5:13). As
writer of possibly the earliest gospel and a primary source of
Matthew and Luke, Mark’s contribution even to today’s church is
beyond measure. This planet is a better place today because nineteen
centuries ago a ‘no-hoper’ called stub-fingered decided to tough
it out.
Knowing our weaknesses, our loving Father has preserved many such
stories for us to gain strength.
‘Then will I teach transgressors your ways,’ crooned David. When?
After a calamitous moral fall (Psalm 51: title, 3-5, 12-13).
‘Simon ... feed my sheep’ (John 21:17). When? After denying his
Savior.
‘He slew at his death more than he slew in his life’ (Judges 16:30,
paraphrase). When? After Samson’s greatest humiliation.
Samson and David each knew the horror of spiritual failure. On
the crest of their vocation, they plunged to abominable depths.
Their lapses were inexcusable. Their ministries were desecrated.
Yet they refused to dwell in defeat. They were failures for a
moment, but they were overcomers forever. Grasping God’s hand
of forgiveness, they clambered to new heights for the exaltation
of the One who washed them clean.
Oppression crushed Simon the rock into sand. On the brink of ministry,
after years of grooming, he blew it. He lied. He invoked a curse
on himself. He disowned his Lord (Matthew 26:74). Yet though it
rocked him, this one-time rock didn’t peter. Empowered by his
Savior, he again turned to stone.
Though the righteous – that’s you and me in Christ Jesus – fall
seven times, they rise again. That’s a promise (Proverbs 24:16,
see also Psalm 37:23-24).
Men destroyed by fatal cuts;
A seed so small and barely sown
If sin can grow,
His repentance real,
Some Christians find it easier to accept God’s forgiveness for their
pre-conversion sins, than to believe God would fully cleanse and
forgive them of ‘gross’ or repeated sin after becoming a Christian. But since the Holy Lord forgave while you are his enemy, how much more will he forgive now that you are his friend!
From crushing defeat to eternal fame
It was just a hair-cut
For the plaything of Delilah;
And just a prayer-cut
For Peter the denier.
Strong they dozed
But weak arose,
And knew it not.
Left to wallow in their ruts;
Left with blame
And haunting shame,
In sin to rot.
Meant to die, but how it’s grown!
Things so small
Grow so tall,
But marvel not.
So can prayer;
If prayers will flow,
So will hair.
With faith restored
Hope will soar,
And blunders blot.
The victim of Delilah,
Had victories still.
And the spineless Christ-denier
Shed his shame
And became
The church’s rock.
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Start Here The only way to not miss any of this feast of uplifting webpages about false guilt is to start at Feeling Condemned? There’s Hope! and follow each link. You won’t regret it!
Feeling Rejected by God An important part of this series of webpages
Unforgivable? The part of the series that deals with the unforgivable sin
Testimonies They thought they were unforgivable
Scriptures Some of the vast number of Scriptures proving that you can be forgiven
Discovering and Enjoying God’s Love for You A separate but very important series
Demons The beginning of a series of webpages
Dealing with Depression and Discouragement
God & Suffering Coping with fears that God might be harsh and unloving
Becoming a Winner Breaking addictions and besetting sins
Encouragement When You Feel Defeated
Index to Entire Site A treasure trove of stimulating, compassionate, often humorous, webpages for Christians by the same author on a vast number of topics. This website is enormous!
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