Day 117

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 5.

“… and although it be through Christ pardoned, and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof, are truly and properly Sin.“

Scripture Lookup

Romans 7:23-25

Galatians 5:17

Reflection

Even after repenting and believing in Christ, the corrupted nature inherited from Adam and Eve still remains with us. As such, although we are regenerated, we still struggle with sin. There are two snares believers can fall into while fighting this battle: forgetting that our sins are pardoned, and forgetting that it is still sin.

In Christ we are forgiven freely, fully, and immediately. Our corrupt nature and our past, present, and future sins have all been paid for through His perfect life and atoning work on our behalf. As we grow in our sanctification, we become more keenly aware of how corrupt we still are. We can easily focus too much on the murky vileness of our sin and fail to gaze upon the clear light of the Gospel.

Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears:
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the Throne my Surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.

-Charles Wesley

Rather than despairing too much of sin, some may fall into the other extreme: forgetting that we are still corrupt and that sin is still despicable. When we focus on grace so much that we no longer strive to keep God’s commands, then we cheapen the cost paid for our sin. When we are dismissive of our transgressions with a “God will forgive me” attitude, we take His mercy for granted.

Ye who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the Sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

-Thomas Kelly

Christian, do not be trite with your sin. It is a horrid reality that you will continue to sin in this life. Yet constantly look to Christ, and praise Him for what He has done for you. Praise Him for what He continues to do for you through the Spirit, and praise Him that He will one day remove all corruption from your being.

Questions to Consider

• Are you prone to brood upon your sin, or to treat it too lightly?