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| IDENTIFYING YOUR
BIGGEST PROBLEM |
#107
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We cannot begin to understand WHY God demanded that Jesus
die on the cross until we explore the “problems” God was working
to solve. What would you say is your biggest problem?
Might it have something to do with “money”? That is what the
majority of people list as number one. Others feel that
everything would be all right in their lives if they only had
their “health.” Some are mostly burdened by “relationship
problems” with spouse, or children, or work-mates, or friends.
Indeed, these are all legitimate problems; but, they are not
your BIGGEST problem. In fact, the problem which is your
“biggest” problem might just be the reason you are having
problems in these other areas. The Bible defines your biggest
problem in one word - “SIN.”
In the Greek New Testament, the word translated “sin” is
the Greek word “hamartia.” It was an archery term which
meant “to miss the mark.” When we conduct our lives in a way
which is different from the way God intended for us to live, it
is like a marksman who misses the target with his arrow. “Sin”
is the missing of God’s “standard.” I John 3:4 defines sin as
“lawlessness.” You see, if God says not to do a certain
thing, but we do it anyway, that is sin. In James 4:17, we find
that just the opposite is also true. It says, “... to one who
knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is
sin.” It seems that we don’t have to do anything at all to be a
sinner. No wonder the apostle Paul declared that “all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in Romans 3:23. He
went on to confess that temptations were a constant struggle,
even for him. He wrote, “For that which I am doing, I do not
understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but
I am doing the very thing I hate ... for the good that I wish, I
do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish”
(Romans 7:15,19). Have you ever felt that way?
Obviously, sin is a universal problem shared by all. But
the reason it is a problem is because of the consequence
we suffer as a result of our sins. In Romans 6:23, Paul said,
“For the wages of sin is death ....” Paul’s meaning is
demonstrated in Genesis 2:16-17. There we learn that God
commanded Adam not to eat of a certain fruit. The first
and only negative commandment of God carried a penalty
if violated. God said, “for in the day that you eat from it you
shall surely die.” Of course, as is the nature of humans,
they ate it. But did they DIE in that day? As we follow the
story, we see that they were indeed banished from God’s
presence; but Adam lived on to be 930 years old. Eventually, he
did die a physical death. But, what kind of death did he suffer
“in the day” that he sinned?
To answer that question, let us look to the book of James
for a biblical definition of “death.” James 2:26 defines
physical death as a separation of the spirit from the body. In
truth, this is what death always is . . . a separation. “In the
day” that Adam sinned, some sort of separation took place. What
was it? Isaiah 59:2 answers this question and also explains the
consequences of sin. It says, “But your iniquities have made a
separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden
His face from you, so that He does not hear.”
You see, the “death” that Adam suffered “in the day” he
sinned was a Spiritual Death. His relationship with God
was severed. Since God is the source of eternal life, it is said
that Adam was cut off from the “Tree of Life” (Gen 3:22-24). All
of us, who are descendants of Adam, share not only in physical
death, but also in the consequence that sin separates us from
God. When we sin, we become separated from God. If we
should die in this condition, then we shall be forever separated
from God throughout all eternity.
Well . . . this is certainly a staggering contemplation.
Compared to the problem of SIN and its consequences, all other
problems in our lives pale into insignificance. As we think
about this, we obviously want to avoid this fate if at all
possible. Is there any way out of this? Is there a
solution? Of course, we have already seen that a death on the
cross was one of the reasons that God became flesh. But why? Why
does my forgiveness come at such awful cost? Why did Jesus have
to die for my sins to be forgiven? There is a logical and
reasonable answer to this question, but it can only be seen when
we understand that ours was not the only problem solved at
Calvary. “God Had a Problem Too.” And that is the subject of
"GOD HAD A PROBLEM TOO".
| Bible
Probe |
IDENTIFYING
YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM |
107
|
1. What is the meaning of the word “sin”?
2. Name two general ways that a person can sin. (I John 3:4;
James 4:17)
3. How would you describe the consequences of sin? (Isaiah 59:2)
4. Sin results in what kind of “Death”? (Romans 6:23; Genesis
2:16-17; 3:22-24; James 2:26)
5. Have you sinned? (Romans 3:23; Romans 7:15,19)
6. Does the consequence for sin apply to you?
7. What is your current relationship with God?
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Your Bible questions answered here.