A question I’m compelled to ask is, “Do we take sin seriously or do we take it too lightly?  I wonder if we truly know just how much devastation comes from allowing sin into our lives.  Why would I think this way?  Perhaps the paint job on a truck that declared “Hell Bound” makes me wonder.  It could also be the suggested sermon topic “Sin and why we’re good at it…”  Or, it may well be recent events involving Chick-Fil-A, and the varied response to Dan Cathy’s support of traditional marriage.  Rejecting the sin of immoral relationships had some responding in support while others responded in protest.  There was one reported encouraging response, when a local radio DJ reported on an encounter at a Kansas City area Chick-Fil-A restaurant.  When an exchange took place between individuals with opposing views, one of the individual’s took the opportunity to pray with the other.  I don’t know which one initiated the prayer, but I would like to think that the Biblical view of marriage set the example in appealing to God for guidance and forgiveness.

As Jesus’ ministry began to unfold He said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  Mourning is the response to something that greatly distresses us in life.  Isn’t sin something to be distressed over?  Rom 3:23 tells us that all have sinned, while Rom 6:23 tells us that sin brings us death.  That’s distressing, is it not!?  If we would only acknowledge that death results from sin we would respond both quickly and decisively.  I tell you that we ought to mourn over sin, both ours and others.  While this position is unpopular and called judgmental today, the word of God clearly tells us to respond.  James 5:19-20 tells us turning a sinner from the error of his way ‘will save his soul from death’.  Mourning offers us motivation to do just this…  Galatians 6:1 clearly states that ‘spiritual ones’ are to restore one who is ‘caught in a trespass.’  Again, mourning over others sin will give us desire to reach out to those caught in it.  Today, when we reach out to sinners we are addressed as ‘haters’, which couldn’t be further from the truth, unless you are referring to the sin.  We mourn over those who we love, and when you love someone you put what they need over what you need.  Parents experience this when addressing child behavior issues at the expense of their ‘friendship’ with their child.  That shouldn’t stop parenting, though, and it shouldn’t stop Christians from mourning and ministering.  It’s time to mourn over sin!

Copyright © 2012, Nolan P. Rutter