Covering Sins

Today I am going to talk about this concept of covering sins. Many people are under the perception that Christ died to pay the price for our sins. That by his death the price has been covered and our sins are covered by that. 

Let me tell a story. A certain man had a son, who in his young developed an addiction to gambling. The son would spend his free time traveling to casinos where he could try his luck. Soon the son found himself in debt. 

So the son returns to his father and admits his problem and asks for help. The son hopes that his father will help him pay off his debts, but instead the father simply offers his advise on how to overcome the addiction. 

In this example the father has a choice. He could bail his son out by paying off the debts, or he can teach his son not to gamble and how to get himself out of his situation. And my point is that one option is more loving than the other. 

If the father removed the consequences of his sons actions, his son will not learn how to overcome his weakness. He will not learn how to resist the temptation, and he will not learn the hardships and struggles that his course leads to. In fact the son may learn a very negative lesson, that he can trust that no matter how bad things get, he can turn to his parents to bail him out. The result is a person who is a leech, never responsible for his own actions. Removing the consequences is not a loving thing to do because it doesn't help us to grow. Truly loving parents should want their children to do better than they did. They way to do that is to teach them correct principles, and allow them to learn from their mistakes. 

So it is with Christ. He did not come to save men in their sins. He came to teach men how to overcome their sins and be made clean. Returning back to my story. If the son overcomes his gambling problem, then his father will vouch for his integrity, and could in confidence trust him with many things and not have to worry about his son abusing it. Even if he still has debts to pay and things to make right, he will be placed into a better path where he can overcome all things. So it is with Christ. If we overcome our sins, then they will be forgotten by Him. This does not take away the consequences, but it allows us the opportunity to move forward without being burdened down by the guilt. Just as the son with a gambling problem may overcome his addiction, he must still work off his debts. And when we sin, if we overcome that sin, there will still be reminders and consequences that linger on.    We still have to deal with those consequences. 

A good example a friend of mine likes to use involves food and exercise. If I eat lots of calorie rich foods and don't exercise, I'm going to gain weight. That is a natural consequence to that kind of behavior. Now the savior could be like a trainer. He can teach us how to get back in shape, and because he is a good trainer he doesn't mock or judge us. But we have to admit our problem and accept his help or he can't help us. He is there to help us overcome. He us there to teach us the way. But we still have to do our part.

Love and Forgiveness

In my previous articles I attempted to show and differentiate between different perceptions of God and the way He really is. In my last article I showed how God possesses this unconditional love, known as agape in Greek. I briefly showed that our English words for love don't do the concept justice and we will continue to explore that concept in greater depth. Let us begin by returning to the full story of the Prodigal Son. 

“And He said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me." And he divided unto them his living.  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, "How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants."

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."

But the father said to his servants, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." And they began to be merry.

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

And he said unto him, "Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound."

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.  And he answering said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf."

And he said unto him, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."”

Luke 15:11-32

Now let us examine a few important concepts in this parable. We see this young son receive his inheritance. We have an opportunity do use our time on this earth as we please, and we ought to use it for the best good. In this story the son squanders his inheritance.  

Now the next concept is that all actions have consequences. In this story one of the consequences is that the son no longer had any money in consequence of his having wasted it. Had he saved his money to buy his necessities, he might have weathered the rough times. Or had he used his inheritance productively he might have had an increase and ended up with more than he had started with. So it is in life. If we cultivate negative habits, and indulge in sinful or selfish behavior, we waste away our time which could be spent in improving and growing.  If we work on improving our character and growing spiritually we gain an increase. 

Next in the story, through his suffering he comes to realize the reality of his situation. It is through his suffering that he realizes he has made mistakes, and realizes that only by owning up to that and making some resolve to change, is his situation going to improve. This is often the case with us, that only when our actions catch up with us do we realize the seriousness of our actions. 

Realizing it was his own deeds that caused his troubles, and remembering that his fathers house was a place of refuge, he next determines to return to his father. So it is with us.  However because of his misdeeds he no longer feels worthy to return to his father as a son. Instead he desires to be a hired servant. We must humble ourselves and return to Him, with full intent to right our wrongs and correct our mistakes. But don't let the perceived seriousness of your sins prevent you from doing so. Many will feel so unworthy because of their guilt and shame that they will not even try. No matter what you have done, moping about it or trying to pretend is not going to change anything. Just try to do better and keep trying. 

Now despite the son's feelings of unworthiness and his plea to be a servant, notice the loving father's reaction.  There is no judgement, no condemnation. He instead runs towards his son who has returned home. He embraces him. And he celebrates that his son has come back by having a feast.  He responds with understanding and compassion.  He knows what his son has been through and he knows what his son will yet have to go through. 

Now the other son returns home to find his brother has returned, but that he had lost his inheritance. He initially feels saddened that his father is celebrating. He feels as though his efforts have not been justly rewarded. So his father comes out to comfort him. The good son bears out his feelings, so the father explains to him this important principle. 

The father explains to him that he has received his inheritance. The father tells his son that all that the father possesses, he will possess. Recall, the rebellious son has already received his inheritance and squandered it. He cannot get it back. Though he is forgiven and accepted back into his fathers home, he cannot regain what was lost. All he can do is move forward. 

Now God is loving like unto the father in this parable. But His love and His forgiveness will not take away the consequences of our choices and actions. There is a place in his kingdom for all that choose to return to His presence. But it is so much better that we not squander our inheritances. We will have to deal with the consequences whether we return to Him or not. And justice demands that He cannot take the glory that His righteous servants have and give it to those who have lost theirs. If God could or would take away the consequences then He would be robbing us of our opportunities. It would be as as though to say that "It doesn't matter what you choose, I will override your choice and reward you regardless." Much of this is a topic for another time.  

But my main point I want to leave with my readers is that love and forgiveness do not take away the consequences. If we sin we must still deal with the results. If I rob a bank and then say that God forgives me and do not return the money, I am still a theif, and the law will still hold me accountable. Every sin must be made right. That's where the atonement comes in. Till next time. 

The Loving God

The third type of diety people perceive is a loving being.  This is the version of God that loves mankind unconditionally. Of the three versions of God this version is the most accurate. 

However, in order to understand a loving God, you have to understand what kind of love He possesses and exhibits.  I will attempt to explain what I mean in the simplest terms I can. 

In the English language there are really only two words for love. There is first the very ambiguous word "love", which can mean anything from lust, sexuality, or desiring-preferring one thing over another. It can be applied to people, possessions, foods, feelings, entertainment, etc. Then there is the word "like" which is a lesser form. The problem is these words are so ambiguous that you have to derive the meaning from the context in which it is used, and even then the meaning is often lost. 

By contrast, the Bible was written in other languages, namely Hebrew and Greek. Both languages have words for love that define specific types of love for which there are no English equivalents. Greek has four words for love. Hebrew has at least three, but we are going to focus on the Greek. In Greek three of the four words for love are natural loves which we more or less need. There are part of our natural order and in and of themselves are neither good nor evil. 

It is not my goal at this time to explore the differences in the meanings of these words. Rather we will focus on the forms used to describe the love of Christ, which is agape. Agape (pronounced agápē) is unconditional love. It is the love God has for man. It is free from pride or selfishness. A most excellent example is found in the writings of Paul. 

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not agape, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not agape, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not agape, it profiteth me nothing.

Agape suffereth long, and is kind; agape envieth not; agape vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Agape never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, agape, these three; but the greatest of these is agape.”

1st Corinthians 13:1-13

In the KJV (and other versions) this passage translates agape as charity. This is undoubtedly because the translators realized that love was too ambiguous of a word and could not convey the proper meaning. However I feel that charity does not properly convey the meaning either, since charity means to give, but that act in itself is not agape. We can give out of eros, pride, selfishness, necessity, etc. Charity on its own has no motive, but it can have either good or bad motives behind it. If I give to the poor I can do it out if a genuine compassion, or out of guilt.

Most natural lives are conditional. For example, a mothers love for her child, which some say is unconditional but it is not so, can be turned into bitterness if the child does not reciprocate that love. Likewise with romantic love which also turns into an ugliness if it is not returned. Or a friendship that crumbles into dust when a misunderstanding is introduced or trust is betrayed. Not so with agape. God loves us very deeply regardless of what mistakes we make.

“... A certain man had two sons:  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 

 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

Luke 15:11-24

In an upcoming article we can discuss the meaning of agape, forgiveness, and the atonement. But for now I just wish to show that God's love for us is not conditional, and does not diminish when we make mistakes. He values our souls and desires give us all that we desire that is good.