What Is Sin?

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. —Romans 5:10

I remember the story about the time John Wesley asked his mother the riveting question, “What then is sin?” She replied that sin is anything that impedes the tenderness of your conscience; anything that obscures your sense of God; anything that weakens your reason or dulls your desire for spiritual things or exalts the lordship of your soul and body over that of your spirit. That thing to you is sin.

You may believe that you are God’s friend, but the Bible calls you His enemy. What makes you an enemy of God? Sin! And what is sin? It is missing the mark, God’s glory.

Sin is what caused our Kinsman-Redeemer, our High Priest, to leave His eternal throne and invade earth through a lowly manger. Sin brought Jesus from heaven’s majesty to a disgraceful, shameful death on a cross so that He could reconcile, revive, refresh, and restore the standard bearer to the Father’s side.

But the first message you must hear and the initial call you must obey was first uttered by the Savior and has been echoed by His standard-bearers throughout history. “Repent!” Are you willing to repent?

Lord Jesus, I come before You, repenting
of my sin and receiving Your forgiveness
and grace. When I resist the conviction of
Your Spirit, draw me by Your love to
repent. Amen.