Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

• Psalm 19:13

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

• John 19:11

If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.

• 1 John 5:16

For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

• Hebrews 2:2-3

Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?

• Ezra 9:14

But they continued to sin against him,
    rebelling in the wilderness against the Most High. …
In spite of all this, they kept on sinning;
    in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. …
But they put God to the test
    and rebelled against the Most High;
    they did not keep his statutes.

• Psalm 78:17, 32, 56

“Q. 66. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
“A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of various aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. (John 19:11. 1 John 5:16).”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)

“Q. 83. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?
“A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.”

• The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

“Q. 150. Are all transgressions of the law of God equally heinous in themselves, and in the sight of God?
“A. All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.”

• The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)

The Spurgeon Catechism and the Shorter Catechism differ in only one word.  The Larger Catechism is more wordy.  The Larger Catechism has completely different biblical proofs, but the other two only vary in one biblical proof.

I find these biblical proofs interesting, but they are ambiguous regarding the question, to some extent.  There are some sins that are more heinous, those especially leading to death and especially those that we cling to, repeat, and are habitual.  Yes, it is hard, but God gives us all we need to repent.  Repent is turning away from sin, and we must consider the fate of Lot’s wife.  She looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).  This is not a condemnation of looking back to see our past, but a yearning for what was lost or what we gave up.

Of these sins that are repetitive, many today consider them not sins at all.  The Israelites described in Psalm 78 might have felt the same way.  If we decide that it is not a sin, then there is no reason to repent, no reason to change our ways, no reason to change our allegiance.

And that gets to the point.  When we keep returning to the same bad habits, we are placing things of this world before God.

The first biblical proof from Psalm 19 (used in the Shorter Catechism) speaks of willful sin.  There are sins that we do as a result of an emotional event, a momentary lapse, or something on the spur of the moment.  But in a willful sin, we planned it first.  I have often used the example of an Army major who was our teacher for ROTC senior year.  I learned a lot from him, but he was our big man, over six feet tall, on our basketball team.  He told the coach he wanted to go back in with only one foul left, and he knew who he was going to use the foul on.  That seems funny, but the major was putting the team’s chances of winning the game on the line just to have some revenge.  In looking at it from that angle, we can see how this would be more heinous.

With God, however, the stakes are higher than an intramural basketball game.

And now let us sing.

The following song is Lord, I’m Coming Home, sung by the Statler Brothers.  They do not sing the verses in the same order as is in the hymnal, but I doubt if that is a heinous sin.  They sing verses 1, then 4, then 2, which is a great verse to end with. But there is great wisdom in the third verse. The hymn speaks of repentance and only wanting to rest in God, never more to roam.

“1 I’ve wandered far away from God,
Now I’m coming home;
The paths of sin too long I’ve trod,
Lord, I’m coming home.

Refrain:
Coming home, coming home,
Nevermore to roam,
Open wide Thine arms of love,
Lord, I’m coming home.

2 I’ve wasted many precious years,
Now I’m coming home;
I now repent with bitter tears,
Lord, I’m coming home. [Refrain]

3 I’ve tired of sin and straying, Lord,
Now I’m coming home;
I’ll trust Thy love, believe Thy word,
Lord, I’m coming home. [Refrain]

4 My soul is sick, my heart is sore,
Now I’m coming home;
My strength renew, my hope restore,
Lord, I’m coming home. [Refrain]”

• William J. Kirkpatrick, Lord, I’m Coming Home

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
You are our need Your power to repent of our sin.  We too often try on our own and fail.  Help us to worship You, the One who can work in us what we cannot do.  And we thank You for loving us while we were yet sinners.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.