The sin of sin

But you, Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:15

 

Read Exodus 34:1—9

Only when I realise how sinful sin is in God’s eyes may I be ready to allow God’s description of his own character its full weight. Sin is in the cultural air I breathe. As a product of this present culture, tolerance is my second name. It’s a virtue. The central one. I steel myself to be unshockable. Never call me a prude. Don’t dare call me that. It’s not my place to go around forgiving iniquity and transgression. I don’t forgive: I tolerate. So I really have to see my culture with new eyes to see with God’s eyes. Ten times in the Bible God is announced in these words: merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. I only get the point when I realise that for the God of all creation each one form of sin is an offence to his creational purposes. Sin is rebellion against God’s character and being, an impossible denial that cannot ultimately be allowed to stand.

 

God of all creation, holy in your character, redeeming in your purpose, you call yourself merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. I love these words tonight. I say them slowly and over again. Abounding in steadfast love. Were you not merciful, I could not stand before you. Were you not holy, nothing could stand at all. All would be lost in chaos and decay. All would descend to destruction. I thank you that you acted to restore your rebellious children, and that you have caught me up in this wonderful faithfulness to your own creation and your own saving purpose. Your saving purpose is Jesus Christ and all that he has done for me.