Separated

When a man or woman
commits any sin, the
person has broken trust
with God, is guilty, and
must confess the sin.

Number 5:7

As a Jesus follower I have been part of a number of Christian “cultures.” I have wondered at how certain theological doctrines came to take such an important role in each of them. The tenets of the Christian faith are the same but there exists in all Christian “cultures” certain doctrines that seem to be “lines in the sand” for separation and clarification, creating a Christian placement of sorts.

There is one common denominator--sin and repentance. At one conference I sat in a Presbyterian sanctuary listening to Southern Baptist, Anne Graham Lotz preach that if sin is allowed to continue in an individual’s life or in the life of a Christian community and repentance is ignored, ultimately the presence of the Holy Spirit will cease to be present. Why? Because sin separates us.

It shouldn’t be that difficult to understand. Have you ever witnessed two people refusing to talk to each other? They are separated by some hurt inflicted. And, if left unresolved it will carry them farther and farther away from each other.

The difficulty comes in admitting to the sinful stuff that distances us from each other which in turn drastically separates us from the embrace of the Trinity. Believing in confession of sin and practicing it reside on opposite plateaus of the Grand Canyon. The doing of it will require going down into the depths in order to come up on the other side. But, the alternative is living a lonely life, separated.

Getting down where sin resides won’t be pretty. But, if we climb and reach the other side the hot shower of God’s love will wash all the dirt away.

Jesus, I confess that I
have broken trust with you
by refusing to look at certain behaviors,
thoughts and attitudes that
separate me from You.
Forgive me. Give me the
comfort of your embrace.
Amen.

Photo--http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np-image.grca20111.html