How many sins are there?

So what do you think?  How many sins are there?

One.  What would your reaction be to that number?

Well, this is kind of a trick question. Clearly there are many different types of sin, whether they’re of the 7 Deadly category or something else, but as we read Luther he does a good job of helping us understand that when you boil it down, there is one real sin- unbelief.  Wrath, lust, pride, envy, etc can all be traced to a heart that has broken away from God.  And in reality, all these sins can also be avoided on a purely legalistic basis.  Not that a person will utterly avoid them, but there are many examples of people who lead seemingly upright lives when you evaluate them by the basis of the obvious sins.

But when we’re talking in God terms, we need to think about sin as faith or unfaith.  When God speaks his, “I love you in Christ” to you, if you believe and trust that promise, you are a loved one.  If you don’t believe and trust, then you are not.  You are a sinner.  And when you think about it on that stark of a level, the reality is that you’re one or the other.  You can be fighting through many sins, but if you’re a loved one, that’s what defines you.  You can look to all the world like a saint, but if you will not trust God’s promise, then you are a sinner.

Now a person can take that too far.  Certainly God wants his loved ones to be moved by his love to avoid sin.  And he certainly tries to restrain evil in the world, even amongst those who are not his children, but there is something very confrontational when we think about sin at this level.

You know what you are.  You likely know what those around you are.  You can take that two ways.  One, you can be inspired to save them from a life of sin.  And two, you can deeply desire for others to know what it is to be a loved and forigven one of God.  Let’s pray that both instincts would inspire us in our daily lives and witness.