A Sour Taste In My Mouth

Jesus Christ forgives all our sins. Christians don’t claim to be without sin. Sound theology teaches that like Paul, each one of us must say, “I am the chief [sinner].”[1]

Sadly, I’ve sinned many times. Believe me, it has left a sour taste in my mouth. But I’m a Christian because, through faith, Christ has forgiven all my sins. Having been sinless, He’s the only one qualified to do this. Receiving forgiveness puts a spring in my step. It’s like a fresh start, with no more guilty accusation.

The Bible says “There is … no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.”[2] But, being a “chief,” I have tended to repeat my failures. Anger, lust, selfishness, arrogance, foolishness, complaining, criticism, gossip, fear. In those moments of repeat failure, I feel condemned. “I’ve failed. How can God forgive me again?” The spring goes out of my step. I work really hard to “pay God back” for my wrong.

This idea has helped me.

Let’s imagine each sin I commit is a lemon. Why a lemon? No particular reason, but maybe because the apple has gotten a bad wrap already..

How many sins have I done in my life? Let’s say 3 a day. (Remember our thought life counts) That would be 1095 in a year. (I’m being super conservative I am sure) I’m 61 years young, so that’s 66,895 sins in my lifetime. That is a hill of lemons. Two and a half lemons is about a pound. My sins weigh 13 tons. That’s 2/3 of a semi-truck. So I’ve nearly filled up a truck.

But how many lemons would represent your sins? Maybe another 30,000? (If you’re 30 years old and not as sinful as I am.) Two of us total 100,000 lemons. Twenty tons. The truck is full. Then we add a guy who went to prison for murdering someone. Maybe another 200,000 lemons? By now the pile of lemons fills almost three trucks. No longer a hill, but a mountain of lemons. How many lemons would represent the sins of the United States? The 7 billion people of the world? Billions!!

Is God willing to forgive that much? That many times?

The Bible says yes. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”[3] So today, if my 66,895 sins increases by one, will God be able to forgive me for Jesus’ sake? Yes!

My point is, God has forgiven far, far more sins than what I have committed. If I fail again... and again, He will forgive. That is so sweet! Be free! Be forgiven today!

But never take sin lightly. More on that in my next post on “Mike On Evidences.”

Click here to read part II: "Don't Take It Lightly"

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[1] 1 Tim 1:15 (American Standard Version)

[2] Romans 8:1 (American Standard Version)

[3] 1 John 1:9 (American Standard Version)