Can anyone say? "I Cor. 2:14-16"

Sin: Ravi Zacharias

Does God Author Sin?

From www.desiringgod-org

This is part 1 of a 4-part series on how to talk about God's sovereignty over sin.

In his last three sermons, John Piper has made some provocative statements about God’s sovereignty over sin.

• August 12: “God created [Satan and his demons] knowing what they would become and how, in that very evil role, they would glorify Christ. Knowing everything they would become, God created them for the glory of Christ.”
• August 19: “God is sovereign over Satan, and therefore Satan’s will does not move without God’s permission. And therefore every move of Satan is part of God’s overall purpose and plan.”
• August 26: “[E]verything that exists—including evil—is ordained by an infinitely holy and all-wise God to make the glory of Christ shine more brightly. . . . Adam’s sin and the fall of the human race with him into sin and misery did not take God off guard and is part of his overarching plan to display the fullness of the glory of Jesus Christ.”

Desiring God has received a batch of emails in response—some more heated than others!—questioning (or outright disagreeing with) God’s sovereignty over sin.

We’ve found that John Frame provides some significant help on how to talk about God’s sovereignty over sin. Dr. Frame and P&R Publishing have graciously given us permission to quote his Doctrine of God at length. The excerpts below (and in the next 3 parts of this series) are not available elsewhere on the web. If you get some help here, we’d highly recommend purchasing The Doctrine of God.

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The following is from The Doctrine of God, Chapter 9, “The Problem of Evil,” by John Frame. The headings are added; the paragraphs are Dr. Frame’s.

God Is Sovereign Over Sin

. . . God does harden hearts, and through his prophets he predicts sinful human actions long in advance, indicating that he is in control of human free decisions. Now theologians have found it difficult to formulate in general terms how God acts to bring about those sinful actions. . . . Do we want to say that God is the “cause” of evil? That language is certainly problematic, since we usually associate cause with blame. . . . [I]t seems that if God causes sin and evil, he must be to blame for it.

Words: The Theologian’s Tools

Therefore, there has been much discussion among theologians as to what verb should best describes God’s agency in regard to evil. Some initial possibilities: authors, brings about, causes, controls, creates, decrees, foreordains, incites, includes within his plan, makes happen, ordains, permits, plans, predestines, predetermines, produces, stands behind, wills. Many of these are extra-scriptural terms; none of them are perfectly easy to define in this context. So theologians need to give some careful thought about which of these terms, if any, should be affirmed, and in what sense. Words are the theologian’s tools. In a situation like this, none of the possibilities is fully adequate. There are various advantages and disadvantages among the different terms. Let us consider some of those that are most frequently discussed.

1) Does God Author Sin?

The term authors is almost universally condemned in the theological literature. It is rarely defined, but it seems to mean both that God is the efficient cause of evil and that by causing evil he actually does something wrong.¹ So the [Westminster Confession] says that God “neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin” (5:4). Despite this denial in a major Reformed confession, Arminians regularly charge that Reformed theology makes God the author of sin. They assume that if God brings about evil in any sense, he must therefore approve it and deserve the blame. In their view, nothing less than libertarian freedom will serve to absolve God from the charge of authoring sin.

God Does Not Author Sin

But as we saw [in chapter 8] libertarian freedom is incoherent and unbiblical. And as we saw [in chapter 4] God does bring about sinful human actions. To deny this, or to charge God with wickedness on account of it, is not open to a Bible-believing Christian. Somehow, we must confess both that God has a role in bringing evil about, and that in doing so he is holy and blameless. . . . God does bring sins about, but always for his own good purposes. So in bringing sin to pass he does not himself commit sin. If that argument is sound, then a Reformed doctrine of the sovereignty of God does not imply that God is the author of sin.

¹ Lest there be confusion over language: the “author/story” model of God’s relation to creatures, which I [will advocate later], does not make God the “author of sin” in this sense. Nothing about that model implies that God commits or approves of sin. In fact I shall argue later that it provides us a reason to deny that.

Are we Condemned for the Sin of Another? (Part 2)

By C Michael Patton @ http://www.reclaimingthemind.org

In the last post we discussed the problem of Original Sin, especially from an Evangelical Reformed perspective. Are we condemned for the sin of another. Let’s get some basic terminology down so that we can surf this wave with more balance.

Proposed three types of sin:

Personal Sin: Sins committed by the individual. All people have personal sin (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:10)

Inherited Sin: The physical and spiritual corruption which produces a bent and inclination toward sin and a natural enmity toward God (Eph. 2:3; John 8:44; Jer. 13:23; Ps. 51:5). This sin is mediated (inherited) directly from our parents.

Imputed Sin: God’s immediate declaration of guilt to every individual for the sin of Adam. This sin is “imputed” (or credited) to all people as if they had committed the sin.

Here is where the traditions fall with regards to these three.

Reformed Evangelicals: We are totally corrupted physically and spiritually for Adam’s sin through a mediate transferal from our parents (inherited sin). Because of this, we all have personal sin. We are also condemned (pronounced guilty) immediately by God for Adam’s sin (imputed sin). This guilt is only resolved through God’s sovereign redemptive action in our lives.

Arminians: We are corrupted (the degree of this corruption varies among Arminians) physically and spiritually for Adam’s sin through a mediate transferal from our parents (inherited sin). Because of this, we all have personal sin. We are also condemned (pronounced guilty) immediately by God for Adam’s sin (imputed sin) after we sin in a like manner as Adam. This guilt is only resolved through God’s redemptive action in our lives as we respond to Him in faith.

Catholics: We are corrupted physically and spiritually for Adam’s sin through a mediate transferal from our parents (inherited sin). Because of this, we all have personal sin. We are also condemned (pronounced guilty) immediately by God for Adam’s sin (imputed sin). This guilt is only resolved through baptism.

Orthodox: We are corrupted physically and spiritually for Adam’s sin through a mediate transferal from our parents (inherited sin). Because of this, we all have personal sin. We do not, however, have Adam’s guilt imputed to us.

Short History of Original Sin

The doctrine of Original Sin was not adequately dealt with among the early Church Fathers. This is not surprising as issues were only dealt with as problems arose. Once controversy challenged “orthodoxy,” orthodoxy had to define itself. Before the challenge and theological articulation, as with many issues, simple biblical language was used without interpretation (e.g. see Nicene Creed on the church and the Holy Spirit).

Pelagianism

The first time substantial discussion arose was at the time of Augustine (354-430). Augustine held that man is unable to do any good because man is inherently depraved. Augustine believed that all men are born with a predisposition to sin. This is what led him to his strong promotion of the necessity of predestination. “Give what thou command,” said Augustine, “and command what thou wilt.” At this time, believing Augustine’s position to be unfair and extreme, a British monk named Pelagius (c. 354- after 418) denied that sin was passed on from Adam to the human race. As to his interpretation of Romans 5:12, Pelagius believed that, “As Adam sinned and therefore died so in a like manner all men die because they sin.” According to Pelagius, we inherit Adam’s sin neither by imputation of guilt nor by nature. The only effect that Adam had on the human race is the example he set. In the view of Pelagius, all men are born neutral in a like manner to Adam with no predisposition to evil. Pelagius was eventually condemned by two African councils in 416 and by the council of Ephesus in 431 which affirmed both inherited and imputed sin. In spite of his condemnation, the Pelagian doctrine of sin is still prominent in the Church today. It is the “default” position of sin for all people.

Arminians

Jacob Arminius believed that all men are considered guilty only when they partake in sin by their own free will in the same manner as Adam did. As Enns put it, “When people would voluntarily and purposefully choose to sin even though they had power to live righteously—then, and only then, would God impute sin to them and count them guilty.” Therefore, the sinful state is transmitted by natural generation, while the condemnation for the actual sin is only transmitted by partaking of sin in a like manner.

Augustinianism

Many theologians have proposed a theory called Augustinianism (also called “realism,” or “seminalism”). This theory has traditionally been linked with Augustine and has most recently been staunchly defended by Shedd. According to an Augustinian interpretation of Romans 5:12, “all sinned” in that all humanity was physically present in Adam when he sinned. “[Those who hold to the Augustinian view of Original Sin] insist that we can be held accountable only for what we have actually done. As Shedd puts it, “The first sin of Adam, being a common, not an individual sin, is deservedly and justly imputed to the posterity of Adam upon the same principle which all sin is deservingly and justly imputed: Namely, that it was committed by those to whom it is imputed.” This view is attractive in that it takes literally Paul’s statement that “all sinned.”

Federalism

The federal view of humanity’s relationship to Adam proposes that Adam was selected by God to be humanity’s federal representative. This view was first proposed by Cocceius (1603-1669) and is the standard belief of Reformed theology. As Achan’s family was held responsible for his sin (Joshua 7:16-26), so it is with Adam’s family. By this view, the “all sinned” of Romans 5:12 would not be taken literally. As Ryrie puts it, “No one but Adam actually committed that first sin, but since Adam represented all people, God viewed all as involved and thus condemned.” The reason that Adam’s sin is imputed to his posterity according to the federalist is because God imputes the guilt of Adam, whom He chose to represent mankind, to mankind.

Next we will look at Romans 5, then we will deal with the problems.

Does God Cause Sin or Just Allow It?

From http://www.desiringgod.org

If God is sovereign over evil, can it be said that he causes it? Or does he just allow it? Is there really a difference? These are some of the questions we've received in response to John Piper's article about the bridge collapsing and the post on his upcoming sermon series.

I expect the sermons he'll preach over the next few weeks on God's power over sin and his purposes in it may answer some of these questions. Until then, you may find the following resources helpful:

• Is God Less Glorious Because He Ordained that Evil Be?
• Ten Aspects of God's Sovereignty Over Suffering and Satan's Hand in It
• Are There Two Wills in God?

What is the Unforgivable Sin?

by Brian G. Hedges @ http://meretheology.blogspot.com

The passage for my message yesterday was Mark 3:20-35. Within those sixteen verses are two which have troubled many readers of Scripture. In verses 28-29, Jesus says, " Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin." This passage would surely be reckoned among the "hard sayings" of Scripture. And people have thought that the "unforgivable/unpardonable sin" meant many things. Many of these judgments, however, are (in my judgment) incorrect - and have caused unnecessary concern to believers.

Here are a few things that the unforgivable is not.

1. It is not cursing the Holy Spirit or using God’s name in vain. Some people have been terribly troubled that they have committed this sin, because of blasphemous thoughts they have had, or even blasphemous words they have said. These are terrible sins, but Paul tells us that he himself was a blasphemer in 1 Tim 1:13. Perhaps some have feared that because their cursing was particularly connected to the Holy Spirit, that they had committed this sin. But I seriously doubt that Jesus was saying that a specific using the name of the third person of the Trinity (the Holy Spirit) in vain was in a different category than doing the same with one of the first two persons (Father or Son).

2. Neither is the unforgivable sin any form of sexual sin, whether fornication, adultery, or homosexuality. Again, we have examples in Scripture of people who committed terrible sexual sins, even incest and adultery, yet were forgiven and restored (for example, David and Lot)

3. The unforgivable sin is not abortion, murder, multiple murders, or even suicide. David and the Apostle Paul both stand as examples of men who were guilty of murder, yet found mercy and forgiveness. Again, all of these things are sins. And all of them deserve and receive God’s just wrath and judgment. But through faith in the ransom paying death of Jesus (Mark 10:45) all of these sins can be forgiven. That is why Jesus can say in verse 28: “all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter.”

4. In light of a question I received yesterday, perhaps I should add one more thing that the unforgivable sin is not. It is not simply unbelief. Evidently, people have often thought that the one sin that could not be forgiven is the sin of unbelief. I think it has even been said that God forgives all sins and sends no one to hell for any of their sins except for the sin of unbelief. But there are numerous problems with that view. The most obvious problem is that in Rev. 21:8 and many other texts, the Scriptures teach that God does in fact judge men for their sinful deeds - and not just the sin of unbelief. Another problem is that prior to our coming to faith in Christ, all of us are guilty of the sin of unbelief (again, Paul is a case in point in 1 Timothy 1). Clearly, there is provision in Christ for the forgiveness of our unbelief.

So, what is the unforgivable sin? In light of the context of Mark 3, there is warrant to say that it is a particular kind of unbelief. The unforgivable sin is the settled refusal of Jesus’ claims in the face of indisputable evidence along with the insidious choice to instead attribute his miracles to the power of evil.

This is clear from the context. Verse 30 tells us why Jesus made this statement: “for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’" As William Barclay puts it: “these men had been able to look at the incarnate love of God and to think it the incarnate power of Satan.” The scribes believed that Jesus was “a sorcerer, invoking occult power,” says R. T. France. They were confronted with the undeniable power of the purest and most holy man to every walk the face of the earth, and such was their obstinate unbelief that rather than acknowledging the obvious, they concocted the most unbelievable and vilifying lie possible. They accused Jesus of being demon-possessed! So the unforgivable sin is this obstinate and willful rejection of truth with the choice to call Jesus demon possessed and evil rather than bow to his claims.

Most evangelical commentaries affirm this interpretation. R. T. France says, “The blasphemia referred to is the scribes’ accusation of demonic collusion and possession.” D. A. Carson defines the unforgivable sin as “thoughtfully, willfully, and self-consciously rejecting the work of the Spirit even though there can be no other explanation of Jesus’ exorcisms than that.” James Edwards calls it “a specific misjudgment that Jesus is motivated by evil rather than by good, that he is empowered by the devil rather than by God." This fits the context of the passage and makes the best sense of Jesus' words.

One of the insights we can gain from thinking through the meaning of this passage is the importance of interpreting a passage within its context. The real clues as to the meaning of Jesus' severe warning are embedded within the narrative in which his warning appears. Sticking to the context helps us avoid wrong-headed interpretations that could needlessly torture the consciences of genuine believers who have received forgiveness through the death of Christ.

How Sin Does Its Work

By Brian G. Hedges @ http://meretheology.blogspot.com

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
(Hebrews 3:12-13 ESV)

Nothing is more critical to our ongoing progress in holiness than maintaining genuine communion with God in our souls. We enjoy this fellowship with God as our hearts exercise faith upon the person and work of Christ and experience the enlivening influences of the grace and power of the Spirit in our hearts.

The primary means of keeping this faith alive are prayer and meditation. I don’t mean any legalistic notion of a daily quiet time, which can so easily become an empty form or duty, but rather the ongoing practice of God’s presence which is cultivated by frequent retreats with the Lord where we speak to him (in prayer) and he speaks to us (through the Word).

When communion with God ceases, it is invariably because our hearts have become hard. Where once there was a genuine openness and tenderness towards the Lord, now there are calluses on the soul. Sin does its deceiving and hardening work; and the soul is left in a hardened condition, adverse to communion with God.

So, the Scriptural command to “take care . . . lest there be in any of [us] an evil, unbelieving heart” is both urgent and important. “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Daily mutual exhortation is needed, because sin can so quickly deceive and harden.

So, how does sin do its work? When am I in danger of being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin? Let me offer four insights, which, though in my own words, I have drawn from John Owen’s book on indwelling sin.[i]

1. Sin deceives and hardens the heart by taking advantage of the weakness of the flesh and the weariness of the body. Jesus said, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41). I have learned that I am seldom more vulnerable to temptation than when I am physically exhausted. When my body is tired, sin seizes the opportunity and says, “You deserve a break today! Come on – pamper yourself! You’ve earned it.”

The temptation is real because the need is great. Sometimes we genuinely need to “come away . . . and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). But sin can hijack the valid need for rest and recreation for its own deceptive ends. When the need for rest with one’s family gets transposed into an excuse for indulging in illicit sexual fantasies, sin has done its work. The soul is deceived, the heart is hardened, and communion with God is broken.

2. Sin deceives and hardens the heart by distracting us with other good and necessary responsibilities. We have many responsibilities in life. If we are not careful, we can become swamped with the pressures and responsibilities of working hard in our vocations, meeting the needs of our families, serving people in our church and community, and maintaining our homes and property. All these are good and necessary things. But they are not the main thing.

When Martha was anxiously attending to her household duties and complained to Jesus of Mary’s negligence in helping, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). In normal circumstances, God gives us enough time to meet all of our responsibilities without neglecting to care for our souls and maintain communion with God. If we find ourselves overcommitted, we should repent and reorder our priorities.

But it is also possible that busy-ness is the by-product of barrenness. The distraction of “many things” can be a thin cover for the hollowness of soul that comes from neglecting the “good portion” of sitting at Jesus’ feet. Brothers and sisters, beware of busy-ness!

3. Sin deceives and hardens the heart by substituting other spiritual duties for the personal and private work of watching the heart and maintaining fellowship with God. As a pastor, I live much of my life doing “spiritual” things like leading in public prayer, reading the Scriptures, and preaching sermons. Sin deceives by suggesting that since I’ve prayed at church, I need not pray in private. Or, since we had family devotions, personal time in the Word can be safely skipped.

This is a subtle danger that fails to take into account the unique importance of personally seeking the Lord through prayer and meditation. There is heart work to be done alone that simply cannot be done in public. As valuable as public spiritual duties are, they are no substitute for personal spiritual disciplines.

4. Sin deceives and hardens the heart by making empty promises to seek the Lord later. Procrastination is one of sin’s greatest weapons. If we can be drawn away from the immediate conviction to pray, it will take little to keep us from prayer later. How many of us, feeling the strong impulse to spend significant time in the Word or prayer, have put it off for a more convenient time – only to later find ourselves without motivation?

The deceptive methods of sin are many: exhaustion, distraction, substitution, procrastination. So what is the remedy? The passage suggests two. First, “Take care” of your soul. Watch and pray. Practice the presence of God. Beware of the slow, indiscernible encroachment of unbelief. Be diligent in availing yourself of the means of grace. Second, “Exhort one another every day.” Stay connected to a community of believers who can help watch your soul. Let your small group in on your struggles and learn to receive their counsel and exhortation. Be a part of a mutual admonition society.

[i] John Owen, Overcoming Sin and Temptation, edited by Justin Taylor and Kelly Kapic (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2006) 306-315.

How Can I Be Sure I Haven't Committed the Unpardonable Sin?

By Richard Phillips @ http://sites.silaspartners.com

Let me answer your question in two ways. First, let's take a close look at Matthew 12:31, and then let me comment on what you say about yourself.

In Matthew 12:31, the Pharisees are faced with positive proof that Jesus is who he says he is. They know that what Jesus is doing is of the Spirit of God. But rather than believe, they ascribe the work of the Spirit to the devil. Jesus comments on this, "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." Is Jesus' point simply that this is a special sin for which there is no forgiveness? The answer is No. There is no sin so great that the precious blood of the Son of God -- of infinite value before God -- is not sufficient to pay for it. The issue is that forgiveness comes only to those who believe on the Lord Jesus. And someone who knows who Jesus is -- who realizes that his work is by the Holy Spirit -- and yet so refuses to believe that he actually ascribes the Spirit's work to the devil, cannot possibly be saved. Why? Because that person is not just ignorant, but they willfully, knowingly, reject Jesus as Messiah, as proved by the Holy Spirit. So this passage describes not someone who in a fit of anger or temptation commits blasphemy, but someone who refuses to believe on Jesus as the Messiah, even when he recognizes the Holy Spirit at work.

Now let me comment on what you say about yourself. You would be astonished to learn how many believers are tempted by the devil to believe that they cannot be forgiven because of this verse. Numerous people, acting either under psychological stress, anger, unbelief, doubt, confusion, etc., have uttered or thought blasphemous things regarding the Spirit. The devil is not able to take away our salvation, so he wants to disarm us by causing us anguishing doubts regarding our salvation. I myself have experienced this, early in my Christian life, and under such pressure have verbalized blasphemous things regarding the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, I believe on Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I have since grown considerably in my Christian life -- and that has involved a lot of repentance -- and the Lord uses me in ministry. I do not think that what you are experiencing is the unforgivable sin.

Based on what you have written, I would make the following observations:

1. The very fact that you are concerned about this indicates that you are not in a situation wherein you cannot repent or be saved. Only a believer would ever have these anguishing concerns or be so concerned about his or her salvation.

2. Salvation is by faith alone. The way to know that you are saved is to ask yourself, "Do I believe on Jesus as my Lord and Savior?" According to the Bible, that can only happen by the work of the Holy Spirit. I don't know if you believe or not, but you most certainly can know. So, do you believe on Jesus or not? If you do, then you are a far cry from the men about whom Jesus was speaking in Matthew 12, men who even confronted with proof of the Spirit refused to believe.

3. What you need is to believe in the promises of the Bible about salvation through faith. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36). Of course, you now have a great need for sanctification. If you continue on in a wicked life, with no repentance and no good works, without any change, then I will agree that your profession of faith is questionable. So stop letting the devil side-track you with issues like the unforgivable sin, and believe on Jesus. Trust his Word. Start actually repenting and that will answer your concerns about whether or not you are able to repent. If you are hung up on a certain sin, then start praying to God for his power in your life. Walk with him and he will change you. But no longer allow the devil to hang you up on this matter. Say to him what Martin Luther said when the devil came to him in a vision accusing him of being beyond salvation because of his sins. Luther shot back with 1 John 1:7 -- "The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin." Note the "all". So trust in the blood of Jesus and you can know that each and every sin of yours is cleansed.

Rev. Richard Phillips is the chair of the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology and senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church Coral Springs, Margate, Florida.

A Public Stumble & the Nature of Sin

By Bob Kauflin @ http://worshipmatters.com/

No doubt you’ve been following the recent events concerning Ted Haggard. After being publicly accused of engaging in illegal drug use and sexual immorality for three years, and acknowledging at least part of it to be true, he was dismissed as pastor of 14,000 member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, the church he founded twenty-one years ago. He also resigned as head of the National Association of Evangelicals, said to represent some 30 million Christians. If you haven’t seen it, his statement of confession, read to his church this past Sunday, can be found here.

Over the past few days, I’ve kept up on the news, read a number of comments from Christians and non-Christians, and have been wondering what we can learn from this. Tim Challies, Carl Trueman, Rick Phillips, and Justin Taylor have all written helpful posts on the current situation.

I don’t know Ted Haggard. And he certainly doesn’t know me. But I’ve learned at least five things about sin from his life.

Sin is universal.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins (Eccl. 7:20).

Well known Christian leaders sin. So do unknown ones. Your parents sin, your children sin, your friends sin. You and I sin. Sin is our inherent tendency to think we have the final say about our lives and should get some credit for it. Authority and adoration. It’s two things everyone wants and only God has, supremely and uniquely. Sin is living as though there’s no God to whom we’re accountable, no judgment day, no heaven or hell, and no reason to think otherwise. Sin is momentary atheism. I don’t have to do what Ted Haggard has done to be a sinner. I simply have to fail to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and fail to love others as myself. Knowing that sin is universal keeps me from viewing others or myself very highly.

Sin is deceptive.
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13).

Ted Haggard knew what he did was wrong. But his convictions in one area were overcome by his desires in another. He acknowledged there were seasons he thought “the dirt was gone,” but it would resurface. That’s typical of a deceptive enemy, who launches his fiercest attack when we think he’s no longer there. Jesus Christ has given us a new nature that desires to please God, but we continue to fight the desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-25), and one of sin’s greatest weapons is deception. “It’s not that bad. I’ve been doing so well. I can ask forgiveness later. I could be doing much worse. I’ll do it once then never again. I’ve been too hard on myself. Thinking about this is okay as long as I don’t actually do it. No one needs to know about this.” And perhaps most damaging, “This doesn’t really matter.” Part of maturing in the faith is seeing and responding to signs of deception earlier than you used to. Knowing that sin is deceptive causes me to be more diligent in my fight against it.

Sin has consequences.
For the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23 ).
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life (Gal. 6:7-8).

Some of the consequences of sin are carried out by those who love us. Thus, the Overseer Board of New Life Church removed Ted from his role as senior pastor. He will not return. But, most of sin’s consequences are beyond our control. We must re-earn the trust of those we’ve sinned against. In this case, the name of Jesus Christ has been dishonored and disgraced throughout the country, pastors have proven once again to be self-righteous hypocrites, and homosexuals are saying the problem wasn’t that Haggard engaged in sex but that he suppressed his feelings in the first place. Like others before him, Ted Haggard has realized that small choices can become major disasters. He saw that sowing sinful thoughts leads to sinful actions. These effects were magnified because he was a leader in the church with broad influence and notoriety. But what if Mike Jones had never gone public? What about all the pastors who sin in similar ways but take their secrets to the grave? Sin will always have consequences. We may not ever hear about them in this life, but God is faithful to bring them through trials in this life or judgment in the next. The way of the wicked will perish (Ps. 1:6). Knowing sin has consequences should cause me to fear the first turn away from God in my thoughts or be concerned about a lack of desire for his glory.

Sin has one ultimate solution.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Mt. 1:21).
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world (1Jn 2:2).

Observing sin in someone else should cause us to search our own hearts and actions. What should we do? Establish greater accountability. Stay close to your wife. Commit to more frequent prayer. These are all good responses. However, unless we put our faith in the ultimate provision God has made for overcoming sin in our lives, we’ll stay on the treadmill of defeat. That provision is found in the life, substitutionary atoning death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospel. I looked eagerly for a clear reference to the Gospel in Haggard’s confession. Sadly, I didn’t find it. How do we have hope after failure? Where do we turn when once again we have failed to meet God’s righteous standards? What is the only hope we have for obtaining forgiveness for our sins, reconciliation to God, and power to change? The cross of Christ. The cross shows us that God has judged our sins and that we have been redeemed for his glory. The cross tell me how much God hates sin. The cross creates new desires in me to please God. The cross is a source of eternal hope, peace, and joy in the midst of my struggles. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1Pet. 2:24). It’s true that we can preach the Gospel to ourselves and still continue to pursue sin. But the solution is not turning to another remedy, but trusting more completely in the one God has given us. God doesn’t simply want to enable us to overcome sin. He wants us to overcome it in a way that honors the all-surpassing greatness, beauty, and power of Jesus Christ. Knowing sin has one ultimate solution should cause me not only to know the Gospel well, but to apply its power and grace to every area of my life.

Sin doesn't have the final word.
You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin (1John 3:5).
“For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place” (Acts 4:27-28).

Major leaders throughout Scripture fell into sin, but God’s plan of redemption continued, unstopping and unstoppable. Abraham lied about Sara being his wife. Jacob was a deceiver. Moses disobeyed God before all Israel. David committed adultery and had Bathsheba’s husband murdered. Solomon took hundreds of foreign wives. Peter denied Christ. The disciples deserted the Savior as he was taken away to be crucified. It’s true that leaders are and should be held to stricter standards, and we don’t want to use the fact that leaders fall to make us ambivalent towards fighting sin. However, one man’s sin, as egregious and awful as it may be, will not thwart God’s plan to have a humble people who proclaim and display the excellencies who brought them out of darkness into light (1 Pet. 2:9). The church of Jesus Christ has experienced a setback temporarily, but God’s plan remains unchanged. He is the Redeemer. We need a Savior. Is that any less clear now?

While we grieve over the effect of Ted Haggard’s sin, and should pray for all those involved, our confidence continues to be in the God who makes all things new, who will continue to display his wisdom through the church for the glory of Jesus Christ, who is the only Savior and Lord over all.