Although federal prosecutors had
taped conversations that clearly implicated Rod Blagojevich, former governor of
Illinois, in federal crimes, he continued to publicly deny his guilt: "I
don’t believe there’s any cloud that hangs over me. I think there’s nothing but
sunshine hanging over me."
Sin has a track record of
self-deception. We can be made to feel guilty when we’ve done nothing wrong or
believe ourselves innocent when we’re guilty. Feelings are no fail-safe guide
for exposing sin; the Bible is our only reliable authority when it comes to
probing our inner motivations and arbitrating our actions.
Leviticus offers a thorough look at
what is and isn’t sin. In our passage today, we see that sin isn’t only a
descriptor for the evil things we’ve done intentionally. Sin can also include
unintentional acts. Guilt or innocence is not weighed on the scales of motivation.
To mean to do right while inadvertently doing wrong is still sin. Sin is the
transgression, or betrayal, of God’s holy standards, whether we’re conscious of
those standards or not.
We betray God’s law not only by
doing bad things (sins of commission) but also by neglecting to do good things
(sins of omission). In Leviticus 5, we see someone who refused to publicly
testify about a situation which he witnessed. He was guilty because of what he
failed to do.
Because sin wields such power of
self-deception, it is our inclination to justify ourselves before God. We make
excuses for why our sin isn’t really that bad. But all of our well-reasoned
arguments don’t exonerate us. The good news is that God is always providing a
means for atonement. It’s His gracious desire to forgive and reconcile people
to Himself.
Apply
the Word
We need the light of Scripture to
shine in our hearts even as we ask, "Search me, God, and know my heart; .
. . See if there is any offensive way in me" (Psalm 139:23–24). Make this
your prayer every evening when you lie down or every morning when you wake up.
Accept any conviction from the Holy Spirit, and then accept His forgiveness
when you confess.
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