The Concern for Sin

The Concern for Sin

Some time ago a Christian approached me after a meeting and said, "I am worried because I am not worried about my sins." The phrase is a startling one, and should lead each of us to examine our spiritual status before the Lord. Worry, in itself, is a sin, because it is a lack of faith. The Quakers recognized long ago, however, that there is a spiritual emotion which is not exactly worry that is perfectly proper in the life of a Christian. The Quakers called this "a concern," and it is common in their circles to hear them say, "I am concerned about this or that."

If a sin comes into the life of a believer, he should immediately become concerned about it. It should cause him to rush to the Lord in confession and repentance, and it should cause him to build every bulwark possible against the recurrence of the sin.

This proper concern is described by St. Paul in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, where he recounts the effect of his scathing denunciation of their low estate. He writes, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold the selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter" (2 Cor. 7:10, 11). This is the attitude we should take toward ourselves when we have knowledge that we have grieved the Holy Spirit.

We come now to a very solemn question, the question that was brought to mind by the statement of the man who was worried because he was not worried about his sins. The question is this: Do Christians today fear sin as they should? Are Christians really concerned when sin comes into their life? Is there a godly sorrow that worketh repentance to a daily triumph that is not to be repented of? I am frank to say that from my contacts with many people, I have gained the overall impression that there is not deep cutting distress on the part of Christians when they grieve the Holy Spirit. There is not even a concern that they are not concerned about their sins. The man who is truly concerned about the matter will undoubtedly be led by the Holy Spirit to repentance and forsaking of that sin. We then ask ourselves why we have this indifference. There are several answers, one of which rises from the fact that we are living as a minority in the midst of great masses of people who no longer look upon sin as the Word of God has taught us to look upon it. Many forms of sin are not only popular, but respectable, and are shrugged off with the excuse that the sinner is human, so nothing else can be expected. This attitude rubs off on many Christians. Secondly, many Christians have a head knowledge of some of the truth without its ever dominating the heart. When the Lord told His disciples not to pull up the tares, lest they take some of His wheat, He was saying that some Christians are so much like unbelievers that other Christians could not tell the difference. We are certainly thankful that God sees through to the heart. The preaching of the doctrine of justification has caused many people to say that they have eternal life, and then do nothing about it. If a person sins and is not concerned about it and is not concerned that he is not concerned about it, it may be seriously questioned whether he has ever been born again. We must never believe in eternal presumption.

The only remedy that we know is for the child of God to stay inside the Word and to contemplate the finished work of the cross. The love of Christ controls us, and regeneration comes through the Word. We must have a definite determination of practical holiness, a determination that will carry us forward with every part of our being surrendered to the Lord, so that He may do what we cannot do.

1. How often do you consider your sin? Are you grieved by your sin as the Holy Spirit is?
2. Despite your sinfulness and hopeless state where can you turn for hope?
3. How does this hope help you persevere?
4. Even though God is Holy and you are lowly, does the Lord hold your sin against you if you belong to Him? Why or Why not?