The biblical word ‘sin’ is an archery term, meaning you missed the bulls eye. Anything outside the bulls eye is a ‘sin’. For a Christian, a sin is defined as any instance we are not like Jesus who is our standard of perfection...therefore, all of man has sinned since there is only one Jesus.
There is a standard of man: laws, codes, measures, that are agreed upon so we can have order to our society. These standards are not subject to most people’s interpretation. A mile is an agreed upon distance that is not subject to interpretation. We all agree it is a specific distance.
Man’s laws do not and can not dictate thoughts and intentions, they can only look at actions and guess what the intent or thoughts were.
So for the law of man, it is the actions that are subject to enforcement and penalty if we fail to meet the standard.
Christianity sets a standard for the heart, our thoughts and intentions are measured. For the non-religious, there is an ever changing standard of morality within the heart and mind. We grow up believing something is morally wrong, but after some life experience we have a change of heart and what used to be wrong is now OK. We have a mental list of things that make up a good person and things that make up a bad person and over time, the bad person list shrinks because, after all, there are exceptions to every rule and things you said you would never ever do, you find you are doing them with more and more frequency. So your moral code breaks down over time because the standard of morality you live by is your own.
Remember, I am talking about thoughts and intentions, not actions. But keep in mind that before an action or sin can manifest itself by actions, it must first be thought of with the mind and desired with the heart.
Christianity is living by a standard that is greater than your own heart and mind. It is the acknowledgment that God’s heart, mind and desires are greater than my own and that I will live by those standards within myself.
So keeping the 10 commandments can make you a good moral person in the eyes of government, but in your heart and mind you could be as corrupt as a mass murderer.
God desires a relationship like parent to child and like a husband and wife. Would I be considered a great husband if I told my wife that I would not cheat on her, but I did have an overwhelming desire to cheat and I dreamed of cheating every night? Or does she want me to be head over heels in love with her and her alone? Government can never get me to that place.
I believe what Glen Beck is calling people to is the re-commitment of our hearts and minds, just like a husband re-committing his love for his wife. But we can never re-commit to something we never committed to in the first place, that is, our relationship with God.
So, do you have a place at the Glen Beck table? Of course you do. We can all be on board to re-commit ourselves to a time when our hearts, minds and actions were a bit more pure. However, as a Christian, there is a higher calling that, unless you become one, you cannot share in. You can stand for the re-commitment of the institution of marriage without being married cant you? But if you are married, there is a higher standard there.
I hope I got my point across without being too preachy.
Thanks,
Very interesting and beautifully said. However other religions moral standards differ. Do we have to convert to one religion to have one moral standard?
Also, I am a great Glenn Beck fan. I watched the whole rally and it was very beautiful and inspiring. Beck asked us to reach for the truth - and here is my truth - I admit it - I deal with it.
I sent my kids to Baptist pre-school. The kids believe in God. It is a great moral frame.
And here is the next truth that is not pretty: the kids also believe in Santa. I just hope the goodness will stay with them when they grow up.