Sin Boldly

I am afraid to sin. This fear has stemmed from several places.  I do not want to disappoint my savior.  I have pride in the belief that perfect sanctification, if only for a moment, is possible in this life.  I do not want to hurt others. Fearing sin is a good thing! 

This fear has often led me to paralysis by analysis.  What if I do it wrong?  What if I hurt someone?  What will the consequences be?  I “wait for the LORD” (Ps. 37:34) because I am not sure what to do.  Waiting is not sinning.  It’s wisdom.  Right?  I have found myself saying or doing nothing to preserve peace and unity.  

Is that peace and unity real?  It reminds me of Jeremiah where the leaders cry “Peace, Peace!” but there is no peace (Jer. 6:14, 8:11).  

I have been taught that unity and peace mean the absence of conflict.  We can tell conflict is absent because we do not have to deal with it.  I have learned through hard experience this is not true.  The conflict is still there.  We are hiding it through the “wisdom” of silence and patience.  This still causes major sin and keeps true unity from occurring.

True unity occurs when we work through conflict.  When we show love for each other, worship with each other, forgive each other, even if we disagree.  I have no Bible verse that states this.  Does that mean it is wrong?  We have to connect some dots and not be overly literal.  We have to submit one to another (Eph. 5:21). We should use our freedom to serve one another (Gal. 5:13). We do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves (Phil. 2:3). We must pursue what makes for peace for mutual upbuilding (Rom. 14:19).

Doing this will inevitably lead to sin because we are all sinners.  To expect otherwise would be to expect someone to live without breathing.  

So what should we do? 

We should sin boldly! We serve our savior knowing that we will fail.  We act trusting that our brothers and sisters in Christ will forgive us.  We act knowing that Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from unrighteousness as we confess our sins (1 John 1:9).

This is the sentiment behind an infamous quote from Martin Luther that is often pulled out of context. In a letter to his friend, Melancthon, he says “Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world.”

When we understand the depth of our sinful condition, what else can we do?  Our best actions fall short and miss the mark.  Should we not try?  The Bible is pretty clear on that part as well.  

This has been a mark of spiritual maturity for centuries.  It has also been twisted for centuries as a license to act how we want.  

We should strive to follow the commandments.  How great the effort should be to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself! When we fail, how awesome the privilege and freedom to know that Jesus forgives us and encourages us to keep trying!  

I’m a toddler learning to walk.  Jesus is the parent that keeps picking me up when I fall.  Comforts me when I’m hurt.  Helps me try again.  

Fail spectacularly.  Strive fervently.  Sin boldly. Confess your sins and trust that God works all things for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).