CNN: I'm a Criminal

Interesting article

Putting the article's political agenda aside, this article made me think a lot about how I view sin in my life. Also how when she confronted people with the "So are you" statement, that most people don't view themselves as sinners. I am a criminal. A criminal saved by Grace, and redeemed, but a criminal nonetheless.

It also made me think about how we view people in jail or homeless people, or whatever. We tend to view them differently, just because the effects of sin on their life are more "visible", when in fact we all have sinned. For example, using the drugs scenario from the article. How many of us know people who have done drugs in the past, and are no longer users? There are probably some very important people in our lives that fall into that category. How do we treat them? We love them despite their past, don't we? Then think about how we would react / treat someone who we knew went to jail for drug possession. Granted, perhaps they got caught because they used a ton more drugs than those people we "care" about, and that's why they maybe got caught. We do tend to treat them differently, don't we? This same way of thinking can be applied to any kind of sin, not just drug use.

I'm not saying things should go unpunished. I am 100% for justice and a legal system here on earth. But ultimate judgement lies with God. The point is: God calls us to love all sinners, not loving their sin, but to show the Gospel to everyone. The Gospel is more than just a 4 laws booklet, Romans Road, or whatever kind of evangelistic tool we can use. The Gospel is God taking our punishment upon himself, conquering sin forever, and then LOVING (emphasis on verb) us despite our sin and freeing us from sin's bondage. God calls us to LOVE others as He LOVES us. John 13:31-35

Thank God for his Spirit to show us our sin, that we can repent of them and be changed, and for his son Jesus that we are forgiven!!