Scripture reading: Romans 5:12–21

Metaphors of Sin

So that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. (Romans 7:13 NASB)

Roadkill is messy, ugly, and smelly. But take it into a laboratory, and any scientist will be able to dissect its tissues and examine its cells with easy clinical detachment.

Sin is messy, ugly, and smelly. But take it into many churches today, and you will find preachers giving lip service to the theological nature of sin without driving home sin’s ugly reality. Because of today’s easy cultural detachment of moral relativism, political correctness, and easy believism, you will seldom hear preachers in America thundering the realities of original sin and total depravity.

The Bible uses several word-pictures to help describe the exceeding sinfulness of sin. When we assemble all of the descriptive analyses, we begin to understand both the depth of our depravity and the deeper depth of God’s grace.

,. One word used in the Bible for sin literally means to miss the mark. The picture is of an archer taking aim and releasing his arrow but missing the target. To sin is to miss the objective that God has placed before us, to fail to reach our goal.

,. The Bible also describes sin as lostness. The idea in this word picture is that of a traveler on a journey wandering aimlessly, walking in circles, ignorant of the path that will lead him home.

,. Another biblical picture of sin relates to sickness. The sin problem is so much deeper than a behavior issue. Outward actions are only symptoms of a deeper disease. Something inside is causing dysfunction and pain and will ultimately provoke death if not treated.

,. A fourth metaphor of sin is that of a dark stain. Sinners are impure, dirty, unclean, polluted. The defilement is so deep that no earthly soap can wash it away.

,. A final picture of sin is that of debt. Our sins leave us bankrupt. No amount of good works or self punishment is able to pay off the enormous debt that we owe.  If the exceeding sinfulness of sin makes you want to groan in desperation, then the exceeding blessedness of salvation will make you want to shout in jubilation! Jesus came to “take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This means:

,. When we miss the mark and fall short of our life’s purpose, Jesus can forgive our botched attempt and give us another chance. With his help, we’ll hit the target next time.

,. When we have lost our way and are wandering in circles, Jesus comes not to scold us but to forgive us and point us in the right direction.

,. When we become aware of a deep infection of sinful desires and addictive patterns of dysfunction, Jesus comes to heal the sin-sick soul. God’s grace goes deeper than our sin.

,. When the feelings of filth and dirtiness leave us with an overwhelming sense of shame, Jesus comes to wash and cleanse us, outside and inside.

,. When we realize that we can never repay the debt we owe to God for the sins we have committed, Jesus pays it all. In Christ our debts are all cancelled!

The damage of sin has been fully repaired by the miracle of grace. Thanks be to God!

Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of

Christian theology which can really be proved.  —G. K. Chesterton

point to ponder • Your sin problem is worse than you think. But salvation is more wonderful than you ever dreamed.

prayer focus • For Christian parents, with their children, to not designate the discussion of sin to the back seat.