Most of us were raised to think about sin as a list of things not to do. Don't lie. Don't steal. Don't cuss. Don't get drunk. That list matters, and God means every word of it. The trouble is that you can keep that whole list and still fall short.
While we would all agree that sin is bad and causes one to be eternally lost, some believe the Bible speaks of two types of sin:
- The sin of commission.
- The sin of omission.
A sin of commission is doing what God said not to do. You cross a line He drew. John says it plainly: "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3.4). Gossip, lust, a lie told to get out of a tight spot. Those are sins of commission.
A sin of omission is failing to do what God said to do. You know the right thing and you leave it undone. James puts it this way: "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin" (James 4.17). The priest and the Levite in Luke 10 never laid a hand on the wounded man. They just walked by on the other side (Luke 10.31-32). Jesus still held them up as the ones who got it wrong.
Here is what should get your attention. In Matthew 25 the people on the left hand are not condemned for something they did. They are condemned for what they did not do. "I was hungry and you gave me no food" (Matthew 25.42). That is omission, and Jesus called it serious.
So how do you keep from crossing the line and from walking past the need? Here are four ways:
#1 - Stay in the Word
You cannot obey what you do not know. Remember, ignorance is not an excuse to do wrong. The psalmist said, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119.11). Scripture shows you the lines not to cross, and it shows you the good works God prepared for you to walk in (Ephesians 2.10). If you only open your Bible on Sunday, you are trying to walk through the week in the dark. Read a chapter a day. Let it tell you what to stop and what to start.
#2 - Guard your heart before you guard your hands
Sin does not start in your hands. It starts in your heart. "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4.23). James says desire conceives and gives birth to sin (James 1.14-15). Pay attention to what you feed your mind, who you listen to, and what you let yourself daydream about. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray so they would not enter into temptation (Matthew 26.41). Most sins of commission are lost or won long before the moment comes.
#3 - Look for the good you can do today
Sins of omission hide in busy days. You meant to call. You meant to visit. You meant to tell your coworker about Jesus. Paul says, "As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6.10). Start your morning by asking God to open your eyes to one person you can help. Then do it before the day talks you out of it. The good Samaritan did not have a program. He had a donkey, some oil, and a willingness to stop (Luke 10.33-35).
#4 - Keep short accounts with God and with each other
You will still fall short. Every Christian does. The answer is not to hide it but to deal with it quickly. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1.9). Find a brother or sister you trust and give them permission to ask you hard questions. "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another" (James 5.16). The Hebrew writer tells us to exhort one another every day so none of us gets hardened by sin's deceit (Hebrews 3.13). You were not meant to fight this alone.
Your next step
Take an honest look at this past week. Is there something you did that you need to make right? Is there something you knew to do and left undone? Pick one of each, take it to God in prayer tonight, and then act on it tomorrow.
If you are not yet a Christian, the first step is not trying harder. It is coming to Jesus. Hear the gospel, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, repent of your sins, confess Him as Lord, and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins (Romans 10:17; John 8:24; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10). Then remain faithful (Revelation 2:10). If you want to talk about that, reach out to me through the Preacher's Pen.
Just some thoughts.
