Cold War

For two weeks I’ve been battling a rather nasty virus.

It began with a burning feeling in my chest. Then it tried to steal my voice.

My response was to declare all out war. I drank plenty of fluids, took the best cold medicine I could find and got plenty of sleep. But when the medicine wore off, I woke up coughing. The cold had won. I knew I was in for the long haul.

All my life I’ve been fighting another nasty condition called sin. Once I realized I had the condition, my response was similar to my battle with the cold: I tried to fight it. And the outcome was the same as with the cold. Sin won and I lost.

Now hold it right there for just a minute. What’s the big deal with sin? Isn’t that just a hang-up for religious people?

Most honest people recognize a dark side to their personality. Sometimes alcohol lets the beast out. Other times it rears its ugly head on its own. Most of the time we try to hide it and pretend its not there. But those we’ve hurt and those to whom we’re close know the real truth.

To deny our evil self is as foolish as spitting into the wind.

I fought it as long as I could. But as a child I discovered that, try as I might, I couldn’t be good all the time. I wanted to obey my parents and knew I should. But that knowledge had no power to help me overcome my rebel’s heart.

Not only did I disappoint my parents, I disappointed myself because I wanted to do right.

Why is it when we hear “Don’t” something inside of us says, “Do it!”?

This “dark side” to humanity is cross-cultural and affects both men and women. To discover the source of this “criminal” behavior governments have spent great amounts of time and money. But the only definitive answer is found in the pages of the Bible.

In Genesis Adam’s disobedient choice inflicts sin and its consequences on the human race. In Exodus God reveals a Law to show us our shortcomings and our need for mercy. Then in the New Testament God holds a mirror up to our soul to show us we “all have sinned.”

Most religions recognize the reality of sin. When I was in Japan I visited several famous religious shrines. At one the faithful believed that smoke from a fire would cleanse their sin. At another, the faithful washed their faces and hands and then rinsed their mouths with water to wash away sin. They hoped these rituals would cleanse them. At least temporarily.

But there is only one permanent remedy for sin that can remove its penalty and its grip on the human heart. Jesus Christ said that he could forgive sin. And it’s not just for Christians.

Jesus’ disciple Peter made it clear that God’s intention is for all people to receive forgiveness through Christ. He said, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:43).

Salvation from sin doesn’t belong to one ethnic group or a particular religion. The God who made the heavens and the earth offers it to people of every nation, language and tribe.

For almost 2,000 years people worldwide have discovered the truth in Peter’s message. They’ve been set free from all kinds of addictions and destructive behaviors. The reason is that the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is more than just words. It is more than just a fact to believed. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”

The Gospel has worked for millions of others. It changed my life. It will work for you.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!