I want your sin!

I want your sin!

Words that Christ spoke to Augustine through the scriptures that call us to trust in him that knows our weaknesses and inability to avoid sin that has become habitual.  For from a perverse will comes lust; and lust yielded to, becomes habit; and habit not resisted, becomes necessity.  The flesh struggles against the spirit, and the spirit struggles against the flesh.  (Confessions of St. Augustine Chapter VIII).

The truth that Christ echoes in our conscience is not because of our perfection but in spite of our sin and he plants a need for us to rise above ourselves; carnally.  St. Paul elaborates in Romans; “put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”  (Rom 13: 12b - 14).  

A common voice we will hear in our mind is,”now that you have failed again, do you think the Lord will accept another prayer asking him to forgive you?”   The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Rom 5: 20 - 21).

Sin is an offense against God:  “Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.”  Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it.  Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become “like gods,” knowing and determining good and evil.  Sin is thus “love of oneself even to contempt of God.”  In this proud self-examination, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.  (CCC 1850).

Answering the question that asks, “now do you think the Lord will accept another prayer to forgive?”  Yes, unequivocally!  The interesting truth about forgiveness for our sins is God forgives us even before we seek absolution because he knows we are sorry and understands he is the only satisfaction for our repentant heart.  Turn away from evil and the Lord already is anointing our repentant spirit with grace which lasts forever.

If God were to turn away from our weakened spirit that knows only sin then the thoughts of Satan would be correct in laughing at the very Holiness of the Creator who brought us into being to then send us to Satan’s realm of everlasting death where he will dwell for all eternity.  But that is not the essence of the Holy Trinity who created mankind out of love, nourishes the human species with forgiveness, and will resurrect our mortal bodies to be just like that of Christ.

I want your sin that you shall stand with me on a throne of mercy and extend your prayers to those who are just like you; weak and yet strong because; “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”  (2 Cor 12: 9).

Ralph B. Hathaway