Tuesday’s Truth is a free weekly devotional shared by Rev. Gary Mimbs
June 2, 2020
There Is No Small Or Big Sin – It is All Sin
At our church we have a parking lot that is on the other side of the street. I always park on the back side of it in order for guests to be able to have the best parking spots nearest the church (Hint Hint to others Christians). The street in front of the church runs one way. When I leave this parking lot from the back side I either have to go all the way down the block and turn around or just scoot about 15 feet going in the wrong direction on the one way street until I reach the cross over in front of the church.
So I had gotten into the bad habit of taking a short cut just driving the 15 feet and not going all the way down the block. The other option is driving to the front of the parking lot where I could legally turn onto a two way street adjacent to the church. I justified that the shortcut was only a few feet and I was always very careful when I was doing the shortcut.
One Sunday morning after church I left and did my little shortcut. One of our ladies saw me and the next time that she saw me she said in a loving way, “Preacher I wonder if you had saw someone doing that when you were a police officer if you would have given them a ticket?” Boom! I had got busted not only by this lady but by the Holy Spirit. I had been breaking the law and justifying it in my own mind because it was just a short distance.
I went to the lady later and thanked her for pointing this out to me and especially in such a loving way. I told her that the Holy Spirit had convicted me and that I would not be taking the short cut. Her response was something like “I was just kidding you preacher.” I told her that breaking the law and thus sinning was not a kidding matter and that I should be setting a better example.
I thought about how many times we justify things that we know are wrong saying to ourselves that it is only something small. But to God sin is sin no matter how small or how big it needs to be confessed and repented of. Not only so that we can make things right with God but with anyone that we have done wrong or offended. It takes the same amount of Jesus’ blood to forgive a traffic offense that hurts your witness as it does to forgive mass murder.
So allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart and point out any short cuts and sins that He finds offensive. Don’t try and justify them just confess them and turn away from them. Be reminded of I John 1:9. If we confess our sin, God is faithful and will forgive our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This promise of forgiveness and cleansing is not in effect if you try and justify your sin on your own instead of allowing God to justify it with the cleansing by applying the blood of Jesus Christ.
In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs