Correct Me!

About three weeks ago someone loaned me a DVD teaching that speaks of three different kinds of sin.  I'm not going to take time to look at the notes I have as I write this now, but my memory is that the three kinds are (1) "missing the mark," that is, going against God's commands without a rebellious attitude, (2) "transgression," knowingly and intentionally turning against God's ways, and (3) "iniquity," the consequences of habitually turning a blind eye, a deaf ear toward God's ways--something that comes near to what the scriptures call a "hard heart."

My understanding before studying these matters in depth is that each of these types of sin is still sin, and each of these kinds of sin brings the proverbial "wages of sin," that is, death.  And one might remember this from Galatians 6:7-8 -  "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption..."

The special difficulty that comes from being rebellious and hard-hearted is that it's so difficult to come to repentance.  The DVD resource claims that it is the rebellion and hard-hearted-ness that ends up impacting generations.  Rebellion and hard-hearted-ness leads us to hate the one who loves us--God himself.  (See Exodus 20:5)

I need to spend some time studying this in more depth, to see if there is indeed a reason for saying there are different "kinds of sin."  It make sense spiritually as I sit here writing this, but I do need to check this against the Word of God.

It's that time in the Word that will correct me and each of us.  Let's allow God to continually correct us and change us--and let's give God permission to correct us, harshly if necessary, so we will not wander far from His love.  And when we see that we are wandering, let us return to the Lord!

A prayer:

Father God, keep us close to your Word so we are regularly corrected and thereby stay soft to your hand.  Protect us by your Word all from rebellion and hardness of heart!  When you see that we are rebelling or hardening, use all means necessary to turn us back to the right path, for your love desires nothing more than our hearts, open and willing to receive You and Your Word.  Jesus, you have done all that is necessary to defeat every kind of sin.  Make that victory evident in our lives today.  Come Holy Spirit, fill us and give us new hearts!  In Jesus' name.

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