What Jesus Did! 'The Truth about Sin' — John 19:10-11

Sin clouds our thinking. Sin tempts us to overestimate our abilities; then sin ensnares us in its deceitful and deadly web of death. Sin wounds others. And as Jesus reminds us here, not all sin is the same! Some folks have suggested that one sin is not greater than another because all sin separates us from God. While the latter part of that statement is true, the first isn't. Jesus' own people, people who knew the character and the promises of God, distorted their legal process, ^[1] called for the guilt of Jesus' murder to be on them and their children, ^[2] and honored a godless emperor as their king when they asked for God's Son to be killed. ^[3] While Pilate's weakness and pandering to the crowd ^[4] were definitely sinful, Jesus emphasized that the sin of the leaders of his own Jewish people was the greater sin. Sin matters to God — all sin and every sin matter to God! However, some sin involves our engaging others in sin and influencing others to sin. Some sin — especially that of parents, Bible teachers, and leaders — gets replicated and passed on as a sin problem to coming generations. Some sin involves our own bodies, the very temple of God through his Holy Spirit. So let's not be glib about sin. Instead, let's focus on doing what is right, saying what is true, and keeping our commitments to the God of all grace. And when we do sin? Let's acknowledge it before God, repent of it, and receive his gracious gift of forgiveness and cleansing.