Bible devotion - An Old Word - John 8:24

John 8:24 (Jesus said) “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.”

            Sin is such an outdated, old-fashioned, and archaic word that it seems ludicrous for the Church to still use it in today’s society. Sin is such a pejorative, judgmental, and intolerant word that someone should outlaw its use entirely and ban it completely from our conversations, messages, and Bibles. It does no good to call anyone a sinner; it is not fair to point out sinfulness; it is absolutely inhumane to bring someone’s sin to the attention of others, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Judge not, lest ye be judged?” And what about that plank in the eye stuff, wasn’t Jesus warning His followers about hypocritically condemning others?

            And yet, when we read the Gospels, we find Jesus warning His own people and religious leaders about the dire consequences of dying in their sins. If they didn’t believe He was sent from God as the Chosen One, their sins could never be forgiven. If their sins remained unforgiven, then they would be separated from God forever. In other words, Jesus was teaching His people, as well as us today, that sins have consequences, not just in this life, but in the world that is yet to come.

            Sin is such a current, present, and relevant word that it seems ludicrous for the Church to abandon its use in today’s society. Sin is such a descriptive, apt, and universal word that everyone should be aware of its constant use by Jesus and include it in our prayers, sermons, and Bibles. It does no good to avoid the fact that we are all sinners; it is unreal to think that we are sinless; it is eternally disastrous to be kept unaware of our sins, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Judge what is right, instead of accepting what appears to be right” (John7:24) and “If you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.”(John 8:24).

Questions for personal reflection

How sinful am I? What am I doing about my sins?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, we cannot fool You because You know everything about us. We strive to be good people and committed servants to God, but we often get distracted or tempted and end up sinning miserably. Forgive our sinful ways and help us to truly turn to You for guidance, wisdom, and mercy. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or make comments about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Eternal Savior.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Savior.