Joy Before the Angels

We remember from Sunday School the remarkable story of Jonah and the whale. We know how Jonah ran from God because he did not want the Ninevites to be allowed to repent. This story brings to our attention that just as God has shown us mercy, he will show it to those we don’t feel deserve mercy. It also shows the extent to which God will go to pursue us for His purpose.

Jonah 1:1-3, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So, he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Few of us remember the story of Nahum. Nahum came along well after Jonah. After the Ninevites first repented, they again returned to their sinful ways. This time it was Nahum who brought them the message. However, the message was quite different.

Nahum 1:3, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”

The Ninevites’ sin was so entrenched there was nowhere for them to turn. Our God is merciful, long-suffering, and gracious, but He has His limits. God’s judgment will fall on the unrepentant.

We forget that sometimes. We want to dwell on all the richness of God’s love for us to the point that we shy away from what happens when we become unrepentant. We love that God is patient, kind, long-suffering, and willing to bear with our sinfulness. We find comfort in that if we are willing to repent and turn from our ways, He is quick to forgive.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

But what happens if we harbor unrepentant sin? What is the judgment for those that hold back certain sins as personal property? You know, the sin that we can not shake. The sin that we feel is not destructive; the victimless sin in our lives. The sin we hide in the darkness of our lives? There is no victimless sin. There is no sin that God deems trivial or meaningless.

James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

I’m not trying to shame anyone, just bringing to our attention that we all have unrepentant sin. We all have sins that we don’t recognize as harmful or, worse, don’t recognize as sins. I’m not talking about unintentional sin, although that also is an issue, but unresolved sin. We live in a dysfunctional world that has normalized sin. In the last 50 years, we have normalized most of the sins mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Our quest for personal freedom has made it unacceptable to criticize someone else’s lifestyle choices. This passive acceptance tends to water down our perception of sin. Comparatively speaking, we feel we live less sinful lives as Christians. We don’t do the things that others do.

Isaiah 1, 18-20, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”’

This blog does have a happy ending. Just because we have sins in our lives that have become entrenched or unrecognized doesn’t mean we will face the wrath of God. It does not disqualify us from salvation.

Psalm 62:1, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It is not our behavior that determines our salvation; it is the redeeming grace of Christ.

Acts 16:31, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

This blog reminds you to periodically quiet your mind and think about those things that have transpired. Think not just of the significant issues but the minor sins that pop up now and then. Maybe the habitual way you address specific issues or the bias and prejudges that have developed over time. We all have them, and they hurt God as much as the significant issues. Sometimes I think they hurt more because they are unacknowledged and unrepentant. Think of the joy you will bring to God by caring enough about His happiness to seek forgiveness for even the little sins in your life.

Luke 15:10, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”