Religion column: The fall into sin

Greetings from Faith Lutheran Church in Eldorado.

With this article, I segue from the themes of Genesis to Ash Wednesday and Lent. Chapter 3 of Genesis is dedicated to informing us of the fall into sin and the consequence it had for man. Chapter 4 continues to show the nature of sin and how it has infected the lives of Adam and Eve's children. Yet, we cannot miss how God counters sin, especially in His promise to send one who would be born to crush the head of Satan and make things right again. (Gen 3:15)

Ash Wednesday rightly remembers the fall into sin and its consequence. As ash is applied to the forehead, these words are normally said, "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." The words reflect Gen 3:19 as part of the curse of sin. It is wrong to try to lessen the harshness of sin. I knew one pastor who did not believe in having members of the congregation confess their sins as it might cause uncomfortable feelings of guilt. It reminded me of how some doctors do not want to tell their patients that they have only six weeks to live, so let's pretend everything is OK. To whitewash sin is like putting a Band-Aid on a pus-oozing tumor that will end one's life. Patients must understand the deadly reality which they find themselves. Ministers fail God and their members it they turn God's word into pseudo-psychology. We don't just pick the happy verses to preach on.

Adam and Eve defied God and then tried to justify themselves by not taking responsibility for their actions. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Flip Wilson is wrong when he says, "The devil made me do it." David in Psalm 51:3-6 gets it as he writes, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." David confesses that, even from birth, he was sinful and says that God is justified in His judgments. We and all mankind deserve nothing less than God's earthly and eternal punishment.

There is good news, but it is not excuses. God promised one who would come and crush the head of Satan, and that is Jesus. As our substitute, he kept the law perfectly; and then, on the cross, he was condemned by His Father. Our sin and that of our children was placed on Christ, and His righteousness is now placed on us. We are declared righteous and justified, while He is an abomination to God. He then rose victorious from the dead, having fully atoned for all mankind.

If we don't take sin seriously, then we cannot take our redemption seriously.

Blessed Ash Wednesday, Pastor David Otten.