Scarlet A
By Amy Gentry
Why do I see my past sins as so much
more than other people's?
I have met many fascinating women
with extraordinary stories of their own personal redemption, but yet Satan
still wants me to feel that my past and my sins are the greater.
I spent many years sitting in church
services thinking to myself, "If they only knew... I wouldn't be allowed
back in this building." I was constantly allowing Satan to beat me up and
letting him plant doubt in my heart about The LORD's faithfulness to wash me
clean
(what if I missed a step in my
prayer, what if I was just too bad to be forgiven, what if I wasn't sorry
enough).
Truth- there is no comparison of sin
- mine verses yours. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says we will all have to give an
account for our actions - good and bad.
But let me clarify, I do not believe
that all sin is weighed the same - not all sin is the same in God's eyes, in
spite of what some may say.
--When you are in the midst of sin,
YOUR SIN IS BEING JUDGED by God- at that moment. God draws a line in the sand-
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of
God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of
God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
--BUT even though not all sin is
weighed the same in God's eyes, ALL FORGIVENESS IS weighed the same. Sexual
immorality is just as forgiven by The LORD as stealing a pencil from work when
you confess that sin to The Lord. 1 John 1:9. "If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness."
CHALLENGE: When you are looking at
others and seeing your own "scarlet A" shining like a neon light,
displace that thought with God's Word. You are forgiven (whether you feel
forgiven or not)! He is faith to fulfill His promise.
Psalm 103
"Praise the Lord, my soul; all
my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not
all his benefits--- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who
redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who
satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the
eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He
made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is
compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not
always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as
our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the
heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as
far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from
us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on
those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are
dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the
field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no
more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who
fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children--- with those
who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has
established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the
Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my
soul. …"
