Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. – Isaiah 59:1-2
We often have a habit of downplaying the seriousness of certain sins in our lives. We manage, somehow, to convince ourselves that those sins really aren’t that big a deal. Maybe it’s the occasional white lie, gossip, or selfishness. We’re good at finding ways to justify these and many other sins. I think this comes partly from the fact that we know God is loving and willing to extend grace and forgiveness to us. But the fact of the matter is, sin is a serious problem, even if it’s just a “little sin.”
Isaiah tells us in the verse above that sin makes a separation between us and God. That’s a BIG deal because we were made to be in relationship with God. But sin pulls us away from that relationship, separating us from the one who made us. And Scripture is clear that without Jesus, that separation is eternal.
Sin should never be minimized or justified, because even the “little sins” pull us away from the God who made us for relationship with him. Sin is a Big deal, church! Thankfully, God gave us a way to overcome sin in his Son Jesus!