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NASB | Luke 15:11 ¶ And He said, "A man had two sons. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 15:11 ¶ Then He said, "A certain man had two sons. |
Subject: Sin is about a broken relationship.... |
Bible Note: emmaus,inmyheart,timothy paul, berean49, makarios and friends, The text above is in reference to the story used below that would be from verses 11 to 32 let me share you this wonderful article in view of sin, this is from Dr. Dwight Nelson in His book Outrageous Grace. I used to define sin the way you do and i don't say they are wrong but its more excellent in the way Dr. Nelson put it, Sin is not just merely on Behavior but its on Relationship. Let's try to look on how he explained it: Lets go back to the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-31 and consider the 3 characters and their understanding of sin. The Elder Brother: What is the elder brother's understanding of sin? We read it in Luke 15:29: " Listen! for all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command." He's absolutely convince that this is what the father wants- unquestioning obedience and the absence of wrong behavior. To him, sin is wrong behavior, and if he can convince his faher that he has never done anything wrong then nothing can keep him from procuring his piece of the pie. The Younger Brother: We can read Jesus story in Luke 15:31-21: Onverse 18 it say " I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Fathre i have sinned agianst heaven and against you." Do you see what the younger brother understanding of sin?It, too, is very behavior-oriented. Ask the older brother about sin, and he would start talking about the absence of wrong behavior. Ask the yoinger brother about sin and he speaks of the absence of right behavior. Both sons are consumed with the behavioral model of sin. Both of them beleive that the way to maintain or restore a saving relationship with their father is based on behavior; The elder son feels he needs to demostrate his absence of wrong behavior; the younger son son hopes to win his father over decrying the absence of right behavior. But he father quickly demonstrates to them that they are wrong.And so we are, if we focus on behavior for our understanding of sin. Sin and the Father: Have you noticed what preoccupies the father in the story? He is not nearly concerned with the right and wrong behavior as he is with broken relationships. The boy's model for sin is behavioral- the Father's is clearly relational. If you were to ask the boys about sin, they would talk about broken behavior. But were you to ask the father about sin, broken relationships would be his list concern. The Father defines sin relationally more than behaviorally. If we are to ask if the Father in that story is just like God what then are we going to do about the classic Bible definition of sin, "Sin is the transgression of the Law" (1Jn 3:4) That is a fair question and in response ,let's reflect a moment on the nature of God's law, the ten commanments. At their eternal heart aren't all ten commands a divine protection of every relationship in this life that matter to human being? the first 4 concern our relationship with God our Creator, and the last 6 revolve around our relationships with one another. at its heart the Decalogue is a relational document. So if sin is the "transgression" or breaking one of those relationship-protecting commandments, then by definition and extension, sin is ultimately relationl. Sin is any thought or behavior that jeopardizes either our vertical relationship with God or our horizontal relationship with another human being. Sin, in the beginning and in the end is about relationships. That's when the Father hurries out of the house to each sons, relationship and not on behavior is what's on his mind. Because the pain of separation has been caused by a broken relationship more than broken behavior. Lastly, when a father's child carelessly fall down, a father isn't thinking about the falling down, but the picking up and holding close. A father knows that what changes a child is not a lecture about behavior. What changes a child is the love of a relationship. It is the way with our Father above. Look at him in this story. Why do you suppose he goes flying down the dusty road and slips the family ring back onto the finger of the prodigal son? Because a broen relationship need to be restored! And why does he hurry out of the lamplighted house into the evening shadows to be with his older son? because a broken realtionship needs to be restored. With both sons the driving motivation of the father is relational. I pray that this would help each and everyone to define what is sin really is! SIN IS ALL ABOUT A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP, WHAT DO YOU THINK? God Bless! inheavenseyes |