Like Kudzu in a Compost Pile
One of my favorite books of the last decade is James Clear’s Atomic Habits. It’s a step-by-step course in changing one’s life by changing one’s habits. I love the book and have often incorporated Clear’s principles in my coaching and counseling. If you’re stuck in a behavior pattern and need help breaking free, read Atomic Habits.
However, it does not address man’s worst habit. Atomic Habits focuses on behaviors. Our worst habit is sin. Mankind has long equated sin with behavior. That’s why our minds are blown when Jesus teaches,
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Matthew 5:21-22
and
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27-28
Sin is rooted in our insistence to determine what is right and wrong apart from God’s input. We are bound by sin the moment our perspective collides with God’s, whether we have engaged in behaviors supporting our perspective or not. Even the best, most thorough, and sustaining behavior modification falls short of resolving our sin habit. One can stop drinking, cheating, stealing, or gossiping without being even a smidge less of a sinner.
Repentance is about changing one’s behavior. Repentance is hard. It requires one to look at individual behaviors and determine what needs to change. It means admitting who we are and overcoming our established tendencies and preferences. It calls for training and retraining. It means denying oneself. It takes will and determination. One may need the help of others. Through repentance, we engage the work of following Jesus and free ourselves of the earthly consequences of the destructive behaviors we avoid through the transformative work of repentance.
But if behavior modification or repentance could eliminate sin, why would we need a Savior?
Because repentance does not remove sin. Why not? While we focus on changing a specific behavior, and count on the cumulative effects of changing a list of behaviors over time, no one escapes our pervasive longing to determine what is good and evil for ourselves. Our yearning for independence grows like kudzu in a compost pile. Put simply, we think what we think is right. If we didn’t think what we think is right, we wouldn’t think it. We’d think something else. So, when our emotions cloud our thinking, we justify our thinking regardless of what God may think because we think what we think is right.
That’s why when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching, his message changed from one of repentance to
“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Luke 1:29
Only one without sin could take away our sin. Jesus, being one with God, does not think independently of God. He is without sin, or independence from God.
Jesus loves you too much to ask you to earn forgiveness or try to overcome sin on your own.
You can change.
You can stop whatever it is that is hurting others or entangling you.
You can be good.
You can be honest, nice, generous, kind, patient, loving, and grateful.
You can work hard.
You can do so for decades.
Your life in this world may be better for it.
But if you have air flowing into your lungs and blood pumping through your veins, you are a sinner. When they stop, only the issue of sin will matter. Being good, better, or giving more won’t address your sin issue. You will enter an unprecedented world entirely free of sin and its consequences because you have trusted the only one who could take away your sin; Or you will discover the repercussions of your independence from God in this world as you enter a world ravaged by the unabated dominance of sin and the unmistakable absence of God.
Only Jesus.
