monday 2002-11-04 1409 last modified 2002-11-05 1817
Categories: no categories
TrackBacks Sent: None

Someone asked me what the Christian response would be to this statement: Knowing the consequence of 'sin', I'd rather pay for the suffering I've caused - I don't think I want to be saved.

My personal reaction is shock. But I think there are a lot of answers, most of which would center on a misunderstanding of what sin and its true consequences are, maybe even on what suffering is. What do you think? How would you answer?

Comments

yeah, that is a ...

yeah, that is a shocking / appalling statement, not so much of the "wow, that's a tough one" variety as much as the "wow, this person has really bought into some big lies" variety.

and, as you say, there are many answers to be given. personally, i'm thinking of two passages from Psalm 51, both of them speaking to God, : Psalm 51:4 ("Against you, you only have I sinned") and Psalm 51:16-17 ("You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.")

a more direct way of answering (perhaps saying the same thing) would be to say "look, your 'payment' means exactly diddley-squat to God". this whole "i'll pay for the suffering" decision is right next door to the argument that i'm justified because "i've lived a good life". both of them are very prideful arguments. no big surprise there. pretty much every sin (and the fundamental state of being dead in sins) can be traced back, ultimately, to pride.

Matt Libby on November 07, 2002 06:04 AM

You must login to leave a comment

TrackBacks

No TrackBacks for this entry.