The Road to Hell

I've started going to The Flood, and I really enjoy it. One of my favorite things is the imagery that they use. the current series is called "Ten Thousand Years: Ancient Stories of Amazing Grace" and the image they've chosen to represent that is the Bristlecone pine tree. It looks something like this:

Bristlecones are the oldest living things on earth. They're thick, hardy, and gnarly. Like Grace.

Today's sermon told the tale of Cain and Abel, but approached the story from a different angle. The pastor read the verse where God tells Cain, "Sin is crouching at your door..." Matt likened this to a predator lying in wait for the prey to come along. and then he asked us, "What is your crouching sin?"

He warned us that it's probably not the sin you think of immediately. It's probably way subtler. More rationalized. 

And then he began giving examples: 

-"I'm not bitter towards men. I'm just hurt and I'm trying to make wise decisions for the future."

-"I'm not a workaholic. I'm just trying to provide for my family, and make more money so I can help others."

-"I'm not stingy with my money. I'm just trying to be a good steward of what God has given me."

-"I'm not obsessed with the way I look. I'm just trying to make healthy choices for my life."

All those things sound really good. And even your motivations sound okay. But as Matt listed them off, I felt knives dive and twist in my chest. Each point was another notch- another cut. It hurt, because I do this.

I rationalize my sin.

See, these things sound okay because I'm giving great excuses for them. But the focus in each case is still on me, not on God. Cain's sin was self-pity and rationalizing.

My sin is no different.

But God's infinite grace is great!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?