When I was younger, I enjoyed throwing rocks into streams or small ponds watching the perfectly incremented ripples chase one another through the glassy water. Mesmerized by the steady production of tiny waves, I started hunting again as the ripples smoothed out. The bigger the rock, the better of course, even if it meant nearly developing a hernia.

As I began to play golf at a young age, I honestly wouldn’t hate it that much when I splashed a tee shot into the drink. I specifically remember a time at a par 3 course when I intentionally chipped approach shot after approach shot into the water hazard because I thought it was “cool.” I laughed and laughed enjoying the “kerplunk” noise the ball made as it buried itself into the depths of the murky water. I sat and watched with intense focus as the ripples extended into the outermost parts of the pond and then launched another. Only when my brother and dad told me that there was a penalty in golf for hitting balls in the water did I begin to aim for the greens instead of streams.

Looking back on this, I found it ironic. There are many things in life that are like these ripples. They seem fun and all until you realize that there is a cost for those things, a penalty. As I innocently enjoyed plunging golf balls into water at a young age, I would later learn that I also had a not-so-innocent affinity for sex, crude humor, self-serving actions, making fun of people and the easy way out of situations, just to mention a few things. The ripple effect of those things however, was and is painful to watch.

Those ripples don’t smooth out after a few seconds. They grow. They grow into waves that capsize lives and ruin relationships, culminating into an eternal storm surge that never recedes.

What exactly is it that causes those ripples? What is the metaphorical rock thrown into the waters of the soul? A little three letter word which has been misunderstood through the centuries. Sin.

“Sin” or Hamartia when used in the original Greek means literally to miss the mark, to fail or an aberration from the truth. It isn’t simply doing “bad stuff” or “being a bad person.” It is deep rooted rebellion to the truth that is passed down just as any hereditary illness is passed. You and I were born sinners because our first ancestors welcomed it into the family line when they rebelled against the one true God who created them in his image.

Clearly, we don’t want to think of ourselves this way. It’s not exactly encouraging to walk around thinking about how badly we’re missing the mark or deviating from truth. So, to solve that problem, we question sin.

“I’m not really a sinner…I mean, I’ve never killed or raped anyone.”

Or

“Who says that God is the truth? Maybe I’m not deviating from anything.”

Or

“I’m a good person, so my sins are outweighed by the good stuff.”

These three responses to the notion of sin in our lives are efforts to smooth out those ripples, but actually result in strengthening them. We simply don’t get the depth of sin, so we dive in even further. We don’t care that we are offending the Most Holy God. We don’t see it as black and white. We don’t get the rebellion in our own hearts that is leading us down a path of destruction.

If anyone reading saw a replay of what goes through my mind in a given day, they’d be thinking “this guy is telling me about sin??” Man, I’m weak in my own strength. I see a pretty girl and lust her body. I see someone else get celebrated for an accomplishment and envy their glory. I see someone struggling and in my pride, think of myself above them. Then I try and play it all off like I’m just a nice humble guy, hoping people will think favorably of me. It’s bad; I’m just trying to be real with you.

I’ve learned that just as Paul, who wrote most of the Bible’s New Testament, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim. 1:15). I’m at the bottom with Paul.

The ripple effects of sin are eternal. What we call “small sins” and large sins” are both equal in the eyes of God. The wages, or earned result, of sin is death as scripture tells us. Whether it’s a little white lie or murder. There is no distinction.

That death is eternal separation from the God who created us for himself, in hell. It’s a real place. Yet the ripples don’t just begin at the end of your life, they’re already rolling through right now.

We see it every day. Broken marriages/families, child development issues, STDs and depression from sex outside of marriage. Murder, overdose and bodily destruction from drugs and alcohol. Suicide, racism, loneliness and deep emotional pain from pride and selfishness. All these things are the ripples of sin!

I’ve seen it in my personal life. At a time, I was addicted to porn and sex chat rooms. Thanks be to God, he has brought me out of that and forgiven me for that sin. I still suffer the consequences of it though as I struggle to think purely when it comes to what sex and marriage were really designed for.

Our sins are run deep. They are often against others, but are always against God Almighty who created us. After all, he is the one we are aberrant from when we sin. I’m hoping you see the desperation that faces us. I hope you see our need.

This refers me back to what Paul said above. If we miss what he said before the emphatic announcement of his own sin, we are missing the point altogether. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners! Our response should be repentance, or simply letting our sins be known to God and asking his forgiveness and restoration. This, paired with worship, will make our hearts strong in God’s grace.

If you’ve received Jesus and what he did for you on the cross, the eternal ripple effect of your sin has been flattened. I urge you to accept this gift. As Paul also writes:

“Where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20)

I now sit and watch the water with a new perspective. As the ripples level out and the water returns to its natural shimmer, I think about what Christ has done for me and millions of brothers and sisters around the world, through the ages. How indebted are we to him? Our minds won’t ever comprehend it. There is nothing more beautiful in us than a repentant heart. There is nothing more beautiful in this world than Christ dying on the cross and rising again declaring our victory over sin.

 

The following scripture was referenced throughout the blog. Check these wonderful truths out for yourself!

John 1:29 – John the Baptist’s analysis of who Jesus is.

Romans 3:10 – There is no one without sin.

Romans 6:23 – The wages of sin is death.

Romans 5:12 – Sin entered the world through one man, so did redemption.

Romans 5:20 – Where sin increases, grace increases more.

1 John 1:18 – If we say we’re without sin, we are liars.

1 Tim 1:15 – Why did Christ come into the world?