Sin…..

This is a common word that Christians speak about, think about, pray about and repent for.  But usually it’s spoken in terms of self. What are my sins?  Who have I effected by my sin?  Lord, Please forgive me for I have sinned!  But what about the times in our lives when the sins of others effect us?  Now they used to believe that the sins of the parents would be passed down onto the next generations but as you can see by the scripture in Ezekiel that is not the case.

Ezekiel 18:20 The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

But we all know that the sins of others do in fact effect us. But not in a way that we are being punished for the sins of others.  But we do suffer consequences.   And those sins can come in a varied array of shapes and sizes, so therefore the consequences can too!  Regretfully some people start at a very young age suffering the consequences for the sins of others and basically have to bare it for many years.  Some don’t have to start until later in life and possibly are able to make changes more quickly. But the consequences are still left to bare.

John 9:1-3  As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Now absolutely God is not going to intentionally cause pain on us but he did give all man kind free will and that free will sometimes spills over onto others.  There is much to be learned through that pain, through those consequences.  We  have a God that will use all the things that we have had to bare in our lives.  All the consequences that has taught us great wisdom and created in us a person like non other. He will use us if we let Him!  But we have to get to the point in our lives that we understand  “all that stuff we had to bare, the consequences for the sins of others”, It’s not our fault!  Yet we are, who we are, because of it!  Are we going to let it destroy us or are we going to let God us it?

Dear Younger Me by Mercy Me – click to see video on Youtube

So when facing the consequences for the sins of others, be reminded that God loves you!

Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Isaiah 54:17    no weapon forged against you will prevail,  and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Mark 11:25   And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Lord, be with us as we learn to how to grow beyond, let go, use it, forgive it and love beyond.  Amen!