 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
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Religion
2011-01-01 10:18:00
How is accountability for a sin determined?
Question: Which sins are big and which sins are little? How is it determined? For example, if one person believes that pre-marital sex is not a sin or a small sin, and another believes it to a grievous sin . . . who is right? If a person really believes something is not a sin or a minor sin, will he/she be held accountable for the sin as if it is a grievous or serious sin?
Answer: Sin is an enormous topic that has stretched the minds of Christian thinkers throughout the ages. We begin with “Original Sin” that sets the table for mankind. This is traced back to when Adam and Eve listened to Satan’s logic and chose to reject God’s word {Genesis 2:16-17} and committed the first sin of rebellion. {Genesis 3:6} With that came God’s promise “you will surely die.” {2:17} from that day on, man spiritually died {Ephesians 2:1}. A corruption and pollution overshadowed man which left unchecked; man is unable to tell right from wrong {Romans 1:21}. Physical life became an arena for physical pain even in giving birth to a child {Genesis 3:16a}. Power struggles would even enter in to the security of the family with husbands and wives battling each other to be top dog {16b}. Physical suffering would also be so intense Paul tells Christians we can’t even put the pain we are feeling at times into words {Romans 8:26} and even creation groans {Romans 8:22}. Making a living would even be harsh at times {Genesis 3:17-19a} and living in this world we should expect tribulations {John 16:33}. Physical death also entered in the picture {Genesis 3:19; Romans 5:12-21} and also eternal death {Matthew 13:42,50; Revelations 14:11}
With the inheritance of this original sin, comes the disposition to want to rebel and wander away from God’s way {Isaiah 53:6} committing actual sins (acts like lying, adultery, etc but also in thought i.e. Matthew 5:22, 28). Sin originates from a polluted heart as Jesus tells us in Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” Jeremiah addressed this pollution we all have in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” From that stems the attitude that I know better than God as Adam and Eve had. One definition of Sin is exemplified by the middle letter in its spelling, “I.” In the words of Sinatra, “I did it my way,” rather than God’s.
Now there are some who classify sin like our brothers and sisters in the Catholic faith into two classifications. “Venial Sins” are lesser sins that don’t cut one off from the grace of God but do injure the relationship between the sinner and God. Forgiveness is more easily attained even in some cases without confession. “Mortal Sins” are those serious sins that cut the sinner off from the grace of God and are a rejection totally of God. These need the sacrament of penance.
We Protestants don’t hold to such a distinction. Sin is sin, it’s a rebellion against God and according to the Bible, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” {Romans 3:23}. They are against God; great and small {Psalm 51:4}. We deserve death for them “but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” {Romans 6:23} For the child of God who sins, sin is pleasurable for a season, but they are short lived {Hebrews 11:25} The more we hide it or try to cover it up, the more painful or draining it can become {Psalm 32:3-4} God loves His children and will discipline them as a good parent to get it right {Hebrews 12:6-8} and sometimes leaves them to their own consequences {Luke 15:16-17}. He’ll forgive His child when we acknowledge it {Psalm 32:5} but the tragedy is that they may live with the consequences for the rest of their lives. David is a case in point who after his adultery {2 Samuel 11:1-5} and murder cover-up {6-27}, he confessed and was forgiven {Psalm 51}. But David’s indiscretion played out in the deaths of three of his children {2 Samuels 12:15-23; 13:19-39; 18:9-17} and one daughter raped {13:1-14}. All were natural consequences that were set in motion by his inconsistency and moral failure.
I want to encourage you to live in His presence so it will keep you from falling {1 Timothy 1:12}. When you fall go to Christ to receive forgiveness and restoration {1 John 1:9}. Go into the future forgetting the past and reaching for the high calling He has mapped out for you {Philippians 3:8-14}.
With relief over the past forgiven and excitement of what He has ahead of us, seize the day, Pastor Dave.
