Can Sin be Numbered?

I have found that many of us in the States think and view things in a very linear fashion. We love things in order and written in a systematic way. We are very logical in our conclusions and we seem to love bullet point lists, especially in meetings because we can move from one point to another.

Often times as a result of this way of thinking we can begin to number our sins and list them in a similar style. This is not a huge problem, but if we are not careful then we begin to grow in a type of independence which causes us to begin thinking self-consciously that we do not need God as much as we originally thought.

So let me ask you, "When you sin, how many sins have you committed?" For example, let us imagine that you have just lied to your wife. If I were to ask you how many sins you have just committed, you would more than likely say just one.

ME: Why would you say you have only committed one sin?

YOU: Because all I did was tell a little insignificant lie?

Well maybe, but is that a Scriptural idea? I dare say no it is not! Maybe we have this thinking because so often we don't actually view our sin as being that bad. Now I don't honestly think that you would verbally call a lie little and insignificant, but how often do we do that with the way we respond to sin?

Colossians 3:5 says,

"Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry."

What is Paul saying? He is telling us that each of these sins and any sin for that matter is idolatry. He didn't list every sin known to man because that would be larger than this entire letter and that is not the focus. The point that the apostle is bringing out is that no matter what sin you commit, the very fact that you committed it shows the idolatry that you are holding onto.

So if you are involved in immorality, you are an idolater. If you are acting in greed, you are an idolater. If you have just lied to your wife, you are an idolater. What does this mean? It means that having just lied to your wife, it was not one sin that you committed, but two.

The two sins are lying and idolatry. However, with your lying and idolatry, what comes with it? Pride. Now there are three sins which you have committed against God and His holiness. You have lied. Because you have lied, you having committed idolatry by lifting yourself up as the determiner of your own path and actions. As a result of placing yourself on the throne in your life, you have become proud.

This is serious! Sin was never meant to be numbered. How often, when we sin, do we confess all of these things? I personally struggle with this because self-consciously I don't think what I have done is all that bad. It's just one lie. WRONG! It is so much worse than we will ever realize. I pray that this fact will cause both you and I to gain a better understanding of our desperate need for God Most High.