THE ADVENT – SIN

Advent is the season of reflection upon the birth of Christ the Messiah, the incarnation of the Almighty, in flesh and blood, to save the fallen world. The reason for the Advent – the arrival of the Saviour is, because of our sin, our rebellion and the consequences of it. This is as simple as one can put it.

Sin is the deadliest kind of poison. It not only kills us from living a meaningful and purposeful life, as intended by our Creator. It also kills us, with consequences for eternity, if it is not addressed adequately and appropriately. Sin separates us from God and thereby from life. Sin is never alone. It has its siblings, and it surely and certainly brings them along.

Sin creates the separation between God and man. The reason for this is – God is holy, and He cannot tolerate sin. Unrepentant man, who defends himself and justifies his wrongs, worsens the situation. Such an attitude and behaviour turns us, into enemies of God. This is but natural – what we sow, that we reap, as said by Paul in Galatians 6:7-8.

Prophet Isaiah, speaking to the people of Israel, and also to us today, says – “​1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” – Isaiah 59:1-2. The seriousness of sin is often-times glossed over, and greatly under-estimated by human beings. This can be known, when we peep into ourselves, and also glance at the people, all over through the world. 

Isaiah goes on further, to explain, in verses 3-4, what is the sin, committed by the people of Israel, and by extension, the world we live in – “3 For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. 4 No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.”

Can we see ourselves in the above verses? Can see the present world, the nations, its leaders, and all its inhabitants, in the words of the prophet? Don’t you think they speak to the Church and all the Christians, even though they were spoken about 2700 years ago? This is the reason for the Saviour to be born into our world – to seek and save us – Luke 19:10. May the LORD help us to REFLECT, to REPENT and be RENEWED as we walk through this Advent.