Can I get away with it?

What are you more scared of - cheating or getting caught cheating? If we are honest, there is a thrill when you get away with it.  But we all know that feeling of fear when you are caught, especially if you think you have got away with it! In the catechism we have learnt that we all sin.  So the next obvious question is - can we get away with it? Simple answer, no.  Here's the longer one.

Q18. Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished?

A. No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness and goodness of God and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgement both in this life and in the life to come.

Some things to take from this answer:

• Don't fool yourself

Don't think that your sin doesn't matter.  Don't think that God didn't notice.  Don't think that you can make up for it by being better next week. Every sin counts.  God sees all things, even into the motives of your heart.  You may do better next week, but this isn't a balancing game! So don't fool yourself - your sin matters.  Your sin and idolatry must be punished.

• Don't domesticate God

We make pets out of all kinds of animals - birds, cat, dogs, snakes, mice and fish.   The list could go on.  But we must never domesticate God. We domesticate him, when we forget how great he is. We forget that he is sovereign - ruler over all. We forget he is holy - absolutely pure. We forget he is good - unable to do anything wrong. We forget he is just - so he can't turn a blind eye. We forget his anger burns against all that violates his rule; stains his purity; doubts his goodness; and seeks to use him for little favours. When we forget these things, we think that we can get away with it.  Worse, when we domesticate God, we think we 

should, 

get away with our sin and idolatry. So don't fool yourself, God is a lot greater than you think.  And he takes all your sins seriously.  

PS - A quote from John Newton, which shows us we need a correct view of God, to understand our sin correctly.

In order to a due conviction of sin, we must previously have some adequate conceptions of the God with whom we have to do.  Sin may be feared as dangerous without this; but its nature and demerit can only be understood by being contrasted with the holiness, majesty, goodness and truth, of the God against whom it is committed.