Maintenance is So Very Important

To maintain is a positive action. When you fail to maintain something, it is likely going to result in something undesirable.

When we fly on a passenger airline, I like to know that the parts of the plane have been maintained. This includes the tires, the jet engines, and all of the parts that keep the plane in the air. The word “maintain” reminded me of something we should maintain but often do not. It has to do with unity and peace.

The Types of Sin

As I have been teaching a twelve-week series on the book of Romans to some seminary students in India, lesson two focuses on who the sinners are (everyone) and what sin looks like. Most people think sin is “breaking the Ten Commandments” or some list of things that are fun that you cannot do. Sin is actually quite a bit more sneaky because the father of sin is very sneaky.

For example, if we neglect to maintain the unity of the Spirit, which is something we “do”, not something to avoid, we are sinning. Failing to maintain unity in the church is a constant struggle. Paul urged the church in Ephesus to walk differently: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

What is sin?

Sin has multiple facets. It includes doing, not doing, faithlessness, suppressing truth, and a lack of thanksgiving.  To help my students think more carefully about how bad and pervasive sin is, I gave them five examples of sin. Notice that Jesus calls peacemakers “blessed.” Peacemaking requires active work to make peace, followed by active work to maintain peace and unity. A failure to act when there is a lack of peace is sinful.

A failure to act is sin. If you see someone in danger or being harmed and do nothing, that is sin.
  1. Doing: “All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.” 1 John 5:17 “No one does good.” Rom. 3:12
  2. Not Doing! (a failure to act) “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17 “…and the way of peace they have not known.” Rom. 3:17 “The way of peace they have not known.” Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
  3. Faithlessness: “But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” Romans 14:23 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Rom. 3:18 This means they don’t believe God is worthy of fear and they don’t believe what he says about faith. They doubt his love, his promises, his authority, and his goodness.
  4. Suppressing the truth; exchanging truth for a lie. Rom. 1:18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Rom. 1:25 “…because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
  5. This is only the beginning of the list. We are very unthankful. Romans 1:21 says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him.” God looks at his creation and calls it “good.” He keeps it going and he never gets tired of it. We get bored and are not thankful for what he has made. He gives us children and we complain if they behave like sinners just like us. He gives us a beautiful or handsome spouse, and we treat our spouse as though he or she is something less than a precious gift from God.

The Apostle Paul summarizes the total depravity of man in Romans 3:9-18. Always be thinking about this: “How is what I am thinking, deciding, saying or doing imaging God? If I am not imaging God, then I am imaging the devil.

Total depravity is the doctrine that human nature is thoroughly corrupt and sinful as a result of the Fall. Some don’t like the term “total depravity.” They argue that Adolph Hitler was a worse sinner than most men and women. I don’t want to argue against that view. However, total depravity is saying that every part of man—his mind, will, emotions and flesh—have been corrupted by sin. Before Christ I was totally depraved. I certainly wasn’t as bad, externally as I could be, but I was rotten to the core. Thankfully God changes those who come to Christ.

How to Identify a Follower of Jesus

They are peacemakers. They start by living the gospel, and then they share the gospel. The most important peace people need is peace with God. Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Five Minute Friday

This post is part of the weekly Five-Minute Friday link-up.

All scripture passages are from the English Standard Version except as otherwise noted.