Hey, Pat, I wish there was a way to get rid of the equal signs and numbers
from your devotionals. I know you haven't figured out a way to get rid of
those. I love you, even if I don't have the patience to read these. Take
care.
Cec
-----Original Message-----
From: Echurch-USA The Electronic Church
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pat Ferguson
Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: July 15, 2005 - Sin Lite: Less Filling; Less Faith - Daily
Devotional
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>
>July 15, 2005
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/sendtoafrienddevo.aspx?articleid=3D1139>
>[]
>
>
>
>Sin Lite: Less Filling; Less Faith
>by John Fischer
>
>I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven =97 as her great love has=20
>shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.=94 (Luke 7:47=
TNIV)
>
>This is the age of =93lite.=94 A walk through the supermarket will reveal
a=
=20
>lite version of just about everything from yogurt to salami to beer. In=20
>that context, lite usually means a less caloric, less harmful version of=20
>the original thing.
>
>Now I know its human nature to think in terms of a less harmful version of=
=20
>sin, as if you could grade sin on its caloric count, because I think this=
=20
>way all the time. There=92s really bad sin (everyone else=92s) and then=20
>there=92s my sin (not such a big deal). There=92s original sin and then=20
>there=92s sin lite. Sin lite would have little to do with real sin. It=92s=
how=20
>I perceive my own sin as in the little slip-ups, rationalizations and=20
>indiscretions I allow myself. They might be private sins that I don=92t=20
>think affect anyone else because I keep them to myself. It=92s human
nature=
=20
>to make everyone else=92s sin bigger and more harmful than your own.
>
>But sadly, if I think this way, it means the rest of my experience with=20
>Jesus and the gospel will be =93lite=94 as well. Sin lite means grace
lite,=
=20
>forgiveness lite, gratefulness lite, love lite =97 how about overall=20
>Christianity lite? Less filling; less faith.
>
>Martin Luther once said that if you are going to sin, sin mightily. Now=20
>I=92m sure he didn=92t mean by that that we should all go out and have a=
big=20
>night on the town in his honor (or maybe he did). What I think he meant=20
>was to realize there is no such thing as degrees of sin. Sin is sin, and=20
>if you catch yourself thinking of your sin as any less serious than=20
>someone else=92s, then you need a new perspective on things.
>
>The people who are worse off are those who harbor their little secret sins=
=20
>and think themselves better for it. They are the one=92s Luther was=
thinking=20
>about when he said this. They would be better off if their sin were more=20
>visible, more devastating, because then they would have no choice but to=20
>be humbled into facing it and getting some help. The worst blindness is to=
=20
>be blind and think you can see better than anybody. Such a person is blind=
=20
>to all of God=92s provision for sin and never free of the comparison game.
>
>The minute there is someone out there who, in my opinion is a worse sinner=
=20
>than I am, is when I have stepped over a line and rendered myself=20
>ineligible for the grace of God. Not a place anyone wants to be when the=20
>judgment comes.
>
>[]
>
>John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily=20
>Devotionals. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti and=20
>son, Chandler. They also have two adult children, Christopher and Anne.=20
>John is a published author and popular speaker.
>
>[]
>
>
>
>Click <http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/tblnlredirect.aspx>HERE to sign up=
=20
>for The Better Life, an e-newsletter brought to you by=20
>PurposeDrivenLife.com, with articles by Rick Warren and other insightful=20
>writers.
>To see a sample of The Better Life, click=20
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/betterlife/index.aspx>HERE.
>
>
>
>
>[]
>
>=A9 2005 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
>[]
>
>[]
>
>Miss out on one of the Daily Devotionals? View the online archives at:
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx>http://www.purposedrivenl
=
ife.com/devarchive.aspx
>
>Have questions regarding the Daily Devotionals? Browse our Frequently=20
>Asked Questions at:
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/absolutefm/afmtopics.asp>http://www.purpo
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sedrivenlife.com/absolutefm/afmtopics.asp
>
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<blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite=3D""><div align=3D"center"><br>
July 15, 2005 <br>
</div>
<div align=3D"right"><a=
href=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/sendtoafrienddevo.aspx?articleid=
=3D1139"><img=
src=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devonew/images/btForward.gif"=
alt=3D"[]"></a><br>
</div>
<br><br>
Sin Lite: Less Filling; Less Faith<br>
by John Fischer <br><br>
<dl>
<dd><font size=3D2>I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven =97 as her
great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves
little.=94</i> (Luke 7:47 TNIV)<br>
</font><br>
</dl>This is the age of =93lite.=94 A walk through the supermarket will
reveal a lite version of just about everything from yogurt to salami to
beer. In that context, lite usually means a less caloric, less harmful
version of the original thing. <br><br>
Now I know its human nature to think in terms of a less harmful version
of sin, as if you could grade sin on its caloric count, because I think
this way all the time. There=92s really bad sin (everyone else=92s) and then
there=92s my sin (not such a big deal). There=92s original sin and then
there=92s sin lite. Sin lite would have little to do with real sin. It=92s
how I perceive my own sin as in the little slip-ups, rationalizations and
indiscretions I allow myself. They might be private sins that I don=92t
think affect anyone else because I keep them to myself. It=92s human nature
to make everyone else=92s sin bigger and more harmful than your own.
<br><br>
But sadly, if I think this way, it means the rest of my experience with
Jesus and the gospel will be =93lite=94 as well. Sin lite means grace lite,
forgiveness lite, gratefulness lite, love lite =97 how about overall
Christianity lite? Less filling; less faith.<br><br>
Martin Luther once said that if you are going to sin, sin mightily. Now
I=92m sure he didn=92t mean by that that we should all go out and have a big
night on the town in his honor (or maybe he did). What I think he meant
was to realize there is no such thing as degrees of sin. Sin is sin, and
if you catch yourself thinking of your sin as any less serious than
someone else=92s, then you need a new perspective on things. <br><br>
The people who are worse off are those who harbor their little secret
sins and think themselves better for it. They are the one=92s Luther was
thinking about when he said this. They would be better off if their sin
were more visible, more devastating, because then they would have no
choice but to be humbled into facing it and getting some help. The worst
blindness is to be blind and think you can see better than anybody. Such
a person is blind to all of God=92s provision for sin and never free of the
comparison game. <br><br>
The minute there is someone out there who, in my opinion is a worse
sinner than I am, is when I have stepped over a line and rendered myself
ineligible for the grace of God. Not a place anyone wants to be when the
judgment comes.<br><br>
<img src=3D"images/spacer.gif" width=3D16 height=3D8 alt=3D"[]"> <br>
John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily
Devotionals. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti and
son, Chandler. They also have two adult children, Christopher and Anne.
John is a published author and popular speaker.<br><br>
<img src=3D"images/spacer.gif" width=3D16 height=3D8 alt=3D"[]"><br>
<br><br>
Click
<a href=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/tblnlredirect.aspx">HERE</a> to
sign up for <b>The Better Life</b>, an e-newsletter brought to you by
PurposeDrivenLife.com, with articles by Rick Warren and other insightful
writers.<br>
To see a sample of <b>The Better Life</b>, click
<a=
href=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/betterlife/index.aspx">HERE</a>.<b=
r><br>
<br><br>
<br>
<img src=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devonew/images/spacer.gif"=
alt=3D"[]"><br>
=A9 2005 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.<br>
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alt=3D"[]"><br>
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alt=3D"[]"><br>
Miss out on one of the Daily Devotionals? View the online archives
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<a=
href=3D"http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx">http://www.purpos=
edrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx</a><br><br>
Have questions regarding the Daily Devotionals? Browse our Frequently
Asked Questions at:<br>
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