July 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

In chapter 1 of Romans we read about people who sank to the depth of idolatry and immorality. But the world is not made up only of people who live like pigs. As long as we have some form of society, most people have to live fairly decent lives. Romans chapter 2 is addressed to decent people who condemn filthy sinners.

The gospel operates with a new understanding of sin. God is not interested in whether you are a bad sinner or only a moderate sinner. God condemns you because you are a sinner.

That does not mean that all the different kinds of sin are equally bad. Robbing a bank is still worse than dreaming about it. But both the robber and the dreamer are sinners.

It isn't robbery or adultery that makes us sinners. We commit robbery and adultery because we are sinners. All lechery, thievery, and lying are symptoms of an evil that is in all of us. And until the Bible points it out, we don't even recognize this evil within us.

Our sin is that we don't love God above all and don't love our neighbor as ourselves. Sin is missing the mark. It is not being what you are supposed to be by God's design and calling.

All people (nearly all) can recognize certain deeds, such as murder and theft and whatever else is considered immoral behavior, as sins. Christianity explains that we don't become sinners by such sinful deeds; we do such deeds because we are sinners.

In the light of the gospel, all our traditional distinctions between good people and bad people disappear. "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else" (v. 1).

God places all of us under the conviction of sin so that all of us may know that we need Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

How convinced are you that you are a sinner? Why is this so important to recognize?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.