THERE'S SIN IN THE CAMP

I find it amazing that some born again believers are shocked when a brother or sister sins.  In fact, I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why they are so surprised; do they not have the "mirror of the Word" (Jam. 1:23-24), and see their own sin?  It is as though they fail to recognize that they are carrying around a huge "beam" in their own eye, and are mesmerized by the little "mote" in the eye of a brother (Mt. 7:3-5)!  Where did they get their theology?  Who has convinced them that they are sinless?

The Apostle Paul used several present-tense verbs to describe his struggle with sin in his own life (Rom. 7:15-25).  The Apostle James wrote that before the elders were to pray over a sick brother or sister, he or she was to confess his or her sins (Jam. 5:16)!  The Apostle John went so far as to say those who denied they still sinned, were calling God a liar (1 Jn. 1:7-10)!

I have written many times about how the Parables of the Kingdom, found in Matthew 13:1-52, are types or "pictures" of the Church Age.  The Lord showed His disciples that it would be impossible for them to determine who was a born again believer, and who was "planted" by Satan himself.  The "tares" (13:28-30), and the "bad fish" (13:47-50), are two examples.  The Church is also infiltrated by Satan's "birds" (13:31-32), and is "enlarged" by leaven, a biblical symbol for sin and corruption (13:33)!

Tomorrow, the Church celebrates its birthday, which occurred on the Feast of Pentecost, ten days after the Lord's Ascension (compare Acts 1:3 w/ 2:1).  If one studies the Feast of Pentecost, he is quick to discover that there is something very unique about it; it is the only feast that God specifically told the Jews to include leaven in the two loaves of bread (Lev. 23:15-22).  Because the Church is the fulfillment of the prophetic Feast of Pentecost, and because it is composed of two groups of sinners, the born again Jews and the born again Gentiles, it is clear that the Lord knew the members of the Body of Christ would still have to struggle against sin! 

Of course there is "sin in the camp!"  You and I are there!