Behind every sin is a lie about God.

Most of us believe that the way to stop sinning is to change our behavior. Is that true? Can we simply try harder?

(Of course, some believe there is no such thing as ‘sin,’ or it is an allusion or self-imposed rule. That is not only unhelpful, it also flies in the face of reality.)

Assuming we recognize sin and error in our lives and want to change, consider why we get upset at others when they don’t do what we want. Making it personal, what led me to get upset, to yell, and to try to control others? (We’re at more of a root cause thant simply looking at our poor behavior. Yet, we haven’t gone far (or deep) enough in considering why we do what we do.)

If behind every sin is a lie about God, then what really needs to change is what I believe in my heart. Why do I want to control others? Is it because I neglect to truly believe GOD IS GREAT?

Consider Psalm 145:3:

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unfathomable.”

Fathoms are units of measure, such as to measure how deep the ocean is offshore. God’s greatness is beyond measure — His sovereignty is beyond limit.

So, if you and I worn out in busyness and stress, or feel the need to control others, it may be that we don’t really believe God is sovereign and in control. Instead we will seek to take control of situations ourselves, with disastrous results.

Since lies about God are what get us into sin, what gets us out? What sets us free? Consider the words of Jesus:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jesus in John 8:31-32)