August 16, 2022

Lamentations 3: 39 (NIV)

Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

Complaining may offer relief, but so does acceptance.*

I attended Christian colleges which were strict about things such as dress code and curfews. During my junior year, my roommate got caught breaking curfew to attend a party in town. For her punishment she was “campused.” She was restricted to her dorm room when not in class or in the cafeteria for meals. This meant trouble for her unfortunate, innocent roommate as well because I was the only one she had to talk to most of the time. One night, after listening to her complain – again – about her horrible fate, I reminded her that she knew the rules and she chose to break them. She reluctantly admitted that I was right – and that the party wasn’t even fun!

Whatever other rules she might have violated, my roommate never broke curfew again. It might be a good thing if we got caught and were punished immediately every time we sinned. Instead, when we get away with it we receive positive reinforcement for behavior that wasn’t even fun.

The actual payment for sin is death (Romans 6: 23). Suffering the natural consequences of your sin or paying your debt to society for breaking the law does not mean you have settled your debt with God. You may be alive and complaining now but you are not getting away with it. You sin, you die.

But wait. There’s an offer on the table. Eternal life can be yours. It’s free to you because Jesus Christ paid the price for your sin (Romans 6: 23 – again). He died so you don’t have to. I’m not an attorney but I suggest you accept the offer. And stop complaining!

We cannot justify ourselves before God, or plead Not guilty.*